Part-time Undergraduate Research Assistant supporting Public Affairs Media and Research - Hybri

Job Overview

NORC at the University of Chicago seeks a qualified part-time Undergraduate Research Assistant to support its Public Affairs and Media Research Department in our Chicago Loop office. The role supports projects such as the Civic Health & Election Project, providing data-driven insights for top media, policy making, and philanthropic organizations.

The position is part-time (16‑24 hours per week), available to current undergraduate students, with a hybrid office schedule requiring at least one day per week in the Chicago Loop. The role begins mid-July, continues through mid-November, with a possibility for extension.

• Provide general research support on quantitative and qualitative projects on a range of topics.
• Prepare background research, including literature reviews and environmental scans.
• Test data collection instruments and systems.
• Assist with data preparation, data cleaning, and coding.
• Conduct statistical analyses of survey data for research reports or ad‑hoc as needed.
• Contribute to the preparation of reports, tables, and graphs based on survey findings.
• Conduct quality control tasks including fact checking.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Enrolled full‑time in an undergraduate program in a relevant field (e.g., political science, sociology, public policy, statistics, survey methodology, or other social science discipline).
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications, including MS Teams.
• Experience or willingness to learn new computer skills and computer‑based data analysis (e.g., Stata, SAS, and/or R).
• Outstanding interpersonal, critical reasoning, analytical, and writing skills.
• Demonstrated attentiveness to detailed tasks, strong organizational skills, and ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
• Strong problem‑solving capabilities.
• Upper‑level coursework in relevant fields preferred.
• Interest in election polling preferred.

Hybrid role based in the Chicago Loop office, requiring a minimum of one day per week on‑site.

Work Authorization:
Visa‑dependent applicants must be enrolled at the University of Chicago, as this position qualifies as on‑campus employment for work‑authorization purposes. NORC cannot provide additional work‑authorization sponsorship for student roles.

Pay: $20/hour
.

Benefits include eligibility to participate in NORC's retirement program, pre‑tax or post‑tax contributions as part of the Supplemental Retirement Plan, three days of holiday pay for staff meeting tenure requirements, and free counseling and referrals through NORC's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for staff and eligible dependents.

NORC is committed to equity and transparency in its pay practices. The listed hiring range reflects our expected pay at the time of posting.

NORC is an equal‑opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, sexual orientation, and other legally protected characteristics.