Research Analyst

The Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety is seeking a Research Analyst to support applied research, public health data analysis, data reporting, and research dissemination activities. The position will play a central role in maintaining and improving research data systems, producing data reports for internal and external partners, supporting dashboard development, and helping translate complex data into accessible products for academic, practitioner, policy, and general audiences.

Under administrative direction, provides assistance in developing, maintaining, and analyzing information and information systems for decisions based on key findings of research initiatives. This function involves considerable interaction and communication with management of units throughout the university, external agencies, and public and private sector representatives. The position requires strong attention to detail, comfort working with multiple datasets, and the ability to work independently while supporting the broader research mission of the Center.

Please provide a cover letter. Applications for which the cover letter does not include this information as specified will not be considered. This position is an in-person position and may be considered for hybrid/remote work opportunities.

Essential Duties

Data, Reporting and Research Support:

• Updates, maintains, and improves data dashboards using R and related tools.
• Provides technical support for applied research projects, public health data reporting, dashboard maintenance, and data dissemination, and coordinating research-related data products, reports, and internal process improvements.
• Produces reports using VDRS/SUDORS and other project-related datasets in response to internal, partner, and stakeholder requests.
• Coordinates the development of data for special management, policy studies and/or research activities.
• Maintains the Center’s website.
• Provides bi-weekly, monthly, and quarterly departmental reports and annual progress reports for research projects.
• Develops recurring and ad hoc data summaries, tables, figures, and written summaries for project teams, Center leadership, and external partners.
• Analyzes developments in the industry; remains current regarding significant developments and/or initiatives occurring.
• Designs, coordinates, and conducts research activities and statistical studies.
• Develops and maintains databases used to generate information for management decision making and evaluation of programs.
• Links, cleans, wrangles, and summarizes multiple datasets to support research, evaluation, and reporting needs.
• Participates on project teams in special studies resulting in recommending solutions or alternatives.
• Identifies opportunities to streamline internal processes, reduce duplication of effort, improve data workflows, and increase efficiency across Center projects.
• Helps train staff in the use of departmental data processing tools.
• Creates and maintains databases utilizing various computer programming languages or user-oriented software, including Python, WordPress, Microsoft Excel, R, R Quarto, and R Shiny.
• Uses Microsoft Excel and R to organize, analyze, summarize, visualize, and report data.
• Utilizes statistical methods to analyze management problems and/or policy implications; assists evaluators in the development of measurement tools.
• Applies basic statistical and data analysis techniques to support research, evaluation, public health surveillance, and violence-prevention projects.
• Performs independent studies, internet and library searches on relevant subjects.
• Generates and executes ideas for data dissemination products, including briefs, dashboards, reports, data summaries, visualizations, and other products designed for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Writes about technical subject matter for academic, practitioner, policy, and general audiences.
• Makes recommendations to management, public/private sector representatives, and external constituencies.
• May assist university departments by providing information for operational and strategic plans, or accreditation reviews.
• Establishes and maintains office-based technology systems to aid in the effective administration of projects and activities.