The Demographics Research Group at the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service is seeking an experienced, self-motivated, and responsible individual to fill a research and project lead position and to work with colleagues as part of a highly respected team. The position does not require relocation. Teamwork and collaboration are facilitated by virtual meetings and phone conferences.

The person in this position will have primary responsibility for producing Virginia’s official school enrollment projections and will also have the benefit of working with a team of professional demographer colleagues with knowledge of school enrollment in Virginia, of statistics and analysis, of projections methodologies, of client relations, and of communications. As a result, the Project Lead for School Enrollment Projections will have the opportunity to grow professionally and to explore other aspects of the use of demographic data in effective service to citizens and communities. This individual will communicate with school divisions across Virginia and will receive assistance in developing client communications and relationships. Further, this individual will have the opportunity to serve the public impact research team of the Cooper Center, collaborating with specialists in fields such as economics and survey research.

Responsibilities of the project lead:

• Develop the Commonwealth of Virginia’s official K-12 school enrollment projections by grade for 132 school divisions
• Conduct methodology research and evaluation
• Respond effectively to questions and requests from data users and stakeholders
• Prepare and deliver presentations to a wide range of audiences
• Author informative data-driven digests on school enrollment trends in the state
• Supervise student research assistants

Responsibilities as a demographic researcher:

• Contribute as a team member to other research and contract projects
• Respond to a wide range of demographic data requests
• Expectation to engage with potential and existing clients and secure additional external funding beyond school enrollment projections

Skill requirements:

• Data and technical skills which include proficiency in statistics, in one or more statistical software packages (such as R, STATA, and SAS), and in analyzing large datasets (such as the Census)
• GIS skill to geocode annual birth data
• Analytical skills which include careful listening, organized and clear thinking, and keen problem solving
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated ability in client service and engagement

Degree and experience requirements:

• Master’s degree or above in demography, education, sociology, urban planning, public policy, economics or other related fields
• Five years of related experience in research, local government, public policy, or project management.
• Familiarity with education statistics
• Experience in large-scale data extraction and analysis

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience in developing school enrollment projection
• Familiarity with Virginia and its school divisions
• Working for state or local government in Virginia or other states

For additional information about the position, please contact Qian Cai, Research Director at qc6q@virginia.edu.

The anticipated start date is October 1, 2022. This position is a restricted position and is dependent upon project need, availability of funding and performance. This is an Exempt level, benefited position. For more information on the benefits at UVA, visit hr.virginia.edu/benefits.

This position will remain open until filled. The University will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment.

To Apply:

Please apply through Workday, and search for R0039099. Internal applicants must apply through their UVA Workday profile by searching 'Find Jobs'. Complete an application online with the following documents:

• A concise, clear, and thoughtful cover letter/statement of interest in this position (no more than two pages)
• A brief C.V. (no more than three pages)
• A writing sample produced within the last three years (sole-authored preferred)
• Names and contact information for three references
• Willingness to take a data skill test if chosen as finalist (a research presentation and a data test will be required for each finalist)

Upload all materials into the resume submission field, multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission. Applications that do not contain all required documents will not receive full consideration.

For questions about the application process, please contact Ashley Cochran, Senior Recruiter at alc6dk@virginia.edu.

For more information about UVA and the Charlottesville community please see http://www.virginia.edu/life/charlottesville and https://embarkcva.com/.

COVID Vaccination Requirement and Guidelines

Please visit the UVA COVID-19 Job Requirements and Guidelines webpage prior to applying for current information regarding vaccination requirements and guidelines for employment at UVA.

The University of Virginia, including the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician’s Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff. We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences. We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.