Socioeconomic Analyst

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the regional planning agency for metropolitan Boston, seeks a Socioeconomic Analyst to monitor and forecast population, housing, and economic trends in Metro Boston. This position, within the agency’s Data Services Department, will support an ongoing program of regional population and housing demand projections and the application of these projections to a variety of planning, regulatory, and policy activities. The analyst will also study current trends and produce narrative, visual, or digital products that help communicate key findings to stakeholders. This is an opportunity to apply advanced modeling tools and analytical methods to real-world applications in a large metro region with a variety of social, environmental, and transportation challenges. We seek an individual who is innovative, mission-driven, and committed to a more sustainable and equitable region.

Duties include: improvement, maintenance, and operation of socioeconomic models, and production of on-demand forecast scenarios based on input assumptions. The analyst will also interpret the results and prepare materials communicating key findings to support local and regional planning initiatives. In addition to forecasting activities, the analyst will conduct research activities related to demographic, housing, land use, economic, and development patterns in the region, including development and analysis of new datasets. This position offers opportunities to build relationships with public and private sector collaborators throughout Massachusetts, and to build new connections and cultivate new partnerships. MAPC supports staff participation in professional development opportunities, including trainings, classes, and conferences. In addition: Operate and improve MAPC’s population and housing demand modeling tools. Collaborate with academic partners, experts, and partner agencies on model improvement. Continue the migration to a more reproducible and code-based model. Integrate new variables and new data sources into the model to improve its utility. Conceptualize alternative scenarios and implement those scenarios using the model. Summarize results and communicate key features of each scenario to various audiences in narrative, visual, and digital formats. Conduct research and analysis related to socioeconomics and the built environment, including transportation Identify, evaluate, and acquire data with a particular focus on novel, nontraditional, and “big” sources such as mobile devices, social media, administrative records, and innovative surveys. Define and implement research plans that include multivariate and spatial statistics methods. Document methods and prepare results for publication.

Qualifications: Candidates for this position must have a Master’s degree (or higher) in planning, economics, statistics, transportation, sociology, or a related field with at least 2 years of experience in a related field, with progressively increasing responsibilities. Candidates must demonstrate the following: Experience in population forecasting, statistical data analysis, interpretation, report preparation, and presentations; proficiency with R, Python, PostgresSQL or other statistical and data management tools. Familiarity with the principles and practice of scenario planning is preferred. A high proficiency with managing, analyzing and visualizing both spatial and tabular data, specifically large datasets. Proficiency with diverse data sets from federal, state, and local agencies including the Decennial Census, American Community Survey, Bureau of Labor statistics, and Census Transportation Planning Package Experience with the planning and policy context of Metro Boston or elsewhere in Massachusetts is preferred

Compensation and Benefits: The starting salary ranges from $50,000 to $65,000, depending on qualifications and experience. This is a full time exempt position. MAPC offers excellent Massachusetts state employee benefits as well as a flexible, supportive, and family friendly work environment and a commitment to ongoing professional development.

How to apply: The position is open until filled, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume. Those who are interviewed will be asked to submit three (3) references plus a writing sample or other relevant work product. PLEASE SEE COMPLETE JOB AD AT: www.mapc.org (Jobs at MAPC) AND APPLY AT LINK SHOWN THERE. Please attach a cover letter, resume, and writing sample. A review of applications will begin immediately. Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the USA and a valid driver’s license and/or the ability to arrange transportation to meetings in different parts of the region. MAPC is an EOE/AA employer. MAPC takes pride in the diversity of its workforce and encourages all qualified persons to apply. Thomas E. Hauenstein, Manager of Operations. Posted 2/21/17.