Research Scientist 1

University of New Mexico•Albuquerque, NM

5d•$3,841 - $5,148•Hybrid

About The Position

The University of New Mexico's Center for Geospatial and Population Studies (UNM-GPS) serves as the New Mexico State Demographer's Office and state liaison to the U.S. Census Bureau and maintains New Mexico's traffic crash database for the New Mexico Department of Transportation. Our team provides the accurate, impartial data and objective analysis that lawmakers, government agencies, and the public rely on to make informed, data-driven decisions. UNM-GPS is seeking a Research Scientist 1 to gather, integrate, analyze, describe and visualize data related to New Mexico’s changing population and vehicular crash data.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree; no previous experience required.
Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

Nice To Haves

A degree in geography, sociology, public health, economics, or other social sciences with a quantitative or mixed-methodological tradition.
A strong aptitude for critical thinking when confronting unstructured or incomplete datasets, paired with the resourcefulness to investigate anomalies and propose creative solutions.
Ability to pivot and adapt procedures as new information arises or new ideas are developed is highly desirable.
Foundational experience with ArcGIS Pro or other Geographic Information Systems software, along with a strong understanding of New Mexico’s unique geography and cultural landscape.
Experience writing basic SQL queries to extract data, or exposure to statistical programming languages such as R, Python, or SAS.
Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, or exposure to business intelligence tools like Tableau and PowerBI.
Familiarity with U.S. Census Bureau products, including the Decennial Census, American Community Survey (ACS), and Population Estimates.
Strong communication skills with the ability to translate technical data findings to diverse audiences, manage time effectively, and work both independently and collaboratively.

Responsibilities

Compile, clean, and standardize disparate datasets from the U.S. Census Bureau and state agencies.
Review data for completeness and prepare it for spatial and statistical analysis.
Geocode housing unit and vehicular crash data across New Mexico's diverse geography, ensuring high spatial accuracy.
Help build and maintain public-facing dashboards.
Fulfill data and mapping requests from state partners, researchers, and the general public.
Create clear documentation, workflows, and process diagrams for internal procedures.
Present research findings and data trends to teammates and partnering agency stakeholders.
Help collect, organize, and track specialized datasets, including group quarters population data (such as housing, correctional facilities, and student dormitories).