Research Associate

Department: Medill - Administration
Salary/Grade: RES/

Target hiring range for this position will be between $80,000-$85,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Job Summary:

The Local News Accelerator at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications is seeking candidates for a full-time research associate position. The LNA provides coaching and consulting to local news organizations looking to improve their content strategy, business strategy, product development and executive leadership capacity. The starting point for all this work is bespoke consumer research and analysis, which shapes every project from the start and allows us to measure progress.

Reporting directly to the project director, the research associate will drive many aspects of the LNA's research portfolio. This will involve designing, fielding, evaluating, analyzing and reporting research on behalf of LNA clients. The research associate will bring experience with both quantitative techniques, like surveys, and qualitative techniques, like customer interviews and focus groups. The research associate also may take part in preparing proposals to potential clients and reporting on grants.

The research associate will prepare analyses, putting each client's research in broader context by connecting it with other Medill research (like the State of Local News Project) as well as with other relevant and trusted sources. They will work directly with clients, as well as with others like LNA staff and coaches, to ensure the research leads to maximum impact throughout the LNA life cycle.

The ideal candidate will have familiarized themself market research already performed by the Local News Accelerator, and will be able to demonstrate concrete improvements they would be prepared to lead. This candidate also will demonstrate a grasp of leading journalism research with a national reputation, including from the State of Local News Project, the Pew Research Center, NORC Media Insights Project, American Press Institute and other trusted sources.

Candidates must demonstrate a strong interest in the future of local journalism. This will be a full-time position based at Northwestern University's Evanston, IL campus. In extraordinary cases, we may consider candidates based outside the Chicago area. Ideal candidates should be able to demonstrate several years of experience working on consumer/market research projects. They must possess fluency standard qualitative and quantitative consumer research techniques. A bonus would be if candidates have experience working with reputable software and vendors in this space.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Designing, fielding, conducting, evaluating, analyzing and reporting research on behalf of LNA clients
• Consultation with LNA clients, staff and contractors (including coaches)
• Authoring case studies, articles, charts and other assets for LNI web site
• Presenting and communicating research findings, including at conferences
• Participate in pitches to bring on new clients or develop new spin-off offerings from the LNA

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Data Science, Statistics, or related field.

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

• Programming experience related to data analysis (R, Python, etc.); Experience using business intelligence and data visualization tools (PowerBI, Tableau, etc.); Experience working with media or audience research.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in a higher-education environment.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Experience with natural language processing software and methods; Experience working with geographic information systems (ArcGIS, PostGIS, etc.)

Benefits:

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

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