You are viewing a preview of this job. Log in or register to view more details about this job.

Data & Research Analyst

Position Description | Data Analyst & Research Assistant

contact@coopersmith.org

Cooper/Smith is a technical assistance organization that focuses on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of development programs. We work with host country governments and development organizations to assemble and analyze complex information, translating data into meaningful solutions that create lasting effect. We are a growing start-up that operates at the intersection of health and data, by bringing expertise in economics, decision analysis, results management, program evaluation, research design, health policy, and software development. Our funders include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Fund, World Bank, USAID, the Digital Impact Alliance, and Georgetown University. Founded in 2014, our solutions have supported more than 20 projects in a dozen countries throughout Africa and Asia. Cooper/Smith is hiring a creative and self-motivated data and research analyst to dive into our projects and datasets, test theories and methods, and generate yet-undiscovered insights for program managers, policy-makers, and funders. This role will be dynamic, focusing on addressing priority research questions and testing relationships across disparate sources of data and systems. The data analyst position will report to Cooper/Smith’s Technical Director.

Duration: This is a full-time, long-term position Location: Washington, D.C. or Malawi; Remote location possible with up to 20-30% international travel


Who We Are

• A dynamic team with extensive experience in strategic planning, results management, efficiency analysis, modelling, operational research, and digital health
• Innovators, solutions specialists, champions of collaboration, and global citizens with professional experience in over 35 countries
• Lovers of hard work, good laughs, and passionate about delivering solutions and results with broader social value Who You Are
• A highly curious thinker who is self-motivated and results-oriented, can deliver on tight deadlines, and motivated by the opportunity to help grow a young organization
• A person who enjoys a challenge, can describe nuance and complexity, and is ultimately driven to produce creative solutions rather than focus on obstacles
• Someone who seeks to frame their work in the big picture [the 'why?'], but equally attends to the details in getting there [the 'how?']
• Someone passionate about the use of measurement and data to improve management, performance, and program effectiveness
• Someone who thrives in a flexible work environment; can manage competing demands and adapt to shifting priorities; uses good judgments working in stressful situations; and enjoys working with a diverse, global team

Responsibilities

• Design and apply the latest data science methods and instruments to develop contextually appropriate tools for research and analysis
• Help strengthen the capacity of host government counterparts, particularly in data management, data visualization, and analytic methods
• Work with developers and health experts to build decision support tools and dashboards that will employ new information to improve patient care
• Employ user-centered design principles to collect requirements and develop custom visualizations for a target audience [e.g., decision support tools for health care workers]
• Employ novel methods of network analysis to segment populations and triangulate disparate data sources to improve global development outcomes
• Conduct rapid analyses of small and large datasets, with limited oversight
• Investigate new tools and software solutions to address specific technical requirements
• Generate visualizations for reports, web, and conference proceedings
• Review scientific literature to support analysis plans, and contribute to operational research design and analysis
• Support the preparation of peer reviewed publications, white papers, and articles
• Document methods and findings and work with Cooper/Smith’s team to identify the best channels to share externally
• Conduct research analyses including literature reviews and remote desk studies
• On occasion, participate in technical working groups and assist with preparing technical materials and/or proposals
• Support other activities and tasks, as requested

Required Skills

• At least 1-3 years of professional experience, preferably including work in public health or healthcare, management consulting, or operational research
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a field emphasizing measurement, quantitative skills, and/or research design, including: mathematics, statistics, information/data science, computer science, epidemiology, economics, etc.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams in international settings and familiarity with commonly encountered organizations in international development [donors, multilaterals, consulting firms, etc.]
• Basic knowledge of disease burden in economically developing countries and response efforts [e.g., programs designed to address HIV, TB, malaria, clean water and sanitation, etc.]
• Solid understanding of research design, including hypothesis testing, and quantifying uncertainty
• Demonstrated aptitude with diverse quantitative methods, including statistics, data mining, cluster analysis, machine learning, regression, and predictive modelling
• Intermediate to advanced skills using one or more statistical software packages for data analysis [STATA, R, etc.]
• Intermediate to advanced skills in a common programming language [e.g., Python, Java] • Above-average aptitude with a wide variety of data visualization methods and tools [e.g. Tableau, 03.JS, etc.]
• Ability to construct geo-spatial data analysis and visualizations Position Description | Data Analyst & Research Assistant contact@coopersmith.org
• Ability to effectively document methods and translate complicated results for a nontechnical audience, including working knowledge of Github and other web repositories
• Ability to see new ways of relating information and using innovative tools to communicate with the intended audience
• Experience working with structured and unstructured data
• Experience working with mobile network operators, a plus
• Intermediate to advanced skills using Microsoft Excel; proficient in other Microsoft products [Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, Sites]

Practical Requirements

• Ability to work from D.C. or Malawi (remote location, may be considered)
• Willingness to travel both domestically and internationally 20-30% [approximately 4-6 trips a year, often for 2 weeks at a time] What we offer
• Flexible work hours and locations
• Dedicated desk space and 24-hr membership to WeWork Downtown DC [shared office space and start-up incubator]
• A benefits package exceeding industry standards
• The opportunity to help build a new organization from the ground up
• Salary commensurate with skills and experience
• Opportunity to work with a talented, energetic team of development professionals, passionate about sustainable results

Application Requirements


Eligible and interested candidates can submit their CV and expression of interest to contact@coopersmith.org. Please include the position description in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.