Research & Data Analyst

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Position Summary, Requirements, and Qualifications

Who We Are: The Center for Early Learning Funding Equity (CELFE) was established to develop and promote research- and data-informed strategies to transform funding of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) programs for children ages 0-5. Housed in Northern Illinois University’s Division of Outreach, Engagement, and Regional Development (OERD), CELFE works in collaboration with academic, data, and research partners across the NIU system as well as with external partners.

CELFE began its work focused primarily on Illinois’ ECEC system, in which our Director, Theresa Hawley, Ph.D. has spent almost 30 years as a researcher, advocate, and government systems change leader – working to improve ECEC policies with children and families at the center. Now, CELFE is building on that experience and the passion for systems change to focus more deeply on the funding adequacy and equity of the ECEC system.

The scope and reach of CELFE is expanding to include all states and municipalities interested in transformation.

CELFE is only in its fourth year and needs to scale up our internal capacity to meet the growing needs of states and clients interested in understanding how to transform their own ECEC systems through an equity lens, with children and families at the center. As such, we are hiring a Data Analyst to support our Program and Policy staff with client work, research projects, and general organizational support.

This position is a hybrid, Chicago-based position with a requirement to be in person a portion of every week. 100% remote candidates will not be considered for this position.

This position includes responsibilities to support the overall work of the center, with a particular focus on data collection, analysis and visualization. The position contributes and supports CELFE’s research and dissemination work, client projects, and overall organizational workflow and growth.

Research Activities – 40%

• Collaborates with colleagues, researchers, partners, and clients to develop objectives and design of research projects and proposals.
• Performs complex data collection and study methods, evaluation and analysis requiring use of independent judgment.
• Improves on current methods, procedures and evaluates new methods for achieving mutually beneficial partnership goals.
• Conducts advanced analysis of research and project data and proposes changes to achieve shared solutions to shared problems.
• Develops advanced research and project protocols.
• Regularly exercises discretion and independent judgment involving complex tasks with appreciable latitude for unreviewed action or decision-making.

Communication Skills – 30%

• Contributes material and assists in the writing of research findings for publications, papers, grants, and other documents for publication and distribution to public, private and professional audiences.
• Advises students on methods and procedures.
• Participates in dialogues in area of expertise and of strategic importance to the public welfare, building consensus on shared problems and solutions.
• Assists in building institutional capacity for engaged scholarship.
• Builds and sustains networks and partnerships on topics important to public welfare.

Contributes and supports CELFE’s research and dissemination work – 20%

• Collect, clean, and analyze data drawn from public and administrative data sets (i.e. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
• Support the development and analysis of survey data.
• Create data visualizations, including mapping of data to effectively convey data findings and analyses to broad audiences.
• Conduct background research and data collection to support project and product development, including web-based and academic research.
• Track and maintain new/emerging research relevant to the work of CELFE to use in blog posts, link to through CELFE’s website, and/or inspire potential partnerships and complementary projects.
• Provide project support through…