The Frederick S. Pardee Institute for International Futures is the home of long-term forecasting and global trend analysis at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies. International Futures (IFs) is a large-scale, long-term, integrated global modeling system that represents demographic, economic, health, energy, agriculture, education, infrastructure, socio-political, environmental, and international politics subsystems for 188 countries interacting in the global system. The Pardee Institute works heavily on sponsored research projects with various government institutions, international organizations, NGOs, and to a lesser extent, private sector clients.

The Pardee Institute is committed to building a culturally diverse faculty and staff who, in turn, are committed to working in a pluralistic environment.

Position Summary

Research Associates play a core role in the completion of the Pardee Institute’s research efforts and external engagement. A primary function of the Research Associate is to support analytical and associated modelling and related activities for development analysis research at the Pardee Institute. This includes using and developing the International Futures (IFs) model to produce policy-relevant research. This position also may be involved in training, project management, and client interaction and is expected to supervise and manage staff and student employees on projects and deliverables.

Working under the supervision of the Associate Director of Development Analysis, these activities include: (a) effective support and balancing of concurrent but perhaps disparate research projects and associated tasks; (b) building, maintaining, and refining analytical skills, particularly those related to scenario building and analysis; (c) managing a team of research aides who support activities related to development analysis, if applicable; and (d) maintaining timely and targeted communications with internal project teams as well as external audiences, like sponsors, research collaborators, and the general public.

Continuation of the position is contingent on available research funding. This position is funded by external grants and may be terminated if and when external funding is exhausted.

Essential Functions

• Participate and often lead research products or publications for policy-making and academic audiences.
• Learn about and build expertise using the International Futures (IFs) software to conduct research.
• Manage research projects that vary in scope, subject, and duration.
• Manage student researchers in support of project deliverables.
• Conduct literature reviews on various social science topics and synthesize key findings.
• Conduct data gathering and data assessment tasks and synthesize key findings and recommendations.
• Validate and interpret results with the goal of providing actionable insights.
• Discern the appropriate qualitative or quantitative technique to help improve our understanding of the results/challenge at hand.
• Work independently and collaboratively in problem-solving efforts to meet internal and external deadlines and objectives.
• Maintain positive client/sponsor relations through clear, timely, and professional verbal and written communication.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Must have a demonstrated commitment to fostering an environment in which faculty, staff, students, and community partners from diverse backgrounds and cultural identities feel welcome and valued.
• Willingness to become knowledgeable in and eventual ability to demonstrate knowledge with the IFs model, with a rapidly-developed ability to successfully support client-/sponsor-facing analysis, with increasing independence over time.
• Ability and willingness to interrogate research findings and learn new techniques for a refined understanding of research results, especially relating to the use of and results from the International Futures model.
• Excellent technical writing and presentation skills for communicating complex research concepts.
• Demonstrated ability to perform literature reviews.
• Ability to organize and efficiently manipulate data in Microsoft Excel, relational databases, and other data analysis platforms, as appropriate.
• Participation in devising concrete methods for measuring or estimating abstract phenomena.
• Demonstrated skills in project management including (but not limited to): tracking and communicating progress toward milestones/deliverables; coordinating and steering multiple, concurrent tasks toward completion; communicating and managing expectations between stakeholders; and managing resources effectively.
• Ability to create and present professional quality research presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint and other related presentation software and platforms.
• Experience in training and supporting outreach efforts, including research presentations and conferences, client engagements, and/or student-facing engagements.

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in Development Economics, Environmental Policy, International Relations, Political Science, Demography, Economics, Public Policy, or related field; equivalent combination of education and experience
• Experience in high-quality, professional research and writing in a related field.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Master’s degree in Development Economics, Environmental Policy, International Relations, Political Science, Demography, Economics, Public Policy, or related field; equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3+ years of experience in high-quality, professional research and writing in policy issues.
• Experience conducting research using the International Futures model.
• Experience in effectively managing projects.
• Experience in collaborative research in a multicultural setting.
• Participation in producing successful proposals for external funding.
• Experience completing client-based research deliverables.
• Experience supervising individuals to complete analytical or research tasks.

Work Environment

1. Standard office environment.
2. Unexpected interruptions occur often and stress level is moderate to high.
3. Noise level is quiet to moderate.

Physical Activities

1. Ability to sit in front of a computer for an extended period of time.
2. Occasionally required to move about the office/campus with the capability of transporting objects up to 20 lbs.

Work Schedule

The University’s administrative offices are open Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Work schedule may vary.

In accordance with the University’s flexible work policy, this position is eligible to be considered for partial remote work. Further details regarding this plan will be determined with the hiring manager and are dependent on the division and team specific needs.

Application Deadline

For consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) September 12, 2024.

Special Instructions

Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number:

The salary grade for the position is 10.

Salary Range

The salary range for this position is $59,000 - $71,500.

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.

Benefits

The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:

1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital, family, or parental status, pregnancy or related conditions, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital family, and parental status, pregnancy, genetic information, military enlistment, or veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the University’s educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Workers' Rights ("POWR") Act; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For more information, please see the University of Denver’s Non-Discrimination Statement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.