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Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants .

JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Program Description

The Research Translation Platform invites applications for a Research Data Analyst interested in a career at the research-policy nexus supporting the evaluation and analytic needs of strategies for translating scientific evidence to policymakers. This exciting opportunity would support the analysis and evaluation of research translation models, such as the Research-to-Policy Collaboration model. The Analyst would be responsible for supporting methods development and data analysis for a variety of projects, and may have opportunities to contribute to the implementation of an effective, replicable and non-partisan model for brokering researchers and policymakers. While the Analyst should have advanced quantitative skills, prior policy experience is not required. Training and mentorship in applying their skills to the analysis of boundary-spanning initiatives will be provided. This mentored position provides an opportunity to learn translational skills while working with policymaking audiences, as well as opportunities to contribute to scholarly work regarding best practices for research translation and dissemination. Our team is hybrid academic and policy practice; thus, we use data for action. Preference will be given to those within commuting distance to the Washington, D.C. area, though it is not required.

Job Responsibilities

• Design the plan for and analyze observational and survey data regarding policymakers’ or researchers’ engagement in boundary-spanning initiatives, including longitudinal and multi-level analyses
• Extract, transform, clean, and maintain data from a variety of sources
• Development and proactive upkeep of data sources (e.g., surveys in Redcap, observational data via a CRM)
• Contribute to the development of analytic plans for grants and publications
• Support analytic needs for grant writing and reporting (e.g., power analyses; interim impact analyses)
• Meet with legislators or staff to collect survey data
• Mentor undergraduate- and graduate-level interns and fellows on developing and executing analytic plans
• Juggle multiple projects and move ideas into action with attention to methodological and analytic details
Support research planning by setting milestone goals and incremental internal deadlines to achieve goals

Skills and Traits Needed by Applicants

• Excellent analytic abilities and advanced quantitative statistical modeling skills (e.g., longitudinal, multi-level, over dispersed) of large, messy datasets
• Proficient with statistical programming software and languages (e.g., SAS, STATA, or R)
• Excellent attention to detail
• Applied research experience, such as large administrative datasets or real-world data
• Enthusiasm and commitment to accelerating the translation of science to policy
• Curiosity and a generalist attitude with interest in diverse social policy issues
• Ability to work on multiple simultaneous projects and prioritize work based on project scope, organizational need, and timeline
• Strong diplomatic communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong communication skills, such as seeking input early in design and escalating threats or problems to PIs
• Ensuring quality control of data collection, and alerting PIs as needed
• Strong writing skills that can produce written sections of methods and results for peer review publication
Bipartisan mindset and ability to interpret findings from multiple viewpoints

Eligibility

• Master’s degree or higher; applicants may have their degrees from any department, but degrees in psychology, public health, human development, public policy, social work, or prevention science will be particularly good fits for the program.
• While the RTP team primarily operates remotely, preference will be given to applicants in Virginia within commuting distance of Washington, D.C. to support in-person data collection from congressional staff
• Applicants should review the list of states in which Penn State cannot support employment. Permanent residence must be established in an allowable state prior to position start date. https://hr.psu.edu/more/flexible-work-arrangements/out-of-state-notice
Remote work requires high-quality, high speed internet connection in a home office

Application Instructions

Full consideration will be given to those applicants who completely submit all materials online. A complete submission will consist of:

• Cover Letter describing relevant experience and career goals
• Resume or CV
• Writing Sample (preferably samples of work directed toward academic audiences; 1-2 samples, 35-page cumulative max)
Three references. We will not contact references without your express permission, which may be requested in later stages of the interview process.

Supervision will be provided by Executive Director, Taylor Scott, Ph.D., and Director of Research and Evaluation, Elizabeth Long, Ph.D. Additional mentorship provided by Max Crowley, Ph.D., Professor at Pennsylvania State University.

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

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