Trainee Computer Science Research Jobs in Oak Brook, IL

Department

SSD Psychology: Staff and Temporary Employees

About the Department

The Research, Analyst will be working under Professor Oishi, Department of Psychology, Social Sciences Division.

Job Summary

The job performs routine assignments related to scientific research projects. Ensures compliance of research activities with institutional, state, and federal regulatory policies, procedures, directives and mandates. Analyzes possible solutions using standard procedures. Writes articles, reports and manuscripts. Assists in drafting presentations on research findings.
We study culture, social ecology, and well-being using large-scale digital-trace, geographic, and survey data. The lab seeks a research analyst to lead the validation and reproducibility of its computational research and to conduct supporting data analysis. This is a research-intensive professional position; administrative duties are minimal.
September 1, 2026 - February 28, 2027, reporting to Professor Shigehiro Oishi.

Responsibilities

• Validation - Reproduce and verify analyses on data for manuscripts; audit datasets and code for accuracy; identify and correct pipeline errors; document reproducible verification procedures.
• Software - Develop, test, and maintain analysis code and reproducible data pipelines in Python and/or R, including high-performance and cluster-computing workflows (e.g., Midway-3).
• Data curation - Clean, integrate, document, archive, and transfer large datasets; maintain metadata, geographic crosswalks, and version control.
• Formal Analysis - Apply statistical, spatial (e.g., nearest-neighbor distance, Moran's I), and text/NLP methods; interpret and summarize results.
• Methodology - Develop and operationalize data-processing and measurement procedures (crosswalks, spatial joins, text scoring); contribute to study design.
• Investigation - .Collect data from external sources, review relevant literature, and document the research process.
• Coordination of data-collection activities and lab documentation.
• Maintains technical and administrative support for a research project.
• Analyzes and maintains data and/or specimens. Conducts literature reviews. Assists with preparation of reports, manuscripts and other documents.
• Performs other related work 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 < 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in computational social science, data science, statistics, computer science, psychology, or a related quantitative field.

Experience:

• Research experiences in a quantitative discipline; experience validating computational analyses, working with large-scale or high-performance-computing data, and geospatial or text analysis.

Technical Knowledge or Skills:

• Proficiency in Python and/or R for data analysis and reproducible research.
• Working knowledge of applied statistics and version-control and reproducibility practices.

Working Conditions

• September 1, 2026 - February 28, 2027, reporting to Professor Shigehiro Oishi.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
• Cover letter (required)
• References (3) (required)

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) MUSTbe 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

Hourly

FLSA Status

Non-Exempt

Pay Range

$25.71 - $33.28

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.

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