Thank you for your interest in career opportunities with the University of Chicago Urban Labs! Urban Labs has a strong commitment to using science in service of cities to improve the quality of urban life. We regularly seek out passionate, data-oriented, public service minded individuals to join our team.
For more information on Urban Labs' career opportunities, culture and recruiting process, please see the frequently asked question section below.
The Temporary Data Research Assistant summer internship is a great opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of policy research and to develop research skills. This position will be full-time for approximately 37.5 hours per week.
The Temporary Research Assistant summer internship is a great opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of policy research and to develop research skills. This position will be full-time for approximately 37.5 hours per week.
The Harris School of Public Policy and Professor Oeindrila are recruiting research analysts with strong technical skills to work on a large-scale behavioral-science informed policing project. The project seeks to evaluate the impact of a new police training, that draws on novel concepts from the frontiers of behavioral science. The goal of the training is to improve officer decision-making in high-stakes situations. The training has been implemented in partnership with the Chicago Police Department. We are evaluating its effects through a randomized control trial that includes several thousand police officers. The evaluation utilizes cutting edge research analytics paired with large-scale, confidential administrative data. Our results will provide direct insight into policy strategies for reducing uses of force and adverse interactions between police officers and community members.
Successful candidates will have foundational skills in statistical modeling, and extensive experience with data analysis and managing large datasets. The Research Analysts will contribute to all facets of data cleaning and analysis, including statistical model development, coding and implementation. Analysts will work closely with Professor Dube and also have opportunities to work with a small research team comprised of behavioral scientists, other analysts and law enforcement officials.
The position is expected to begin immediately, and last for one year, with the possibility of an extension.
The Crime Lab and Education Lab are seeking a Research Manager to work on large-scale social policy experiments designed to test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of youth violence preventions and interventions. The position offers the opportunity to work directly with leading social policy researchers at the University of Chicago and NYC-area universities, as well as a team of administrative staff, other project staff, research analysts, and student research assistants.
The University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab are seeking a data scientist to work on our portfolio of projects applying machine learning to public policy. We're seeking a smart, motivated, and detail-oriented person to work on all parts of our applied machine learning projects - all the way from cleaning and structuring raw data to developing predictive models and evaluating them in a randomized control trial. An ideal candidate will have experience extracting insights from data and communicating them to both technical and non-technical audiences.
The position offers the opportunity to work directly with leading researchers at the University of Chicago and policymakers on projects with immediate real-world impact. You will collaborate closely with PhD-level computer science and economics researchers, as well as top-notch research managers and Crime Lab leadership. This position is particularly well-suited for candidates who may be interested in pursuing a PhD in the future or for data scientists who want to transition from industry to public policy research.
This position can be based in Chicago or New York.
The University of Chicago Education Lab is seeking a Data Acquisitions Manager to support the internal operations related to data acquisitions, management, stewardship and compliance. This person will work with Labs staff in processing data requests for research projects, and with external partners to coordinate communication regarding data sharing agreements. This individual will also be responsible for ongoing documentation and recordkeeping related to data maintained by Urban Labs, and reinforcing policies and procedures.
The UChicago Crime Lab and Urban Education Lab are seeking an experienced Analytics Manager with strong technical skills to work on large-scale social policy experiments designed to test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of youth violence prevention and educational interventions. The Analytics Manager will lead a team of analysts, work on a small portfolio of projects across the areas of both criminal justice and education, develop and manage processes and procedures for collaborative data access and use, and support broader organizational development activities. The successful candidate will have experience in applying a variety of statistical modeling approaches to large datasets in real-world settings. From project inception to delivery, the Analytics Manager will contribute to all facets of data collection & cleaning, model development, and implementation. This position requires an individual who is able to work as a part of small research teams running multiple projects concurrently, and can work with multiple departments across the organization to implement ideas. The position offers the opportunity to work directly with leading social policy researchers, at the University of Chicago and NYC-area universities, local city agency staff, as well as a team of administrative staff, other analysts, research managers, and student research assistant.
The University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab is seeking a Project Associate with strong project management skills. This position requires an individual who is able to work as part of small research teams running multiple projects concurrently. The position offers the opportunity to work directly with leading social policy researchers at the University of Chicago and government agency staff, as well as an experienced team of analysts, data scientists, administrative staff, and project managers.
The Director of Public Affairs works with the Executive Director, Faculty Director, and Leadership Team to identify and implement publicly facing opportunities and initiatives to enhance the impact of the Crime Lab and Education Lab’s work. The Director has primary responsibility for the external positioning of the Crime Lab and Education Lab brands, including having key input on messaging, media relations, and engagement of public, non-profit, and other partners, as well as management and implementation of the public affairs plans for the two Labs. The Director leads and manages the Public Affairs team, including internal staff partially and/or fully dedicated to public affairs and communications work as well as any external resources, and is the primary liaison with Harris School of Public Policy and University of Chicago communications, media relations, and civic engagement teams. The Director of Public Affairs reports to the Executive Director and is a part of the Leadership Team.
The University of Chicago Health Lab is seeking an Implementation Manager to work on large-scale social policy research, data science, and program evaluation projects to support the development of effective policy interventions in the domain of 911 and alternative crisis response. The Implementation Manager will work to support a large-scale field-based program evaluation of alternative crisis response work in and around Chicago. This work is part of Health Lab’s larger 911 portfolio of projects, which includes a number of related projects in Chicago and several other cities nationwide.
The Implementation Manager will have the opportunity to manage various stakeholder relationships and contribute to all aspects of research design, methods, and evaluation of research projects. Duties will include travelling to observe field operations and program sites to monitor and assess program implementation, managing and facilitating communication between Health Lab and external stakeholders, managing the project’s data collection process, providing updates and feedback on study progress to internal and external partners, and assisting in drafting a variety of project-related writings. The ideal candidate will be organized and able to execute multiple project workstreams, including setting project timelines and meeting key milestones.
This position requires an individual who is able to work as a part of a small research team simultaneously running a variety of data and research collection endeavors. The position offers the opportunity to work directly with leading social policy researchers at the University of Chicago, partnering research, governmental agencies, community-based organizations, and advocates, as well as a team of administrative staff, project managers, and student research assistants. The Implementation Manager will also collaborate closely with the UChicago Urban Labs' partners in the public and nonprofit sectors.
Responsibilities
Minimum Qualifications
Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
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Work Experience:
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
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Certifications:
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Preferred Qualifications
Education:
Experience:
Working Conditions
Application Documents
The Health Lab’s mission is to partner with civic and community leaders to identify, rigorously evaluate and scale programs and policies that improve health outcomes and address systemic barriers to achieving health equity. To accomplish our mission, we seek to identify and engage groups of people who are disproportionally impacted by health disparities that result from socioeconomic disadvantage and systemic inequities, and to develop and evaluate interventions that improve health, safety, and vitality and reduce health and social disparities. Decades of experience have proven that health care alone cannot solve urban health problems, or address related cross-sectoral challenges in poverty, crime, education and the environment faced by many urban residents. Accordingly, we work closely with diverse partners, including persons and communities with lived experience of disadvantage in urban contexts, to learn directly from them about the challenges they face interacting with the health care system and social service sectors. We seek to partner with these groups and the organizations committed to serving them to develop and evaluate interventions to address these challenges.
We support our partners using data-driven findings and are deeply committed to expanding knowledge about the effectiveness of policies, programs and interventions to promote health equity. We believe that generating evidence on multi-sectoral interventions can have a multiplicative impact, improving not just health but also equity and outcomes across other sectors. Our partners in these efforts include communities and community-based organizations, medical and social service providers, housing and homeless services providers, emergency service providers, and members of the corrections, policing and other law enforcement communities. These relationships are essential to advance our mission. As with the other Urban Labs, our approach applies science in the service of cities. We hypothesize that two key obstacles prevent cities from mobilizing and coordinating their resources across sectors. First, cities lack evidence about the multi-sector impact of their efforts. Second, cities lack sufficient coordination mechanisms and incentives to collaborate across sectors to improve health equity.
Based on these hypotheses, the Health Lab focuses our resources on generating high-quality evidence about interventions that can be widely scaled to sustainably improve urban health. For examples of our work, please see: http://urbanlabs.uchicago.edu/
Job Summary
The University of Chicago Health Lab is seeking a Data Scientist to work on our portfolio of projects applying machine learning to public policy, particularly in the area of improving 911 and emergency response. We’re seeking a smart, motivated, and detail-oriented person to work on all parts of our applied machine learning projects – all the way from cleaning and structuring raw data to developing predictive models and evaluating them in field studies and randomized control trials. An ideal candidate will have experience extracting insights from data and communicating them to both technical and non-technical audiences.
The position offers the opportunity to work directly with leading researchers at the University of Chicago and policymakers on projects with immediate real-world impact. You will collaborate closely with PhD-level economics, criminology, and computer science researchers, as well as top-notch analysts, research managers, and Health Lab leadership. This position is particularly well-suited for candidates who may be interested in pursuing a PhD in the future or for data scientists who want to transition from industry to public policy research.
Responsibilities
Minimum Qualifications
Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
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Work Experience:
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
---
Certifications:
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Preferred Qualifications
Education:
Experience:
Preferred Competencies
Working Conditions
Application Documents
When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application on The University of Chicago career page.
Job Family
Research
Role Impact
Individual Contributor
FLSA Status
Exempt
Pay Frequency
Monthly
Scheduled Weekly Hours
37.5
Benefits Eligible
Yes
Requires Compliance with University Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement
Yes
Drug Test Required
No
Health Screen Required
No
Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
No
Posting Statement
Employees must comply with the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward.
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.
Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.
We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.
All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.
The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.
Job Summary:
The Health Lab is seeking a Research Analyst with strong research, methodological, and programming skills to support social policy research projects. The Research Analyst will have the opportunity to apply tools and approaches from methodologies in both traditional econometrics and modern data science to original projects on mental illness and the criminal justice system, improving health outcomes and reducing costs, and preventing and ending homelessness. In addition to supporting field-based randomized controlled trials, the Research Analyst will contribute to a growing practice of advanced analytical solutions to provide data-driven technical assistance to governmental and non-profit partners.
The successful candidate will have experience in applying a variety of statistical modeling approaches to large datasets in real-world settings. From project inception to delivery, the Research Analyst will contribute to all facets of data collection & cleaning, model development, and implementation. This position requires an individual who is able to work as a part of small research teams running multiple projects concurrently. The position offers the opportunity to work directly with leading social policy researchers at the University of Chicago and local city agency staff, as well as a team of administrative staff, project managers, and student research assistants.
Responsibilities:
• Works with partners to identify analytical approaches to solve specific research questions
• Cleans, merges, and matches data, and runs sampling and randomization across multiple projects.
• Builds traditional statistical models and machine learning algorithms for a variety of research projects.
• Prepares results of models for memos, spreadsheets, and presentations targeting both policymakers and academic researchers
• Assists with literature reviews and drafting papers.
• Assists in writing grant proposals, preparing IRB proposals, and obtaining other research permits
• Other duties as assigned.
Competencies:
Education, Experience or Certifications:
Required Documents:
To Apply: Please submit a resume, cover letter, three professional reference, writing sample, and transcript to Workday, requisition number
Please note, when applying, all documents MUST be uploaded under the Resume/CV section of the application. Please be advised that this job announcement is formatted differently on the University of Chicago “Workday” Job Board.
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.
Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.
The temporary Research summer internship is a great opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of applied research and develop research, project management, and partner management skills. This position will be full-time for approximately 37.5 hours per week. Please note that this role can be remote or hybrid in our office located in downtown Chicago at 111 W. Washington Street.
The UChicago Inclusive Economy Lab is seeking a Project Manager to support large-scale social policy experiments designed to test the effectiveness of poverty interventions. The position offers the opportunity to work directly with leading social policy researchers at the University of Chicago, as well as a team of administrative staff, other project managers, research analysts, and student research assistants. The Project Manager will also collaborate closely with the UChicago Inclusive Economy Lab’s partners in the public and nonprofit sectors.
The Data Analyst summer internship is a great opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of analytical research and to further develop research skills. This position will be full-time for approximately 37.5 hours per week. Please note that this role can be remote or hybrid in our office located in downtown Chicago at 111 W. Washington Street.
The UChicago Inclusive Economy Lab is seeking a Research Manager to manage large-scale social policy experiments including, the Chicago Resilient Communities program, a locally funded guaranteed income pilot. This individual will work on a portfolio of projects conducted in close partnership with city agencies and non-profits, leading social policy researchers at the University of Chicago, families and students with lived experience, as well as a team of administrative staff, other project managers, research analysts, and student research assistants.
The Director of External Relations works with the Executive Director, Faculty Director, and Leadership Team to craft communications strategies; engage constituencies in media, government, academia, non-profit and community-based organizations, and other community groups; and identify and implement externally facing opportunities and initiatives to enhance the impact of the Inclusive Economy Lab’s work. The Director has primary responsibility for the external positioning of the Inclusive Economy Lab brand, including having key input on messaging, media relations, and engagement of government, non-profit, community, and other partners, as well as management and implementation of the external relations plans for the lab. The Director leads and manages the responsibilities dedicated to external relations and communications work as well as any external resources and is the primary liaison with Harris School of Public Policy and University of Chicago communications, media relations, and civic engagement teams. The Director of External Relations reports to the Executive Director and is a part of the Leadership Team.
For our three most common research roles--Project Associate, Research Manager, and Research Analyst--please refer to the responsibilities outlined below:
Urban Labs also hires for other positions in research, IT, and operations. We encourage you to view opportunities below.
You may be asked to submit multiple documents, including a Cover Letter, Writing Sample, and Unofficial Transcripts from the highest degree program received. Please see the job description for the exact documents required for that job. All materials should be submitted to the Workday system. Refer to the job requisition number on the job description to apply to the correct position.
All of our positions require a cover letter. In the cover letter, we encourage you to elaborate on your relevant achievements and describe your interest in the position.
We appreciate your interest in Urban Labs and look forward to reviewing your application. Due to the high-volume of applications that we receive, although we try, we may not be able to respond to all individual inquires.
Urban Labs employees are committed to creating a collaborative, high energy office that is open and welcoming to individuals of all backgrounds and life experiences, and prioritize developing a workforce that is as diverse as the city in which we work.
While we are affiliated with the University of Chicago, we are not located in Hyde Park. We have an office in downtown Chicago, which allows us to work more closely with our public sector partners.
In addition, Urban Labs also has an office in New York City that focuses on Crime and Education work. The New York Office works in close collaboration with the Crime and Education Labs in Chicago.
Urban Labs is a set of highly collaborative Labs and as such, we all work together towards a common mission of science in service of cities.
If you have questions about the Workday Application System, click here.
If you have specific questions that were not answered in our above frequently asked questions section, please contact us at urbanlabs@uchicago.edu Thanks!