Research Scientist 2

The University of New Mexico•Albuquerque, NM

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Center for Applied Research and Analysis (CARA), part of the University of New Mexico's Institute for Social Research, seeks a Research Scientist 2 to conduct applied research and evaluation in criminal justice, behavioral health, and related public policy areas. The Research Scientist 2 works on a small project team under the direction of a senior researcher and takes ownership of defined parts of each project: preparing and analyzing data, reviewing the literature, and drafting report sections. Much of our work uses administrative records from jails, courts, corrections, law enforcement, and behavioral health providers. The successful candidate will be comfortable working with messy real-world data, quick to learn new methods and subject areas, and careful about getting the numbers right. We routinely partner with local and state government entities.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree
At least 1 year of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified
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

Background in a social science, public policy, public health, statistics, or a related field
Prior research experience in an applied or academic setting
Proficiency in at least one statistical package (SPSS and R preferred; Stata, SAS, or Python also welcome)
Experience managing and analyzing administrative data or other large real-world datasets
Excellent writing skills, including the ability to explain findings to a non-technical reader
Interest in criminal justice or behavioral health policy
People who are successful in this position work well both independently and as part of a team.
They are self-motivated, detail-oriented, and responsible, and they think critically about data and evidence.

Responsibilities

Clean, link, manage, and analyze quantitative data from administrative and survey sources, using scripted and reproducible workflows
Collect primary data as projects require, including surveys, interviews, and record reviews
Conduct literature reviews and summarize the evidence for non-academic audiences
Draft reports, briefs, research protocols, and sections of proposals
Prepare tables, figures, and presentations for partner agencies
Follow Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols, data use agreements, and data security requirements for confidential records
Train and guide student employees and other research support staff as needed
Complete other project tasks as needed