Career Opportunities
Urban Labs staff have a strong commitment to using science in service of cities struggling with difficult urban challenges. We regularly seek out passionate, data-oriented, public service minded individuals to help us improve the quality of urban life in cities across the nation and world.
Current Opportunities
Urban Labs
- Job Title: Data Research Assistant (Internship)
- Desired Start Date: TBC
The University of Chicago Urban Labs are seeking academic year Research Assistants to assist with a range of activities including project development, data entry, reviewing and cleaning, statistical analysis and modeling, literature reviews, writing, formatting, and editing reports and works for dissemination, and administrative tasks. This is a great opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of policy research and to develop analytical skills. The position will be part-time for approximately 12-19.5 hours per week. Our office is located at 33 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL 60602.
- Job Title: Policy Research Assistant (Internship)
- Desired Start Date: TBC
The University of Chicago Urban Labs are seeking academic year Research Assistants to assist with a range of activities including policy research and analysis, literature reviews, project development, data entry, reviewing and cleaning, statistical analysis, writing, formatting, and editing reports and works for dissemination, and administrative tasks. This is a great opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of policy research and to develop research skills. The position will be part-time for approximately 12-19.5 hours per week. Our office is located at 33 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL 60602.
Crime Lab
- Job Title: Research Director
- Desired Start Date: 06.05.2017
- Reporting to: Executive Director
- Requisition Number: 102508
The Role
Crime Lab is seeking a full-time Research Director to contribute to the scientific and intellectual leadership. In this role, the Research Director will help to manage and mentor research and project staff, providing scientific direction and ensuring the rigor and quality of all work. The Research Director would also be expected to direct a portfolio of applied research projects in association with faculty members and research teams focused on reducing crime and violence and improving life outcomes for disadvantaged youth in addition to facilitating technical assistance work for government partners and strategic partners. The Research Director will report to Executive Director and work collaboratively with other researchers, staff, and partner agencies. The Research Director will contribute to the scientific content of research proposals, and will assist the ED and other faculty affiliates in supporting dissemination and policymaker outreach activities. The Research Director will also contribute to strategic conversations about which new projects and initiatives the Crime Lab should take on. This position is based in Chicago, IL.
- Job Title: Research Analyst
- Desired Start Date: 06.06.2017
- Requisition Number: 102510
The Role
The UChicago Crime Lab and Urban Education Lab are seeking two Research Analysts 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. Each Analyst will work on a portfolio of projects across a variety of areas that span both criminal justice and education. 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 NYC-area universities, local city agency staff, as well as a team of administrative staff, other analysts, research managers, and student research assistant.
- Job Title: Field Study Research Assistant (Internship)
- Desired Start Date: 09.04.2017
The University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab are currently seeking research assistants to administer mental health and behavioral assessment surveys for our evaluation of a school-based, trauma-informed group counseling program for young women. The data collected will allow us to understand the impact of this program for adolescent girls on outcomes such as mental health, risky behaviors, and academic engagement. Surveying will take place in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) high schools across the city. Research assistants will work closely with UChicago Crime and Education Lab staff, led by Dr. Harold Pollack of the University of Chicago and Dr. Jonathan Guryan of Northwestern University.
- Job Title: Project Associate
- Desired Start Date: TBC
- Reporting to: Research Manager
- Requisition Number: 102428
The University of Chicago Crime Lab is seeking a Project Associate with strong technical skills to support large-scale social policy research projects. This person will work on a portfolio of projects designed to test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of promising interventions.
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 government agency staff, as well as an experienced team of data scientists, administrative staff, and project managers from the Chicago office.
- Job Title: Data Scientist
- Desired Start Date: TBC
- Reporting to: Faculty Director & Faculty Affiliate
- Requisition Number: 103148
The University of Chicago Crime Lab is seeking a Data Scientist to work on social science research projects designed to test the effectiveness of predictive models. 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, research managers, analysts, and student research assistants.
- Job Title: Associate Director, Data & Analytics
- Desired Start Date: TBC
- Reporting to: Chief Operating Officer
- Requisition Number: 103291
The Role
The University of Chicago Crime and Education Labs are seeking an Associate Director of Data and Analytics to support data work across projects, and to help build the infrastructure to ensure data are being used consistently, collaboratively, and securely across Crime and Education Labs. This person will also conduct analysis on research projects, and will report to the Chief Operating Officer of Urban Labs.
- Job Title: Senior Research Analyst
- Desired Start Date: TBC
- Reporting to: Research Director
- Requisition Number: 103292
The Role
The UChicago Crime Lab and Urban Education Lab are seeking a Senior Research Analyst 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 Senior Analyst will work on a small portfolio of projects across the areas of both criminal justice and education and support 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 Senior 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 NYC-area universities, local city agency staff, as well as a team of administrative staff, other analysts, research managers, and student research assistant.
- Job Title: Research Analyst
- Desired Start Date: 07.17.2017
- Reporting to: Research Director
- Requisition Number: 103087
The Role
The UChicago Crime Lab is seeking embedded Research Analysts with strong technical and communication skills to work in close partnership with the Chicago Police Department (CPD) on a project to enhance CPD’s use of data to improve public safety. Each Analyst will be embedded in a division of CPD and assist command staff by analyzing crime patterns and trends, preparing briefing materials, and training officers on the use of tools and systems. Working as part of a larger Crime Lab team, the Analysts will enable CPD to utilize the data at its disposal to make better-informed decisions that meet the needs of the communities they serve.
The successful candidate will have experience analyzing data and presenting findings, must demonstrate a willingness to work alongside and assist officers, and is able to work well both independently and as part of a larger team. This position offers the opportunity to work directly on addressing a pressing social policy issue in close collaboration with academic and subject matter experts.
The Research Analyst position is a one-year assignment, though there may be an opportunity to extend it subject to funding and project needs.
Crime Lab New York
- Job Title: Research Manager
- Desired Start Date: TBC
- Reporting to: Executive Director
- Requisition Number: 102797
The Role:
Crime Lab New York is seeking a Research Manager to work on large-scale social policy experiments. The research projects rigorously evaluate ways to prevent crime, help make the criminal justice system more effective and fair, and improve outcomes for the most disadvantaged and at-risk populations. The position offers the opportunity to work directly with leading social policy researchers at New York City universities, as well as a team of administrative staff, other project managers, research analysts, and student research assistants.
Energy & Environment Lab
- Job Title: Research Intern
- Desired Start Date: 07.21.2017
The Energy and Environment Lab is seeking a research intern based in Delhi to support the social policy research projects designed to test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of promising energy and environmental interventions. In specific, the research intern will work on the three winning projects of the Tata Centre-sponsored Urban Labs Innovation Challenge: Delhi.
The position offers the opportunity to work directly with leading policy makers, and practitioners in the energy and environment community, and policy researchers at the University of Chicago. The position will be full-time, and is available to start from May, 2017. Our office is located at DLF Capitol Point, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi, 110001.
Health Lab
- Job Title: Data Specialist, Trauma Center (Part Time, Temporary)
- Desired Start Date: TBC
- Reporting to: Executive Director
Role:
The University of Chicago Health Lab is seeking a Data Specialist to assist in a joint project with the University of Chicago Medical Center. The University of Chicago Medicine is in the process of building a Level 1 Adult Trauma Center, which will receive its first patients in spring of 2018. We envision a center that will set the standard of excellence for trauma medicine, including expert trauma care within the emergency department, world-class medical and surgical services, post-trauma rehabilitation, as well as innovative programming to prevent violence and reduce recidivism.
Expert medical response to trauma is a necessity on Chicago’s South Side, but simply a baseline expectation for our Trauma Center. Beyond medical care, we aspire to reduce the number of trauma patients that leave our care only to experience a second episode of intentional violence. We have a critical opportunity to prevent violence occasioned by a myriad of social and economic forces.
With distinctive intellectual resources that span medicine, social sciences, public policy, and more, the University of Chicago has the opportunity to look at urban violence with a multifaceted research perspective, and to develop and evaluate novel solutions, as we stand up a new Trauma Center.
The UHI is hosting a series of events and meetings that are designed to gain community and subject matter expert input regarding the Trauma Center’s forthcoming programming and research approach. The Data Specialist will support this effort by helping to collect, summarize and translate data in a useful way to guide decisions about the most sustainable, scalable and relevant programs for stemming violence in our communities. This position represents an opportunity to be part of one of the most important health care interventions on the South Side, sitting at a critical intersection with issues of violence and poverty.
- Job Title: Research Analyst
- Desired Start Date: TBC
- Reporting to: Executive Director
- Requisition Number: 103090
The Role:
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 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 from the Chicago office.
- Job Title: Field Study Research Assistant (Internship)
- Desired Start Date: TBC
The University of Chicago Health Lab is seeking Research Assistants to help with study recruitment and data collection for our evaluation of the Supportive Release Center (SRC). The SRC is a facility a few blocks from the Cook County Jail that provides persons who are suffering from mental illness, substance use issues, or other vulnerabilities with a place to stay overnight upon discharge. Care coordinators at the SRC meet with participants to conduct needs screenings and create linkages to appropriate services in the community. The Health Lab is evaluating the SRC via a randomized controlled trial (RCT), the gold-standard in research.
Research Assistants will work with our nonprofit partner, Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC) in the discharge area of the Cook County Jail to recruit participants for the SRC intervention and study. This is a temporary position for the Academic Year and is part-time for approximately 17-19 hours per week.
Poverty Lab
- Job Title: Research Manager
- Desired Start Date: TBC
- Reporting to: Executive Director
- Requisition Number: 103170
The Role
The UChicago Urban Labs is seeking a Research Manager to work on large-scale social policy experiments designed to test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of poverty interventions. This individual will work on a portfolio of projects focused on workforce development, career / technical education, and youth employment programs and policies. 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 Research Manager will also collaborate closely with the UChicago Urban Labs' partners in the public and nonprofit sectors.
- Job Title: Field Study Research Assistant (Temporary)
- Desired Start Date: TBC
- Reporting to: Senior Project Associate
- Requisition Number: 103236
The Role:
The University of Chicago Poverty Lab is hiring Research Assistants to assist with data collection for our evaluation of Urban Initiatives Work to Play program. These data will be used to help us better understand how participation in structured-sports programs impact children's early learning and development. Observations will take place in Chicago Public Schools across the city.
- Job Title: Project Associate
- Desired Start Date: 07.17.2017
- Reporting to: Research Manager
- Requisition Number: 103086
The Role:
The University of Chicago Poverty Lab is seeking a Project Associate with strong technical skills to support large-scale social policy research projects. This person will work on a portfolio of projects designed to test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of promising poverty interventions.
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 government agency staff, as well as a team of administrative staff, project managers, and student research assistants from the Chicago office.
