The primary purpose of the position is to develop, conduct, and translate applied and engaged research with a range of stakeholders including staff, faculty, and community partners. Specifically, this SRA will serve as the principal investigator and lead of the Impact, Data, and Evaluation Academy (IDEA), the Institute’s community research and data capacity building initiative. This position helps carry out the Institute’s public service mission by conducting community-based research projects on behalf of local organizations from across the region. This also includes disseminating findings from the Institute’s research as well as that of others to the public through reports, articles, and data visualizations. Summary of Position Responsibilities The Senior Research Associate will be the primary lead or principal investigator for concurrent social science research projects, specifically complex projects that require substantive knowledge and expertise in methodology or subject areas. The employee will also provide technical support and consultation on additional projects. Leadership responsibilities include directing all aspects of a research project from conceptualization to dissemination and project close-out, identifying research opportunities and funding sources for UI research projects, preparing grants and other proposals to support research and programming, and budget development and management. The employee will also guide and mentor junior staff and students on research methodologies or his/her areas of expertise, train new staff, and provide supervision of staff and students. The employee coordinates, conducts, and/or supervises day-to-day activities for multiple UI research projects, and takes an active role in project design and review across the institute. This includes community and client engagement, project planning and project administration, data collection and management, statistical analysis, qualitative analysis, data visualization, and preparing publications and reports, and related communication products. Minimum Education/ Experience A PhD with 3-5 years experience or a Master’s degree with 5-8 years of post-graduate degree experience leading and conducting social science projects A PhD or a Master’s degree in the following fields: urban planning, sociology, social work, public health, education, geography, public policy, or other social science field Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills and Experience Preferred knowledge and expertise: Substantive knowledge and expertise in one or more of the following areas: Education, Housing & Homelessness, Public Health, Youth Development, Career & Workforce Development, Economic Development, Urban & Regional Planning, Public Policy, Public Administration, Social Welfare. Knowledge and expertise in one or more of the above areas, specifically in the Charlotte region context. Experience with maintaining relationships with community partners in the Charlotte region Substantive methodological expertise in one or more of the following areas: Ability to conduct and manage rigorous formative and substantive evaluations for community-based nonprofit and governmental agencies and initiatives, and experience using participatory processes as well as advanced qualitative and quantitative analytic techniques to determine program outcomes and impact. Ability to collect, analyze, and visualize secondary data using a variety of sources (local administrative data, Census data, and other federal and state data sources) and techniques (descriptive and inferential, spatial analysis, mapping). Experience with statistical analyses applied in social research, including exploratory analyses, hypothesis testing, spatial analysis, and multivariate analyses such as regression, ANOVA, and multilevel models. Preferred skills: Strong organizational as well as oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills Data visualization – Ability to convey data to a variety of audiences as well as use software like Tableau or R Shiny. GIS proficiency Must embody UI values of community, equity, humility, integrity, and quality Demonstrated success with coordinating and managing multiple social science research projects and competing priorities Demonstrated success with conceptualizing, planning, implementing, disseminating, and closing out projects independently Experience in facilitating meetings with community members, government officials, people with lived experience, and other stakeholders Experience with data collection and management, statistical and qualitative analysis, and reporting Experience supervising and managing research teams Track record of effectively translating and communicating complex research findings to a non-technical audience (oral and written communication) Track record of effectively working independently with minimal direct supervision Experience and proficiency in the use of SAS, SPSS, R, or STATA for program evaluation models, multivariate, and other complex analyses Necessary Certifications/ Licenses Preferred Certifications/ Licenses