What are the responsibilities and job description for the Research Data Specialist position at Inside Higher Ed?
Department
UNC Inst for the Environment-635200
Career Area
Research Professionals
Is this an internal only recruitment?:
No
Posting Open Date
12/11/2025
Application Deadline
01/05/2026
Position Type
Permanent Staff (SHRA)
Position Title
Soc/Clin Research Specialist - Contributing
Salary Grade Equivalent
NC13 / GN09
Working Title
Research Data Specialist
Position Number
20074019
Vacancy ID
P020702
Full-time/Part-time Permanent/Time-Limited
Full-Time, Time-Limited
If Time-limited, Estimated Duration Of Appointment
3 Year Time-Limited
Hours Per Week
40
Work Schedule
Monday – Friday; 830am – 5:00pm; times may vary
Work Location:
CHAPEL HILL, NC
Position Location:
North Carolina, US
Hiring Range
$50,000 - $65,000 annually
Pay Band Information
To learn more about the pay band for this branch and role, please see the Career Banding rates spreadsheet.
Be a Tar Heel!:
A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.
Primary Purpose Of Organizational Unit
The UNC Institute for the Environment (IE) has a multifaceted mission: (1) To strengthen environmental research capacity across UNC by supporting a multi-disciplinary community of scholars that enhances collaboration, increases sharing of knowledge, and identifies solutions to the world’s critical environmental problems. (2) To work in partnership across UNC and with external partners to coordinate and deliver 21st century educational programs that provide students with the experience and skills to thrive in a growing global economy. (3) To put new environmental knowledge into action by engaging and serving communities, here in North Carolina and around the world. (4) To fuel and harness the university’s sustainability activities through the Sustainable Carolina Initiative
Position Summary
This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that may include a partially remote work location, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.
The Research Data Specialist will report to the Director of the Center for Environmental Modeling for Policy Development, within the Institute for the Environment. This position supports the Center for Environmental Modeling for Policy Development (CEMPD) by performing specialized technical and analytical duties. The incumbent will be responsible for applying established research methodologies and techniques to produce aircraft emissions inventories and manage data quality. Work is guided by research objectives set by the supervisor or principal investigator and focuses on the production and maintenance of technical data and models to support public policy.
Duties and responsibilities will include acquiring datasets related to aircraft operations at airports, and observations from multiple networks, performing quality assurance of datasets and processing them for use in emissions models and model evaluation software respectively. In addition, this position will involve performing literature review and extracting information for use in projects as needed. Further, this position will develop documentation of procedures and protocols for future implementation, develop professional reports and assist with preparing manuscripts for broader dissemination.
Minimum Education And Experience Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in a discipline related to the field assigned and one year of related training or experience; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.
Required Qualifications, Competencies, And Experience
Not Applicable.
UNC Inst for the Environment-635200
Career Area
Research Professionals
Is this an internal only recruitment?:
No
Posting Open Date
12/11/2025
Application Deadline
01/05/2026
Position Type
Permanent Staff (SHRA)
Position Title
Soc/Clin Research Specialist - Contributing
Salary Grade Equivalent
NC13 / GN09
Working Title
Research Data Specialist
Position Number
20074019
Vacancy ID
P020702
Full-time/Part-time Permanent/Time-Limited
Full-Time, Time-Limited
If Time-limited, Estimated Duration Of Appointment
3 Year Time-Limited
Hours Per Week
40
Work Schedule
Monday – Friday; 830am – 5:00pm; times may vary
Work Location:
CHAPEL HILL, NC
Position Location:
North Carolina, US
Hiring Range
$50,000 - $65,000 annually
Pay Band Information
To learn more about the pay band for this branch and role, please see the Career Banding rates spreadsheet.
Be a Tar Heel!:
A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.
Primary Purpose Of Organizational Unit
The UNC Institute for the Environment (IE) has a multifaceted mission: (1) To strengthen environmental research capacity across UNC by supporting a multi-disciplinary community of scholars that enhances collaboration, increases sharing of knowledge, and identifies solutions to the world’s critical environmental problems. (2) To work in partnership across UNC and with external partners to coordinate and deliver 21st century educational programs that provide students with the experience and skills to thrive in a growing global economy. (3) To put new environmental knowledge into action by engaging and serving communities, here in North Carolina and around the world. (4) To fuel and harness the university’s sustainability activities through the Sustainable Carolina Initiative
Position Summary
This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that may include a partially remote work location, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.
The Research Data Specialist will report to the Director of the Center for Environmental Modeling for Policy Development, within the Institute for the Environment. This position supports the Center for Environmental Modeling for Policy Development (CEMPD) by performing specialized technical and analytical duties. The incumbent will be responsible for applying established research methodologies and techniques to produce aircraft emissions inventories and manage data quality. Work is guided by research objectives set by the supervisor or principal investigator and focuses on the production and maintenance of technical data and models to support public policy.
Duties and responsibilities will include acquiring datasets related to aircraft operations at airports, and observations from multiple networks, performing quality assurance of datasets and processing them for use in emissions models and model evaluation software respectively. In addition, this position will involve performing literature review and extracting information for use in projects as needed. Further, this position will develop documentation of procedures and protocols for future implementation, develop professional reports and assist with preparing manuscripts for broader dissemination.
Minimum Education And Experience Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in a discipline related to the field assigned and one year of related training or experience; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.
Required Qualifications, Competencies, And Experience
- Experience and proficiency with processing data from networks of observations
- Proficiency in statistical methods for analyses of large-scale observations and modeled datasets
- Proficiency in developing inventories using literature and/or other software tools
- Experience with processing air quality data from model outputs
- Proficiency with using AEDT (Aviation Environmental Design Tool)
- Proficiency in R, Python and shell scripting
Not Applicable.
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