Data Scientist Manager - CIRCLE, Tisch College

This is a limited term position for two years, with the possibility of extension contingent on grant funding. This position is not eligible for severance pay.

CIRCLE, the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tisch College within Tufts
University, is a non-partisan, independent research organization focused on youth civic engagement in the United States. CIRCLE conducts extensive research that examines how young people in the United States develop knowledge, skills, and dispositions for effective democratic engagement and leverages that research to improve opportunities for all young people to acquire and use the skills and knowledge they need to meaningfully participate in civic life. CIRCLE is especially concerned with understanding, addressing, and ultimately eliminating the systemic barriers that keep some young people marginalized from and underrepresented in civic life. CIRCLE covers a broad range of disciplines and fields, from K-12 civic education, youth voting, youth organizing, youth and civic media, to community characteristics that promote civic development.

The Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University is a national leader in civic education and engagement that sets the standard for higher education's role in advancing the greater good. The only university-wide college of its kind, the Tisch College of Civic Life studies and promotes the civic and political engagement of young people at Tufts University, in our communities, and in our democracy.

The Data Scientist/Manager serves as CIRCLE's technical anchor for all data-intensive research initiatives, bridging advanced analytics with strategic leadership in youth civic engagement research. This role owns the full data lifecycle - from architecting robust systems for all record datasets to translating complex findings into policy-relevant insights. The position requires equal mastery of technical execution (R, SQL, BigQuery) and collaborative leadership, guiding both internal teams and external partners through data challenges in a fast-paced research environment.

Basic Requirements:

• Knowledge and skills as typically acquired by 5+ years professional experience with:
  • R/Tidyverse (advanced dplyr, purrr, ggplot)
  • SQL (BigQuery, PostgreSQL)
  • Geospatial analysis (sf, tidycensus)
  • Survey statistics (svy package)
• Demonstrated success with:
  • Processing datasets >10M records
  • Building automated data pipelines
  • Implementing reproducible research practices
• Leadership Expectations:
  • Translate between technical and non-technical stakeholders
  • Balance urgent project needs with long-term system health
  • Mentor staff across skill levels (novice to advanced)

Preferred Qualifications:

• MA/MS + 3 years experience OR PhD in:
  • Data Science
  • Political Methodology
  • Computational Social Science
• Preferred background in:
  • Election administration data
  • Youth demographic analysis
  • Causal inference methods

Special Work Schedule Requirements:

This is a hybrid position, requiring 3 days onsite in Medford and 2 days remote.