Statistical Research Assistant Jobs in Washington

JOB SUMMARY: DEPARTMENT:  Statistics and Data Science RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support AmeriSpeak survey operations and methodology, including sample selection, weighting, variance estimation, nonresponse analysis, survey data processing, quality control, and statistical analysis.
• Write and implement programs to extract and manipulate data, make statistical calculations necessary for selecting samples and implementing weighting, and perform statistical analyses.
• Assist with survey statistics tasks, including sample frame preparation, survey panel process improvements and enhancements, and survey data analysis.
• Contribute to statistical sections of reports and other deliverables for technical clarity and effectiveness in addressing project research questions.
• Support development of sample design, weighting, variance estimation, analysis, and study design materials for reports, proposals, and technical documentation.
• Design and implement programs or scripts for data cleaning, transformation, validation, quality checks, and documentation.
• Apply reproducible research and statistical programming practices, including clear documentation, version control, peer review, and validation checks.
• Contribute to dashboards, data visualizations, and other products that communicate findings clearly to technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Apply or learn machine learning, AI-assisted analytic workflows, and modern computing practices where appropriate to improve analytic efficiency and quality.
• Interact with clients on a limited basis to clarify needs, report progress, resolve problems, and provide information and recommendations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED SKILLS:

• Master's degree in statistics, biostatistics, survey methodology, mathematics, data science, computational social science, or a related field required.
• Coursework or applied experience in survey statistics, including sampling, weighting, variance estimation, statistical inference, or survey data analysis. Experience working with complex survey data is preferred.
• No prior full-time professional experience required, although relevant graduate coursework, internships, assistantships, or applied project experience in survey statistics are valued.
• Strong foundation in mathematical statistics, including probability theory, statistical estimation, inference, modeling, and study design.
• Proficiency in R required. SAS and/or Python proficiency is a plus.
• Ability to write clear, well-documented statistical code and perform data cleaning, transformation, validation, and quality checks.
• Familiarity with reproducible research and statistical programming practices, such as version control, code review, documentation, testing, and quality assurance.
• Experience or interest in data visualization, machine learning, AI-assisted analytic workflows, or scalable computing practices is a plus.
• Ability to organize and prioritize work to meet project needs.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, problem-solving, and critical reasoning skills.
• Proficiency with MS Office.

SALARY AND BENEFITS: WHAT WE DO:

NORC at the University of Chicago is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, our teams have conducted groundbreaking studies, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with us to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge.

WHO WE ARE:

For over 80 years, NORC has evolved in many ways, moving the needle with research methods, technical applications and groundbreaking research findings. But our tradition of excellence, passion for innovation, and commitment to collegiality have remained constant components of who we are as a brand, and who each of us is as a member of the NORC team. With world-class benefits, a business casual environment, and an emphasis on continuous learning, NORC is a place where people join for the stellar research and analysis work for which we're known, and stay for the relationships they form with their colleagues who take pride in the impact their work is making on a global scale.

EEO STATEMENT: 

NORC is an equal opportunity employer. NORC evaluates 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.

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