Research Scientist

The Institute for Social Research and Data Innovation (ISRDI) at the University of Minnesota is seeking a Research Scientist to contribute to research on public housing, homelessness, and health. The position offers the opportunity to work with novel linked administrative, census, tax, and mortality data resources spanning multiple decades and geographic scales.

The Research Scientist will report to Dr. Andrew Fenelon and Dr. Kaitlyn Berry and will support the following projects:

Project #1: This NIA-funded project is led by Dr. Andrew Fenelon, an Associate Professor in the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health and the Associate Director of the Minnesota Population Center. The objective of this project is to identify the long-term effects of early life exposure to public housing in the mid-20th century-a well-funded, well-maintained, high-quality housing program-on life course health and aging. The current project focuses on the US public housing program in 1940 and 1950. The project draws on a long-run multisource linkage that merges early-life housing information with later-life economic, housing, health, and mortality outcomes. The research team identified all residents of public housing in the full count 1940 census and the project proposes to expand this dataset to the full count 1950 census. The project will link these data at the individual level to a) the 2000, 2010 and 2020 Decennial Census, b) the American Community Survey 2000-2025, c) IRS 1040 tax records (1969-1994), d) Census Numident (1975-2030), and e) Cause of death from death certificates. The analysis uses an innovative design, comparing individuals in public housing to their counterparts in surrounding neighborhoods and cities, based directly on known admission criteria for public housing during the 1930s and 1940s. The project examines the effects of early-life public housing experience on later life health and mortality outcomes, cause of death, employment and earnings, housing conditions, and neighborhood outcomes. The Research Scientist will provide methodological, analytical, and substantive support for the project by working with restricted data, developing and implementing statistical models, preparing requests for results disclosure, and contributing to peer-reviewed manuscripts.

Project #2: The Research Scientist will also contribute to an NIH-funded study examining mortality among people experiencing homelessness across the United States. This project is led by Dr. Kaitlyn Berry, an Assistant Professor in the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health and faculty member of the Minnesota Population Center. The project aims to generate the first comparable estimates of homeless mortality at the state and Continuum of Care levels and identify community- and policy-level factors associated with variation in mortality rates. Using restricted-access US Census Bureau data linked with Social Security Administration mortality records, the study will estimate mortality rates among people experiencing homelessness nationwide. The project will then apply advanced statistical and multilevel modeling techniques to examine how local factors, including policies, homeless services, environmental factors, and economic conditions, are associated with differences in homeless mortality across places. The Research Scientist will play a key role in the quantitative components of this mixed methods study, including restricted data management, record linkages, mortality estimation, statistical modeling, and dissemination of findings. This work has the potential to inform evidence-based policies and interventions aimed at reducing mortality and improving health outcomes among people experiencing homelessness.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

• 20% Data Resource Development -The Research Scientist will contribute to the development and management of complex, public data resources supporting federally funded projects on housing, homelessness, and health. Responsibilities will include acquiring, cleaning, harmonizing, and documenting data from a range of sources; constructing project-specific databases; and developing reproducible data workflows. For the public housing project (Project #1), this will involve obtaining public-use and restricted-use 1940 and 1950 full count census data from IPUMS and tract-level census data. For the homeless mortality project (Project #2), this will involve the construction of a place-based predictor database, integrating data from federal, state, local, and other sources across multiple geographic scales. The Research Scientist will prepare these data resources for linkage with restricted-use Census Bureau data and, in some cases, for public release.
• 30% Restricted-Use Data Linkage and Management - The Research Scientist will conduct restricted-use data work within the Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC) and will therefore be required to obtain and maintain Special Sworn Status with the U.S. Census Bureau. Responsibilities will include developing and managing files for transfer into the FSRDC environment; creating linked longitudinal datasets from Census Bureau, Social Security Administration, mortality, tax, and other administrative records; and constructing restricted-use analytic datasets according to project specifications. The Research Scientist will maintain documentation of linkage and data processing activities, complete required training and compliance activities associated with restricted-use data access, and work closely with Census Bureau administrators to prepare statistical outputs for disclosure review and facilitate the release of approved results.
• 40% Statistical Analysis - The Research Scientist will be responsible for implementing and overseeing quantitative analyses for the principal research projects, the majority of which will take place within the FSRDC. Working closely with Dr. Fenelon, Dr. Berry, and project collaborators, the Research Scientist will develop and execute statistical analysis plans; write, maintain, and document statistical code; create analytic variables; conduct mortality estimation, regression modeling, multilevel analyses, and causal inference analyses; implement missing data procedures and sensitivity analyses; and generate tables, figures, and other statistical outputs. The Research Scientist will organize and maintain analytic files and programming code, review and interpret findings with project investigators, contribute to the development of new analytic approaches, and participate in regular project meetings to ensure the successful completion of study aims.
• 10% Scientific Writing and Dissemination - The Research Scientist will contribute to the dissemination of research findings through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, technical reports, and other scholarly products. Responsibilities will include conducting background literature reviews; drafting and revising manuscript sections, assisting with the preparation of tables, figures, and supplementary materials; and contributing to presentations for scientific and policy audiences. The Research Scientist will work collaboratively with investigators and coauthors to communicate findings from project analyses and support broader research activities.

Flexible Work Profile

Approximately 50-75% of working hours will need to be completed in-person either at the Minnesota Restricted Data Center or another FSRDC. Remaining hours can be completed in a remote, hybrid or fully onsite work arrangement.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Sociology, Demography, Public Health, with one or more years of research training
• Demonstrated expertise in statistical programming and quantitative data analysis using R and/or Stata (minimum 3 years)
• Experience building datasets and with complex data management
• Experience documenting, organizing, and archiving statistical code and analyses
• Experience working with restricted access data, including preparation of material for disclosure review
• Ability to adeptly manage multiple complex tasks such as multiple data linkages, projects, and code development
• Strong track record of peer reviewed publications
• Ability to work independently
• The selected candidate must have or be eligible to obtain Special Sworn Status (SSS) with the U.S. Census Bureau within three months of employment. Eligibility requires successful completion of a background investigation and either U.S. citizenship or satisfaction of Census Bureau residency requirements. Candidates who do not currently hold SSS are expected to initiate the application process shortly after accepting an offer.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5 years of related research experience
• Experience working in secure, restrictive, and denetworked data environments
• Experience working with data that are person-level; nested (e.g. individuals within families); and/or longitudinal
• Experience working with GIS or spatial data

ISRDI is an interdisciplinary research institute that provides the infrastructure and services to support the work of its four centers: IPUMS, the Minnesota Population Center, the Life Course Center, and the Minnesota Research Data Center. The work of the Institute and its centers advances our knowledge of societies and populations across time and space, including economic and demographic behavior, health, well-being, and human-environment interactions.

Pay Range: $80,000 - $97,000 annually; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment

Position Type: Faculty and P&A Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

While our salary ranges provide a framework, it is important to note that most of the
time, the initial pay may not reach the maximum of the range. This approach ensures
that compensation reflects the value and unique contributions of each candidate while
maintaining equity within our organization. As part of our commitment to fair and
equitable compensation, please be aware that the salary offered to incoming candidates
will be based on their individual credentials and experience.

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail jobcentr@umn.edu.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

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The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

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