The CONNECT Research Program at the Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing at Northwestern University is looking for a Research Data Analyst Associate who is nimble with large complicated datasets, passionate about using data to understand how structural inequities impact the health of marginalized communities, and able to work in a large interdisciplinary team.

Job Summary:
Utilizes multiple quantitative and qualitative datasets from a variety of sources and interprets results using various techniques, ranging from simple data aggregation via statistical analysis to complex data mining. Assists in the design, development and implementation of business solutions partnering with clients to identify analytical requirements. Compiles reports, charts, and tables based on established statistical methods.

Serves as a liaison between study investigators at Northwestern University and the University of Chicago/Argonne National Laboratory, as well as to a scientific advisory board, a community advisory board, and the Chicago Department of Public Health. Conducts descriptive, statistical and network analyses on multiple datasets under the supervision of the principal investigator that will be used to specify parameters of an agent-based model. Assists with the preparation and dissemination of research findings.

Program Description:
The Complex Systems and Health Disparities (CONNECT) Research Program within the Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing is focused around elucidating the complex mechanisms driving the health disparities of stigmatized populations, in particular gender and sexual minorities (see https://isgmh.northwestern.edu/about/connect/). The program houses several NIH-funded studies that seek to further understanding on how contextual and multilevel factors influence health outcomes through the use of complex modeling – including network analysis and simulation - as well as by building tools to improve the collection and measurement of complex data for social and behavioral health research.

Project Description:
Simulation Modeling to Understand and Address HIV Disparities in Racial, Ethnic, and Sexual Minority Populations, a new NIH-funded study, will a build upon an existing spatially-embedded simulation framework chiSIM, which simulates the interactions of 2.9 million Chicagoans, in order to develop a novel agent-based model (ABM) to serve as a counterfactual laboratory to test competing hypotheses on the etiology of infectious disease inequities. This project will integrate existing rich empirical data on racially diverse men who have sex with men (MSM), including the use of online and physical space, to construct a more accurate simulation of disease transmission patterns in minority populations both to improve understanding of the social contextual dynamics of disease and to inform intervention development. The study convenes researchers at Northwestern University and the University of Chicago/Argonne National Laboratory.

**This is a term position with an end date of 12/31/2023. Opportunity for renewal will be based on performance and available funding

Specific Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning

• Partners with clients to define requirements based on business objectives.
• Liaise between Northwestern lab and research team at the University of Chicago on parameter selection and estimation

Administration

• Develop standardized templates, policies, and procedures for internal and external reporting.
• Designs and prepares documentation for qualitative and quantitative data analysis.

Development

• Completes a variety of descriptive and statistical analyses using appropriate data and software
• Merges data from multiple sources in preparation for analysis.
• Interprets results of analyses for use in reports and presentations

Performance

• Completes data cleaning and organizes data files for analysis.
• Reviews data and Identifies quality issues

Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• Must complete NU's IRB CITI training before handling participant data & must re-certify every 3 years.
• Infrastructure : Code Repositories (Git, Subversion) ;High Performance Computing (HPC);Mac OS X Operating System ;Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook) ;Windows Operating System
• Compliance: IRB
• Analytical: Critical thinking; data mining; data modeling; database design/structure; Problem solving
• Project: Code document; Collaboration and teamwork; Facilitate collaboration; Iterative & incremental development; organization; planning

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Demonstrated proficiency in working with large complex datasets, data cleaning, and conducting common descriptive and statistical analyses.
• Demonstrated proficiency in software or languages used to manipulate and analyze data (R, SAS).
• Demonstrated attention to detail and organization.
• Able to communicate effectively with a variety of team members including investigators, community, public health, and scientific advisory boards, and other project personnel.
• Able to create and provide detailed and concise reports to faculty/staff on progress of assigned duties.
• Familiarity with network analysis and methods for modeling network data.
• Interest in LGBTQ and racial and ethnic minority health issues, and HIV.

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• Experience with LGBTQ and racial and ethnic minority health issues, and HIV.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Demonstrated proficiency with network analysis and methods for modeling network data.
• Familiarity with the computational modeling of social systems.
• Able to create data visualizations which facilitate the communication of complex information to stakeholders.

TO APPLY as a Research Data Analyst Associate visit the URL above or go to careers.northwestern.edu and search for job ID 38812.