Statistician II

Vanderbilt University•Nashville, TN

10d•Hybrid

About The Position

This position involves applying technical skills in survey design, sampling, fieldwork oversight, dataset processing, and data analysis to develop, report, and disseminate research on public opinion. Teaching may also be required. The role includes assisting in planning research activities across multiple countries and sites, applying expertise in questionnaire design, and providing input into complex sample designs. It also involves developing plans for fieldwork, project schedules, quality control, data management, and dataset processing. The position requires programming questionnaires and samples into specialized software, overseeing research projects to ensure they stay on schedule and maintain quality, and using specialized software for fieldwork and data auditing. The role involves creating tools to streamline data auditing and automate fieldwork reports. Additionally, it requires processing and weighting datasets, analyzing and interpreting survey data using specialized software, creating data visualizations, and drafting reports for various audiences. The position also entails developing technical reports, coordinating research dissemination, and communicating with international collaborators. There is an opportunity for innovation through researching and developing cutting-edge methods for data collection and analysis, and planning research papers for academic journals. The role also includes developing and delivering instructional content on survey research methodology and related statistical methods.

Requirements

A Master’s degree is required
Proficiency in LLMs, R, and/or Stata is necessary
In-depth knowledge of weighting and imputation is necessary
Knowledge and experience with public opinion research is necessary
Strong interpersonal communication skills are necessary
Ability to perform complex tasks and to prioritize multiple projects and competing deadlines is necessary
Demonstrated ability to work independently and in a team setting is necessary

Nice To Haves

A minimum of 2 years of relevant experience is preferred
PhD preferred
Demonstrated ability to process and merge multi-national and multi-year datasets is preferred
In-depth knowledge of advanced statistical techniques is preferred
Excellent written and verbal communication skills are preferred
Spanish language comprehension is preferred
Knowledge of or experience with sampling design is preferred

Responsibilities

Assist in planning a complex schedule of research activities covering up to 35 countries and involving multiple sites and teams
Apply expertise in questionnaire design for surveys and, on occasion, cognitive interviewing
Provide input into the development of complex, stratified sample designs
Develop plans for fieldwork, project schedules, quality control, management of data, and dataset processing
Train interview teams in best practices in survey implementation and in the use of hardware and software required for fieldwork
Assist in the process of identifying third parties (e.g., survey firms) for data collection and in the development of contracts
Program questionnaires and samples into specialized software for survey data collection, and supervise research assistants as they audit the programs
Oversee research projects to ensure that they stay on schedule, assist in identifying solutions to problems when they emerge to ensure projects stay on schedule and that quality is maintained, and supervise research assistants
Use specialized software to oversee fieldwork and data auditing processes
Create tools to streamline the auditing of large volumes of data, including auditing the programming of questionnaires, dataset processing, and statistical analyses such as charts, figures, and tables
Track research processes and deliverables
Create tools to automate the production of fieldwork reports
Process and weight datasets
Apply subject-matter expertise, knowledge of statistics, and specialized software to analyze and interpret survey data, create data visualizations, and draft and review project reports written for various audiences (sponsoring agencies, the media, academics, the public)
Develop technical reports that detail the research design and meta-data on completed projects
Help coordinate dissemination of research via presentations by team members at various events; occasionally participate in the delivery of oral presentations on project findings
Travel domestically and/or abroad as needed for such events
Communicate in a timely, efficient, and professional manner with teams of country experts, research affiliates, contracted firms, sponsoring agencies, and other project collaborators across numerous countries
On occasion develop and conduct workshops or training sessions in order to increase capacity for survey research among students, project partners, the media, or others
Research and develop cutting-edge methods for the scientific collection and analysis of public opinion data
Plan and develop research papers for submission to peer-reviewed academic journals
Participate in academic conferences to present research findings
Develop and deliver instructional content—including workshops, guest lectures, and mentoring—on survey research methodology, policy analytics, and related statistical methods for students, research staff, and partners
Additional assignments, as needed