Lab Manager, Data & Democracy Research Initiative

Lab Manager, Data & Democracy Research Initiative

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Base pay: $75,000.00/yr - $/yr

University of Chicago provides a pay estimate; actual pay will be based on skills and experience.

PSD Data Science:
Research Staff

The Data Science Institute at the University of Chicago was established to support the development of emerging efforts in data science across the University. The staff in the Data Science Institute support the University’s community of scholars, their shared ideals, and the core values that make the University a singular intellectual destination. Together with the University’s deans and department chairs, the Data Science Institute provides the opportunities, infrastructure, and resources that encourage our faculty and other scholars to pursue their finest work.

The Data & Democracy Research Initiative (DDRI), led by Professor Moon Duchin, is a unique effort to bring mathematical and computational tools to the study of democracy. The Data & Democracy Lab Manager will report to Professor Moon Duchin with dotted line reporting to the DSI Senior Director of Research Programs & Strategy. This role is integral to the smooth operation of the initiative and requires a combination of skills in operations, public engagement, and technical communication for the blend of math, law, policy, and open‑source software projects anticipated in the work of DDRI.

The Lab Manager will combine administrative duties with active research participation on projects in structural democracy – the study of systems and mechanisms of democratic representation. The DDRI seeks a dynamic and broad individual who will build relationships and will excel in a diverse set of responsibilities that help to translate academic research into policy recommendations and implementation.

• Build relationships with key research collaborators in NGOs and other partner organizations.
• Actively participate in ongoing research projects, including as co-author on scholarly publications and speaker in public lectures and presentations.
• Design and conduct experimental work in collaboration with researchers.
• Oversee day‑to‑day administrative operations of the Data & Democracy Research Initiative.
• Identify fundraising opportunities and lead grant‑writing efforts to support core Initiative activities.
• Manage media relations, engage with the public and media to promote and disseminate research, and serve as a spokesperson for the research initiative.
• Lead and support completion of written reports and white papers, such as reports modeling alternative voting systems and their impact on representation.
• Assist in data analysis and interpretation.
• Ensure smooth administration of the Initiative, including financial and administrative oversight, project management, and grant reporting, and implement corrective action when appropriate.
• Hire and manage support staff to meet the Initiative’s goals.
• Use visualization and strong narrative skills to make technical findings accessible to a wide public.
• Guide data collection, evaluation and analysis; design and manage databases; write reports, articles and manuscripts.
• Present research findings at meetings and conferences, as well as to funding agencies; conduct literature reviews; develop and maintain liaisons and effective working relations with groups and individuals, agencies, and the public to encourage cooperative management strategies or to develop information and interpret findings.
• Perform other related work as needed.

Minimum requirements:

a college or university degree in a related field.

Minimum requirements:

5–7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

• Advanced degree in a related field, including law, computer science, data science, social science, or public policy.
• Experience working with a large and complex academic research initiative.
• Experience with programming languages, especially Python.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain high‑level relationships with academic researchers and external…