Survey Research Statistician Associate

The World at Abt

Solving the world’s most pressing issues and improving the quality of life for people worldwide is what we do every day at Abt Associates. Creating a more equitable world is no small task, but we are driven by big challenges.

We are a team of 3,000+ people in over 50 countries working in unison and focused on the bigger picture. Only by sharing our commitment, energy, and innovation do we affect change and push the boundaries of what’s possible. We welcome diverse ideas, backgrounds, and viewpoints – joining Abt means access to exceptional thinkers at the top of their game.

To thrive at Abt is to embrace flexibility and collaboration. Our open culture allows you to balance your work and personal life as needed to optimize personal well-being. Creating a more equitable world starts from within – we look after people around the world, and we’ll do the same for you.

Ready to embrace rewarding and meaningful work? Now’s your chance.

The Opportunity

Abt is seeking an experienced survey sampling statistician with advanced analytic skills to join its growing team in the Digital and Data Services (DDS) Division. This division plays a key role within Abt providing survey sample design, data science methods, data visualization, statistical consulting, and advanced analytics to a broad range of government agencies, university researchers, foundations, and corporations. Much of their work is focused on public policy, evaluation, and data modernization in such areas as the environment, health policy, epidemiology, education, food safety, urban planning, political polling, and public opinion, both within the US and internationally.

The survey statistician leads and contributes to all aspects of projects with a survey data focus. This includes developing complex sampling designs for data collection, communicating the strength and weaknesses of various sampling strategies; power and sample size calculations; complex survey weighting; implementing appropriate analytic techniques for survey data; provides mentoring and guidance to more junior staff to help grow the expertise of DDS; and represents Abt at research and professional association conferences (e.g., the Joint Statistical Meetings, the American Association for Public Opinion Research, Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology, Total Survey Error Workshops, American Public Health Association, Transportation Research Board, and others).

The Survey Statistician can work on-site in Abt’s offices in any of Atlanta, GA, Cambridge, MA, Durham, NC, or Rockville, MD. High quality remote only candidates will also be considered.

Core Responsibilities

The successful hire will be able to perform the following functions:

• Identify strategies for non-probability sampling and opt in panel samples with relevant weight adjustments and calibrations
• Mentor junior staff and others seeking statistical/analytic guidance
• Develop sampling designs for complex surveys across various modes – telephone, in-person, web, mixed-mode, etc.
• Conduct sampling design and weighting for political polls
• Provide thought leadership through statistical & data science research
• Work with large federal public use datasets, such as ACS, NHIS, CPS, QCEW and PDB, to develop optimal sampling strata, and to inform weight calibration procedures
• Analyze and model structured data using advanced statistical methods (e.g. classification, regression, validation, inference, etc.)
• Develop and implement weighting protocols for complex surveys (including creation of replicate weights)
• Identify strategies for sampling rare populations
• Implement quality control procedures, including nonresponse and mode effect analyses
• Calculate response rates, standard errors and design effects
• Prepare methodological reports on sampling and weighting procedures
• Lead study design and statistical/methodological/analytic sections of proposals
• Efficiently operate with the common sampling frames, including address-based frames, cell phone and landline telephone frames, and establishment based frames
• Communicate technical aspects of sampling, weighting, analysis of complex survey data, statistical models to internal and external clients
• Collaborate across divisions/departments to support design and model based analysis, visualizations, and interpretation of results
• Conduct power analyses to determine required sample sizes

What We Value:

• Experience with political polling strongly preferred
• Ph.D., ABD or Master's degree in statistics, quantitative survey methodology, or a quantitative social science field. Master's-level applicants should have extensive prior experience working on complex surveys in a setting of a survey research organization.
• Master’s Degree + 7 years of relevant experience, or PhD + 4 years of relevant experience.
• Experience with developing complex sample designs
• Working knowledge of the total survey error paradigm, models of survey response, cognitive and social aspects of survey measurement
• Experience with complex weighting strongly preferred
• Strong writing, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills
• Experience with SAS and SUDAAN strongly preferred
• Minimum Qualifications:
• Preference given to applications with complementary expertise in additional areas of statistics, including, but not limited to, mixed models, missing data, imputation, econometrics, latent variable modeling, latent class analysis, or other quantitative social science areas
• Experience with developing sampling weights, non-response adjustment, and weight calibrations
• Demonstrated ability to conduct methodological research
• Advanced knowledge of sampling variance, sampling inference, applied sampling strategies, design based and design assisted analysis
• Strong SAS, SUDAAN, Stata, R or Python programming skills

What We Offer

We foster an environment where you can Thrive Your Way. Our innovative total rewards programs are designed to help balance your work and personal life. The approach toward your wellbeing centers around comprehensive benefits, flexible schedules, and professional development.

Abt Associates is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse workforce. Abt Associates provides market-competitive salaries and comprehensive employee benefits. Local candidates strongly encouraged to apply.

This position offers an anticipated annual base salary range of approximately $91,408.75 to $146,254.01 and may vary by ten percent depending on candidate geographic location. Salary offers are made based on internal equity and market analysis.

Disclaimer: Abt Associates will never ask candidates for money in exchange for an offer of employment.

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