Research Analyst

The Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise is hiring a Research Analyst to support academic and translational research projects in collaboration with faculty, the Chief Economist, and institute staff. The role analyzes economic data, contributes to research and publications, supports regional economic initiatives, communicates findings to varied audiences, and manages project components and deadlines.

What you'll do:

• Perform statistical analysis and econometric modeling to understand economic trends and evaluate policy outcomes
• Identify, organize, and clean data using statistical software such as Stata, SAS , R, and Python among others
• Conduct literature reviews on a broad set of economic and business topics in support of development of research papers, white papers, and reports
• Collaborate with fellow research analysts, economists, and other institutional stakeholders to scale-up the American Growth Project’s regional economic indicators and related content. This will involve participating in brainstorming sessions, contributing to research design, and engaging in regular discussions to foster innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to economic analysis and community development
• As a research analyst, you will be expected to effectively communicate research findings to diverse audiences through both written and verbal communication. You will assist with writing white papers, Kenan Insights and commentaries, policy briefs, and other translational research materials
• Since this is a highly collaborative environment, as a research analyst you will be expected to effectively manage your components of projects, communicate project progress to team members and meet deadlines

What they're looking for:

• Master's or Bachelor's and 0-2 years' experience; or will accept a combination of related education and experience in substitution
• Bachelor's degree in economics, business, public policy, public administration, city and regional planning statistics, mathematics, or a related field
• Must have familiarity with statistical software such as STATA , SPSS , SAS , etc
• Only open to United States citizens or lawful permanent residents
• Two years of relevant work experience or a master's degree preferred
• Familiarity with database structures and querying a plus
• Strong writing and communication skills
• Experience with data visualization packages, such as Tableau, as well as spreadsheet/presentation software, including preparing summary charts, graphs, and tables
• Enthusiasm for making persuasive, data-driven arguments
• Ability to work with different stakeholders including both academic and business partners
• Experience using project management software such as Jira or Monday.com is a plus

Benefits:

• Wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning
• Exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts
• Savings on local child care centers
• Special rates on select campus events
• For full-time employees: a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans
• Additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance