Senior Researcher

We are the Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We plan 30 years ahead for the future of the metropolitan area and provide regional transportation, wastewater, and housing services. More information about us on our website.

We are committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

Metro Transit is one of the country's largest transit systems, employs more than 3,000 people, and provides more than 35 million rides a year through an integrated network of buses, light rail and commuter trains, as well as resources for those who carpool, vanpool, walk or bike in the Twin Cities.

How your work would contribute to our organization and the Twin Cities region:

As a Senior Researcher, you will lead projects to better understand rider, community, and employee perspectives on Metro Transit's service and operations. You will provide technical leadership in "mixed-methods" approaches, combining available data with qualitative information from surveys, interviews, focus groups, and other studies to fully capture the human element of transit use and development.

• Serve as agency's subject matter expert on designing, writing, implementing, and analyzing effective surveys. Co-lead coordination group of agency survey efforts.
• Lead information gathering from riders and community including working with Metro Transit business units to clarify objectives for information collection; determining methods to be used for effective understanding; designing effective surveys and other techniques; and leading analysis and reporting of information collected.
• Support information gathering from employees using multiple qualitative methods including surveys and focus groups; assists Council departments (e.g. HR) and Metro Transit business units (e.g. Operations) with understanding employee perspectives and conditions; lead analysis and reporting of employee engagement and other regular studies.
• Maintain archive of qualitative study approaches and results; serves as primary curator of previous information gathered from surveys, focus groups, and other studies.
• Keep up to date with emerging research, best practices, and peer agency work on effective studies of rider and employee perspectives using mixed methods approaches.

Any of the following combinations of completed education (in public policy, transportation planning, social science, statistics, or related field) and experience (conducting research and evaluation);

• Bachelor's degree and four years of experience
• Master's degree and two years of experience
• Doctorate (PhD) degree

What additional skills and experience would be helpful in this job (desired qualifications):

• Proficiency in research methods and study design
• Experience with statistical computing software such as R or Python
• Experience conveying technical information to lay audiences through writing, presentations, and/or data visualizations.
• Experience with soliciting and incorporating multiple stakeholder perspectives to achieve shared outcomes.
• Language proficiency in Spanish, Somali, or Hmong.

• Survey design theory and practice
• Statistical methods of qualitative data
• Focus group design, data collection, and analysis
• Determine effective method of survey (sample size, incentives, sample methods)
• Facility with survey design software.
• Creation of effective visualizations and presentations of qualitative data
• Project management
• Communicate with diverse audiences: customers, employees, public
• Manage projects from idea to completion
• Understand and synthesize multiple points of view around a topic.

• We offer the opportunity to make a difference and positively influence the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
• We encourage our employees to develop their skills through on-site training.
• We provide a competitive salary, excellent benefits, and a good work/life balance.

Union/Grade: NRC Grade H

FLSA Status: Exempt

Safety Sensitive: No

• We review your minimum qualifications.
• We rate your education and experience.
• We conduct a structured panel interview.
• We conduct a selection interview.

If you are new to the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a background check which verifies education, employment, and criminal history. If you have a criminal conviction, you do not automatically fail. The Metropolitan Council considers felony, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor convictions on a case-by-case basis, based on whether they are related to the job and whether the candidate has demonstrated adequate rehabilitation.

IMPORTANT: If you make a false statement or withhold information, you may be barred from job consideration.

The Metropolitan Council is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and veteran-friendly employer. The Council is committed to a workforce that reflects the diversity of the region and strongly encourages persons of color, members of the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, women, and veterans to apply.

If you have a disability that requires accommodation during the selection process, please email HR-OCCHealth@metc.state.mn.us.