Data Science Contract Jobs in Elgin, IL (NOW HIRING)

Department
PSD Data Science: Systems Administration
About the Department
The Data Science Institute (DSI) executes the University of Chicago's bold, innovative vision of Data Science as a new discipline. The DSI seeds research on the interdisciplinary frontiers of this emerging field, forms partnerships with industry, government, and social impact organizations, and supports holistic data science and AI education. The staff in the Data Science Institute support the University's students and scholars, their shared ideals, and the core values that make the University a singular intellectual destination.
Job Summary
The Evaluation and Research Scientist will lead and support program evaluation and research projects focused on kindergarten-adult STEM education, with an emphasis on high school and postsecondary data science and AI education. The Evaluation and Research Scientist will report to the Director of Outlier Research and Evaluation and will work collaboratively with senior researchers, DSI colleagues, funders, and partner organizations.
This role involves managing multiple stages of the research and evaluation process, including project design, literature reviews, instrument development, data collection and management, quantitative and qualitative analysis, IRB compliance, and the preparation of reports, presentations, manuscripts, and other written deliverables. The Evaluation and Research Scientist will also contribute to funding strategy and proposal development, including identifying relevant funding opportunities, drafting research and evaluation plans, developing scopes of work, and preparing funder-facing materials for grants, contracts, and sponsored projects.
The ideal candidate is an experienced, organized, and self-motivated research and evaluation professional with strong experience in program evaluation and mixed-methods research. The successful candidate should be able to lead projects with minimal guidance, contribute effectively to collaborative projects, communicate findings clearly to multiple audiences, and translate findings into actionable recommendations for programs, partners, and funders.
Responsibilities

• Leads research and program evaluation projects related to STEM, data science, and AI education, while also supporting other projects across the team's research and evaluation portfolio.

• Manages program evaluation projects, including evaluation design, data collection planning, instrument development, analysis planning, reporting, and partner communication.
• Collaborates with senior researchers, research staff, DSI colleagues, funders, and partner organizations to design, implement, and disseminate research and evaluation work.
• Contributes to the development of evaluation frameworks, logic models, research questions, data collection strategies, analysis plans, and reporting structures.
• Leads or substantially contributes to IRB submissions, amendments, continuing reviews, and related compliance processes.
• Contributes to funding strategy and proposal development, including identifying relevant funding opportunities, drafting research and evaluation plans, developing scopes of work, and preparing proposal materials for grants, contracts, and sponsored projects.
• Drafts or contributes to proposal materials, including statements of need, background sections, project descriptions, research and evaluation activities, timelines, deliverables, and descriptions of organizational capacity or prior work.
• Serves as a resource to colleagues on research and evaluation procedures, data collection, analysis, reporting, IRB processes, and proposal development.
• Presents research findings at meetings and conferences, as well as to funding agencies. Conducts 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.
• Guides data collection, evaluation and analysis. Designs and manages databases. Writes reports, articles and manuscripts.
• Performs other related tasks as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
Work Experience:
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Certifications:
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Preferred Qualifications
Experience:

• Experience with progressively responsible research, program evaluation, and/or STEM education experience.
• Substantial experience designing, managing, and implementing program evaluation projects, preferably in education, workforce development, youth programming, higher education, informal STEM learning, or related settings.
• Experience leading research and/or evaluation projects with minimal guidance.
• Experience managing mixed-methods research or evaluation projects.
• Experience independently developing data collection instruments, analysis plans, reports, presentations, and partner-facing materials.
• Experience leading small to medium-size program evaluations and/or research projects.
• Experience seeking funding or contributing substantially to grant proposals, sponsored research applications, evaluation scopes of work, foundation/funder submissions, contract proposals, or related funding materials.
• Experience contributing to funder reports, grant deliverables, scopes of work, budgets or budget narratives, and proposal timelines.
• Experience working with schools, districts, higher education institutions, community organizations, funders, or grant-funded programs.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong knowledge of research and program evaluation methods, including survey design, interview/focus group protocols, observation tools, logic models, implementation evaluation, outcome evaluation, and evaluation reporting.
• Ability to independently manage research and evaluation projects, while contributing effectively to collaborative team-based projects.
• Strong methodological judgment, including the ability to adapt research and evaluation procedures to fit project needs, partner contexts, and available data sources.
• Experience collecting, cleaning, managing, analyzing, and interpreting quantitative and qualitative data.
• Experience guiding or coordinating data collection, coding, analysis, and reporting across project teams.
• Proficiency with spreadsheet software, including Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel.
• Experience with at least one statistical or qualitative analysis tool, such as SPSS, R, Stata, MAXQDA, Dedoose, NVivo, or similar software.
• Ability to write clearly and persuasively for multiple audiences, including researchers, funders, practitioners, institutional leaders, and community partners.
• Ability to translate research and evaluation findings into clear, actionable insights and recommendations.
• Ability to develop clear and compelling proposal materials, including research and evaluation plans, statements of need, timelines, deliverables, and descriptions of organizational capacity or prior work.
• Familiarity with STEM education, data science education, AI education, or related education and workforce development fields.
• Knowledge of school, district, state, federal, higher education, or grant-funded program contexts.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to prioritize, track timelines, coordinate across teams, and meet deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Professionalism, adaptability, and emotional intelligence in collaborative and partner-facing settings.

Working Conditions

• This position is eligible for a partial remote work arrangement. A fully remote work arrangement may be considered.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
• Cover Letter (required)
• References (preferred)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.
When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.
Job Family
Research
Role Impact
Individual Contributor
Scheduled Weekly Hours
37.5
Drug Test Required
No
Health Screen Required
No
Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
No
Pay Rate Type
Salary
FLSA Status
Exempt
Pay Range
$85,000.00 - $95,000.00
The included pay rate or range represents the University's good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.
Benefits Eligible
Yes
The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.
Posting Statement
The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.
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.
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.