Job Code: 4751

Grade: G

Exemption: Exempt

Note: Not all unique aspects of the job are covered by this job description

The Stanford Center on Global Poverty and Development is a Stanford University research center working to improve the lives of the world’s poor. Operating under the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR), the Center catalyzes Stanford’s distinctive strengths in global poverty and development research to turn path-breaking research into real world results. To this end, the Center supports research initiatives that unite Stanford faculty working on different areas of international economic development, including big data for development, governance and service delivery in Africa, health policy in China, and global productivity and economic growth. The Center also sponsors a number of events, including faculty workshops, high-level policy conferences, and visiting scholar programs. The Center disseminates findings through working papers, policy notes, and online material.

The Center has launched a new effort – the Data for Development Initiative – to explore how the use of low-cost, unconventional data streams can help academics, policymakers, and business leaders craft solutions with measureable impacts on global poverty. We seek data scientists to contribute to this new initiative. The successful candidate(s) will help with assembling and harmonizing existing datasets on relevant variables such as poverty, migration, rural infrastructure, and humanitarian needs, implement and modify existing code to access and process satellite datasets, develop reports, charts, graphs and tables for use by investigators and for publication, presentation, and website.

This is a ONE-YEAR, fixed term position renewable contingent on funding and programmatic need.

JOB PURPOSE:

Manage and analyze large amounts of information, typically technical or scientific in nature, under the direction of project researchers, investigators, or managers.

CORE DUTIES*:

• Collect, manage and clean datasets.
• Employ new and existing tools to interpret, analyze, and visualize multivariate relationships in data.
• Create databases and reports, develop algorithms and statistical models, and perform statistical analyses appropriate to data and reporting requirements.
• Use system reports and analyses to identify potentially problematic data, make corrections, and determine root cause for data problems from input errors or inadequate field edits, and suggest possible solutions.
• Develop reports, charts, graphs and tables for use by investigators and for publication and presentation.
• Analyze data processes in documentation.
• Collaborate with faculty and research staff on data collection and analysis methods.
• Provide documentation based on audit and reporting criteria to investigators and research staff.
• Communicate with government officials, grant agencies and industry representatives.

* - Other duties may also be assigned

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Education & Experience:

Bachelor's degree or a combination of education and relevant experience. Experience in a quantitative discipline such as economics, finance, statistics or engineering. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Substantial experience with MS Office and analytical programs.
• Strong writing and analytical skills.
• Ability to prioritize workload.

Desired Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Familiarity with python, R and STATA.
• Experience building data platforms, writing code and working with large datasets.
• Ability to work independently as well as comfortably and effectively within an inter-disciplinary research environment including highly organized and creative skills.
• A bachelor’s degree in mathematics, quantitative economics or political science, operations research, or other discipline that provides necessary technical background.
• Advanced degree preferred.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS*:

• Sitting in place at computer for long periods of time with extensive keyboarding/dexterity.
• Occasionally use a telephone.
• Rarely writing by hand.

* - Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Some work may be performed in a laboratory or field setting.

WORK STANDARDS:

• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
• Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for safety; communicates safety concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned.
• Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University's Administrative Guide,http://adminguide.stanford.edu.

A BACKGROUND CHECK IS REQUIRED OF ALL FINAL CANDIDATES.

FOR CONSIDERATION PLEASE SUBMIT RESUME and COVER LETTER.