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This position has closed. University of Chicago removed this listing from their careers page on Sep 25, 2026. The interview prep below is still useful, and there are similar open roles at the bottom of this page.

Research, Analyst

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL · $25.71–$33.28 an hour · Full time

Posted Aug 27, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 22, 2026

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

The work includes greenhouse care and seasonal field collection across the Midwest. How does that suit you?

What they are checking: The posting names both, and a purely bench scientist may not want either.

What would you do

This role is split fifty-fifty between two labs. How would you handle two sets of priorities?

What they are checking: The posting is explicit about the split, and it is the structural difficulty of the job.

About the work

Walk me through a high molecular weight DNA extraction from plant tissue.

What they are checking: The posting names HMW extraction first and requires demonstrated expertise in it.

How does extracting from a herbarium specimen differ from extracting from fresh tissue?

What they are checking: The posting names fresh, frozen and herbarium material, and old tissue behaves badly.

Tell me about library preparation you have run for Illumina, Nanopore or PacBio.

What they are checking: The posting names all three platforms, with long-read preferred.

Walk me through optimizing a PCR assay that is not working.

What they are checking: The posting names designing, optimizing and troubleshooting PCR-based assays.

How do you assess the quality of a library before you commit it to a sequencing run?

What they are checking: The posting names Qubit, Bioanalyzer and TapeStation, and a bad library wastes a whole run.

Tell me about your tissue culture or plant transformation experience.

What they are checking: The posting names both, and neither is universal among molecular technicians.

How would you keep reagent inventory and equipment procurement from becoming a bottleneck?

What they are checking: The posting names procurement, inventory and expense tracking as part of the role.

How do you approach lab safety compliance, including safety data sheets and training?

What they are checking: The posting makes them responsible for overseeing safety compliance.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by University of Chicago.

Department SSD Psychology: Staff and Temporary Employees About the Department The Research, Analyst will be working under Professor Oishi, Department of Psychology, Social Sciences Division. Job Summary The job performs routine assignments related to scientific research projects. Ensures compliance of research activities with institutional, state, and federal regulatory policies, procedures, directives and mandates. Analyzes possible solutions using standard procedures. Writes articles, reports and manuscripts. Assists in drafting presentations on research findings. We study culture, social ecology, and well-being using large-scale digital-trace, geographic, and survey data. The lab seeks a research analyst to lead the validation and reproducibility of its computational research and to conduct supporting data analysis. This is a research-intensive professional position; administrative duties are minimal. September 1, 2026 – February 28, 2027, reporting to Professor Shigehiro Oishi. Responsibilities • Validation - Reproduce and verify analyses on data for manuscripts; audit datasets and code for accuracy; identify and correct pipeline errors; document reproducible verification procedures. • Software - Develop, test, and maintain analysis code and reproducible data pipelines in Python and/or R, including high-performance and cluster-computing workflows (e.g., Midway-3). • Data curation - Clean, integrate, document, archive, and transfer large datasets; maintain metadata, geographic crosswalks, and version control. • Formal Analysis - Apply statistical, spatial (e.g., nearest-neighbor distance, Moran’s I), and text/NLP methods; interpret and summarize results. • Methodology - Develop and operationalize data-processing and measurement procedures (crosswalks, spatial joins, text scoring); contribute to study design. • Investigation - . Collect data from external sources, review relevant literature, and document the research process. • Coordination of data-collection activities and lab documentation. • Maintains technical and administrative support for a research project. • Analyzes and maintains data and/or specimens. Conducts literature reviews. Assists with preparation of reports, manuscripts and other documents. • Performs other related work as needed. Minimum Qualifications Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field. Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through < 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline. Certifications: --- Preferred Qualifications Education: • Bachelor’s degree in computational social science, data science, statistics, computer science, psychology, or a related quantitative field. Experience: • Research experiences in a quantitative discipline; experience validating computational analyses, working with large-scale or high-performance-computing data, and geospatial or text analysis. Technical Knowledge or Skills: • Proficiency in Python and/or R for data analysis and reproducible research. • Working knowledge of applied statistics and version-control and reproducibility practices. Working Conditions • September 1, 2026 – February 28, 2027, reporting to Professor Shigehiro Oishi. Application Documents • Resume (required) • Cover letter (required) • References (3) (required) The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions. When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application. Job Family Research Role Impact Individual Contributor Scheduled Weekly Hours 37.5 Drug Test Required No Health Screen Required No Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required No Pay Rate Type Hourly ​ FLSA Status Non-Exempt ​ Pay Range $25.71 - $33.28 The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting. Benefits Eligible Yes The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook . Posting Statement The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination. Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form. All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position. The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

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