Research Assistant
Department UNC Inst for the Environment - 635200
Career Area Research Professionals
Posting Open Date 05/07/2024
Application Deadline 05/17/2024
Position Type Temporary Staff (SHRA)
Position Title Research Assistant
Position Number 20064018
Vacancy ID S023195
Full-time/Part-time Full-Time Temporary
Hours per week 40
Work Schedule
Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm; times may vary
Position Location North Carolina, US
Hiring Range $18.00 - $18.00
Proposed Start Date 05/27/2024
Estimated Duration of Appointment 6 months not to exceed 11 months
Position Information
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A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top public universities . Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.
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Primary Purpose Of Organizational Unit
The UNC Institute for the Environment (IE) has a multifaceted mission: (1) To strengthen environmental research capacity across UNC by supporting a multi-disciplinary community of scholars that enhances collaboration, increases sharing of knowledge, and identifies solutions to the world’s critical environmental problems. (2) To work in partnership across UNC and with external partners to coordinate and deliver 21st century educational programs that provide students with the experience and skills to thrive in a growing global economy. (3) To put new environmental knowledge into action by engaging and serving communities, here in North Carolina and around the world. (4) To fuel and harness the university’s sustainability activities through the Sustainable Carolina Initiative
Position Summary
This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that may include a partially remote work location, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.
The Data-Driven EnviroLab ( DDL ) at UNC -Chapel Hill is seeking a research assistants to contribute a range of projects aimed to bring quantitative rigor and analysis to environmental policymaking. Research projects include measuring urban environmental performance; assessing sub-national and non-state climate action; and measuring co-benefits of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Our work has been published in high-profile academic journals, including Nature and Nature Climate Change, and has been featured in popular media, including The Economist, The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Scientific American, among others.
The Research Assistant (RA) contributes to all levels of our work, from research and writing to data analysis, visualization, and design. You will work collaboratively with full-time research staff, the faculty director, other students, and external partners all around the world. RAs receive training in data-driven approaches to environmental policy, which can involve statistical data analysis, quantitative research, and writing for policy audiences. Research Assistants with environmental policy background and data analysis skills will assist with a range of tasks, from data collection, cleaning, and coding to analysis and data visualization. This role will contribute to ongoing projects such as the Cities Climate Action Report Card, Global Climate Action from Cities, Regions, and Companies, and general research support
Minimum Education And Experience Requirements
Bachelor s degree in an agriculture, biological, engineering, environmental, natural resources sciences or related discipline and one year of experience that demonstrates possession of the competencies necessary to perform the work; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.
Required Qualifications, Competencies, And Experience
- Able to collect, manipulate, and clean data,
- Able to analyze and visualize data,
- Background in environmental and climate issues, as evidenced by previous work or coursework,
- Familiarity with R,
- Presenting in-progress and final results at internal and potentially external meetings
- Able to communicate analytical findings, including academic publications and public-facing communications (blogs, background papers, etc.)
- Participating in research meetings
- Experience or familiarity with environmental and climate policy documents and terms,
- Familiarity or experience with R and the R tidyverse framework,
- Experience with statistical modeling,
- Experience with computational methods commonly used in the social sciences (cluster analysis, PCA , etc.) ,
- Familiarity with natural language processing and text-based analytics (topic modeling, sentiment analysis, etc.) is a plus,
- Experience with website maintenance (WordPress),
- Experience with literature review and synthesis or desire to learn
Special Instructions
Quick Link https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/280085
Temporary Employment Policies
Temporary Employment Policies
Posting Contact Information
Office of Human Resources Contact Information
If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (919) 843-2300 or send an email to employment@unc.edu
Please note: The Office of Human Resources will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.