Senior Research Associate II - International Programs Research

NORC at the University of Chicago actively seeks a Senior Research Associate II to support quantitative project work in the International Programs Department (INPRO). The Senior Research Associate II will support senior level technical staff in designing and implementing evaluation projects and data collection and analysis activities. S/he will also work closely with NORCs senior statisticians in various tasks related to NORCs international evaluation and survey projects.

Applicants must be based in our Bethesda, MD or Chicago, IL office.

As a condition of employment, all NORC employees and contractors - including those working remotely - must be fully vaccinated (as defined by current CDC guidance) against COVID-19..

INPRO was established in 2005, and works on impact and performance evaluations, surveys, and qualitative data collection, among other research activities throughout the developing world. Our research covers a range of sectors including education and training, child and youth well-being, democracy and governance, agriculture, water and sanitation, vulnerable populations, infrastructure, housing, finance, and health (applicants should clearly specify which sectors they have previous experience in). Since its establishment INPRO has implemented projects in nearly 90 countries throughout the world.

• Support senior level technical staff in designing and implementing quantitative research projects, particularly large-scale, custom surveys.
• Provide project management support, including workplan management on evaluation and data collection projects.
• Coordinate project activities and events, including setting up meetings and conference calls and liaising with consultants and local data collection firms
• Support the design of survey instruments and training materials, coordination of and assistance to interviewer training activities, and sample design and selection.
• Support activities required during the quantitative research and data collection cycle from inception to final report delivery.
• Conduct data quality reviews of survey data with detailed documentation of results, and analysis of primary and secondary data (quantitative and/or qualitative) including preparation of reports, memos, and tables/graphs of findings.
• Assist with business development, possibly contributing to technical sections and supporting proposal management
• The position will require occasional international travel and offers an opportunity to gain first-hand management and field experience.

• Bachelors Degree in International Development, Economics, Statistics or a related field. Degrees in other subjects will be considered, if other relevant skills apply. Masters Degree preferred.
• 5+ years of work experience, such as:
• Experience working on quantitative research projects, especially in developing large scale surveys within low to moderate income countries.
• Experience with quasi-experimental and experimental research design activities preferred.
• Experience managing all activities associated with conducting surveys (questionnaire development, interviewer training, data quality review, subcontractor management, fieldwork oversight)
• Experience working with large datasets by leading data management activities, data quality reviews and analysis of final data sets for report preparation
• Experience with developing workplans, tracking progress on specific tasks and communicating deadlines to team members and local partners
• Strong command of statistical packages, such as SPSS and STATA; command of qualitative software packages such as NVivo is considered a plus
• Ability to communicate complex concepts in a clear and concise manner.
• Strong proficiency with MS Office software, including Excel
• Strong analytic and report writing skills
• A strong foundation in statistics is a plus
• Outstanding interpersonal and critical reasoning skills
• Experience with international work or research, especially in low to moderate income countries.
• The position may require occasional international travel for 2 weeks at a time (once it is safe to do so.)

NORC at the University of Chicago is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, our teams have conducted groundbreaking studies, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with us to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge.

For 80 years, NORC has evolved in many ways, moving the needle with research methods, technical applications and groundbreaking research findings. But our tradition of excellence, passion for innovation, and commitment to collegiality have remained constant components of who we are as a brand, and who each of us is as a member of the NORC team. With world-class benefits, a business casual environment, and an emphasis on continuous learning, NORC is a place where people join for the stellar research and analysis work for which were known, and stay for the relationships they form with their colleagues who take pride in the impact their work is making on a global scale.

NORC is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer that values and actively seeks diversity in the workforce. NORC evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other legally- protected characteristics.