RESEARCH SCIENTIST 2, Political Science - MIT Election Data and Science Lab (MEDSL), to oversee the data science workflow of the lab’s election-related data collection, processing, and dissemination efforts including assisting the director with designing and implementing research projects, gathering and analyzing data, designing research protocols, and documenting results; managing data science and quality control for the 2018 release of the Elections Performance Index (EPI); acquiring data from government sources and designing protocols to update indicators not provided by government sources; assisting with redistricting data collection/dissemination efforts; working with web designers to update EPI website and creating original content for MEDSL website; onboarding and monitoring the work of students/research support associates; tracking scholarship in the field of election science; and performing other data science/administrative/reporting duties as assigned.

MEDSL aims to improve the democratic experience for all U.S. voters by applying scientific principles to how elections are studied and administered.

Job Requirements

REQUIRED: Master’s degree in data science, political science, or related area; experience analyzing data independently using statistical programs such as R Python, and Stata; excellent written and oral communication skills; flexibility; initiative; and ability to work as part of a team and as an independent researcher. PREFERRED: Research experience in voting, elections, election administration, redistricting, campaign finance, or similar subjects; demonstrated portfolio in data science and/or original computationally-intensive quantitative social science; candidates for and recent Ph.D. recipients in political science, economics, or related field with strong data science concentration; and knowledge of web design and architecture. Those with at least three years’ field experience in elections and voting research and significant data science experience will also be considered.