Senior Researcher

Metropolitan Council•390 Robert St. N St. Paul, MN

10h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Metropolitan Council is seeking a Senior Researcher to join the Community Development Research department, specifically within the Strategy and Product Design team. This team focuses on information design and user experience (UX) for regional planning departments, alongside applied research projects. The Senior Researcher will contribute to the department's mission of providing accessible data about the Twin Cities region. This role involves using strong quantitative skills for applied research, generating data assets, and creating well-designed public content. A key aspect of this position is delivering and managing digital products, which includes contributing to the user experience research (UXR) program (conducting interviews, usability testing, writing surveys) and/or developing web-based interactive applications using tools like Tableau, R Shiny, and ESRI GIS. The initial balance of these responsibilities will depend on the candidate's experience. The ideal candidate will have a solid foundation in applied quantitative or mixed-method research, with demonstrable communication and design skills for sharing research with diverse audiences. This position is eligible for a hybrid telework arrangement, with the candidate's permanent residence required to be in Minnesota or Wisconsin.

Requirements

High school diploma/GED and eight (8) years of experience
Associate degree and six (6) years of experience
Bachelor's degree and four (4) years of experience
Master's degree and two (2) years of experience
Doctorate (PhD) degree and two (2) years of experience
Degree field of study in Social Sciences such as sociology, geography, or economics; Urban Studies, Public Policy, Applied Mathematics, Data Science or related field
Experience in applied social science research
Experience in advanced data analysis and statistical modeling
Experience in information design, data visualization and/or technical communications or content strategy
Experience in developing web-based, interactive applications or similar digital products

Nice To Haves

Experience working with public sector datasets (like U.S. Census data, for example) and/or Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul) regional datasets.
Intermediate programming skills in SQL, R, and/or Python for statistical modeling, data analysis, and/or data visualization.
Experience working in racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse, multicultural, and inclusive environments.
Experience with visual design tools such as Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Figma, Canva, etc.
Experience conveying complex research to non-technical audiences through writing, presentations, and/or data visualization.
Consulting experience or similar client-focused roles that involve soliciting and incorporating multiple stakeholder perspectives to achieve shared outcomes.
Experience with Tableau, Datawrapper, Flourish, and/or equivalent software used to create interactive charts and maps.

Responsibilities

Lead and/or coordinate applied research projects in partnership with policy, planning, and research staff: define objectives, determine methods, analyze data and validate findings, and share results with internal project teams and external audiences.
Apply data visualization best practices to translate complex research concepts and findings into usable, accessible static and interactive digital content for diverse audiences.
Conduct user experience research, such as writing primary data collection instruments (interview protocols, surveys), facilitating virtual feedback sessions, coding qualitative data, and deriving relevant insights to inform product design.
Use programming languages like R, Python, or SQL to access the division’s data assets and perform accurate and reliable data analyses; document results using shared practices of the division’s data platform.
Build or advance skills in creating web-based interactive tools and/or web content using Tableau, Power BI, R Shiny, ESRI ArcGIS Online and Enterprise Portal, and other software/tools as required.
Develop or deepen an understanding of product management and user experience (UX) design principles.
Engage with relevant communities of practice; exchange knowledge with peers to advance the team’s capacity to provide relevant resources and consultation.