Technical Research Analyst (7102-39)

MDRC is a leading social and education policy research organization that focuses on improving the well-being of low-income populations. We are currently seeking a Technical Research Analyst to join our K-12 Education policy group, which conducts rigorous research on critical issues in public education. Our K-12 work includes multiple large-scale projects with partners including the New York City Department of Education, Teach for America, New Visions for Public Schools, Johns Hopkins University and many others. Examples of our funders include the U.S. Department of Education, the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, the Spencer Foundation and, other private and public organizations that seek to build evidence and knowledge about important educational issues such as improving high school graduation rates, closing racial and economic achievement gaps, the rise of career and technical education, the use of behavioral science insights, machine learning, and “big data” to improve educational outcomes. This position offers growth opportunities for the right candidate.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Knowledge of and experience with SAS, R, and/or Stata computer programming to solve coding dilemmas, manage data, create outcome measures, restructure data files, perform data-cleaning operations, create public use files, and perform various forms of statistical and data analysis.
• Developing and managing data storage structures.
• Writing technical memos that document data management, processing, and data quality.
• Running statistical models and performing data analysis in SAS, R, and/or Stata to identify the impacts of educational programs and policies or to predict student outcomes.
• Managing the quantitative data work of research projects, including determining the timing of tasks and supervising junior staff members.
• Developing and managing relationships with research partners.

Beyond working with data sets, the Technical Research Analyst has the opportunity to be involved with many aspects of project development and operations, including:

• Contributing to analytical sections of research reports.
• Developing survey and data-collection instruments.
• Active involvement in various stages of research projects, from proposals to project design to analysis and reporting.
• Possible travel to visit research sites in the field.

Research Analyst Qualifications:

For this role, we are seeking someone with a proven track record of working with complex data and making it usable for analysis. The ideal candidate will be a passionate problem-solver ― someone who relishes the intricacies of writing code to clean and manage difficult data. This role is a fit for someone who loves data and thrives on engaging in the intellectual puzzle of solving data problems with code. Programming savvy and experience working with both large-scale administrative and survey data records is a must.

The ideal candidate will have a strong academic background and work experience in quantitative research or data management. Specific qualifications include:

• Master’s degree in statistics, economics, mathematics, education, social science, data science, or data analytics, plus relevant work experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience using statistical or other programming languages such as SAS (preferred), R, Stata, SPSS, Python, or SQL. Candidates should be able to speak knowledgably about and provide detailed descriptions of their current or recent use of statistical software.
• Data-management experience preferred.
• Experience with Microsoft Office (especially Word and Excel).
• Strong communication and technical writing skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to work with data.
• Interest in social policy issues affecting education and working with schools is a plus.
• Prior experience in education policy, research, or school-based work is highly desirable.

Please attach a programming sample to your application.

The Technical Research Analyst position is based out of MDRC’s New York office. Some on-the-job training is provided. We offer excellent fringe benefits including generous paid vacation and personal days, comprehensive employer-subsidized health insurance, and flexible scheduling, among others. Salary is commensurate with experience.

Only candidates selected for future consideration will be contacted.

MDRC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. MDRC does not discriminate, and all qualified applications will receive consideration without regard to race; color; national origin; religion; creed; sex or gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression); sexual orientation; citizenship status; pregnancy; disability; age; military or veteran status; marital or partnership status; genetic information, genetic predisposition, or carrier status; prior unemployment status; consumer credit history; status as a victim of domestic violence, sex offenses, or stalking; or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Legal work authorization is required.