Research Director - Penn Center Media, Technology, and Democracy

Research Director
- Penn Center for Media, Technology, and Democracy

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn's distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning.

As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America's Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Research Director
- Penn Center for Media, Technology, and Democracy

Director C, Research

The Penn Center on Media, Technology, and Democracy (Penn MEDIATED) works to advance the scientific understanding of the information ecosystem and leverage that research to strengthen the foundationsof democracy. Penn MEDIATED seeks a Research Director to develop data pipelines, visualization dashboards, analytical tools, and data-driven analyses based on Penn faculty research (see (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).). The Research Director will start by selecting impactful research and methods developed by Penn MEDIATED faculty, working with Penn MEDIATED leadership.

They will then work with a small team to deploy and scale this research into continuously operating tools, analytical systems, and visualizations. The goal of these tools is to more broadly inform the public, journalists, civil society, policymakers, and industry on the state of, and challenges to, the U.S. information ecosystem, thereby expanding the reach and impact of Penn MEDIATED's affiliated faculty research.

• Working with Center leadership to identify projects, the Research Director will then apply data science and computational social science skills to develop data infrastructure, analytical tools, dashboards, and visualizations that expand the reach and impact of Penn MEDIATED research of the information ecosystem and its impact on democracy.
• Supervise and mentor a small data team (1-2 employees) and part‑time student data engineers or research analysts.
• Inform and assist with the Center's ongoing programmatic functions such as annual grant‑making, the affiliated scholars program, and the research seminar.
• Work with the Executive Director and faculty co‑Directors to steer the strategic direction of Penn MEDIATED.

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field of study and at least seven years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• OR PhD in a relevant field of study with at least three years of relevant experience.
• Ability to conceptualize and execute on projects to translate research into continuously operating tools and analyses that lead to public impact.
• Excellent data science skills and data analytical skills, including developing statistical analyses and deploying machine learning models for continuous analytics tools and dashboards.
• Strong data engineering skills, especially developing data pipelines from one‑time data collections used for research projects.
• Ability to understand, analyze, and clearly communicate computational social science results for…