Research Specialist (Part Time)

[Azavea PeopleOps]

Hello,

We are hiring Research Specialists to join our growing Cicero team and we hope you will join us. We expect to hire two to three part-time, temporary positions that would start in September and continue through May 2023. Based on the candidate and workload, there may be additional opportunities that continue past spring 2023. 

We anticipate the starting salary for this position to be $15.00 per hour with the potential for additional compensation based on specific applicant skills (example - GIS background). Part-time benefits include reimbursement for public transit and bicycle expenses, a 401(k) retirement plan after 3 months, paid sick time, and flexible hours. 

To apply, please visit Azavea: Research Specialist.

Cicero is a global database of elected officials and legislative districts that is made available as an API, as a batch processing system, and as a licensed database. Cicero enables non-profits and other civic organizations to advocate more effectively by connecting constituents with their elected officials at the local, state, and national levels. The Cicero database includes data from ten countries, and due to the November election in the U.S., we will have a significant increase in data research over the next several months. We are looking for energetic, fast-learning, and meticulous people to do web research and data entry of legislative chambers and elected officials to update the Cicero database. The schedule is flexible. Candidates are expected to commit to work 20-35 hours per week on average and should set a consistent weekly schedule that overlaps with team meetings.

Using a combination of official legislature, election commission and individual campaign websites, you will:

• Research elections in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, U.K., Germany, Australia, and New Zealand for timely updates to the Cicero database
• Enter elected official name and associated contact and other profile information in our online data entry system
• Assist in expanding our data coverage
• Quality assurance and quality control of the data
• Assist with updating legislative district boundaries following redistricting

You should:

• Be familiar with basic business applications including email, spreadsheet software (such as Google Sheets or MS Excel), and web browsers
• Be able to work independently, multi-task, and use initiative to get things done
• Have knowledge of or be interested in technology, the web, elections, and democracy
• Be detail-oriented (e.g. identify and fix errors, make connections between cause and effect, etc.)
• Possess effective organization and time management skills

These skills are not required but would be a plus:

• Knowledge of GIS concepts and software (ArcGIS and/or QGIS)
• Familiarity with SQL in database applications such as MySQL, MS Access, or PostgreSQL

A note on hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic 

Due to regulations in Philadelphia, and our concern for the health and safety of our team, we will be conducting all interviews remotely for the foreseeable future. We are fortunate to have invested in meaningful work-from-home tools and processes over the years and have been able to continue providing a secure, flexible, and safe work environment for all of our colleagues. We ask for your patience as we adapt our hiring process as well, and are happy to answer any questions or concerns about the process.  

Office and Benefits

Our Philadelphia office is located in a brightly lit office in the Callowhill neighborhood, a short walk from Center City, the Reading Terminal Market, and SEPTA subway and regional rail stations.  For bicyclists, we have in-house bike parking, a shower, and lockers.  It’s an open office plan with several smaller rooms for team meetings, private space, and concentration time. 

To apply, please visit Azavea: Research Specialist. 

We welcome qualified candidates from all walks of life and value diversity in our company, and we prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, military service, disability unrelated to job requirements, marital status, or domestic partner status.

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Azavea is a professional services firm with 20 years of experience building geospatial software and data analytics tools. As a B corp, we are a mission driven organization meaning we work exclusively on civic, social and environmentally impactful projects. Additionally, we are committed to open knowledge. We therefore try to bring open source data into our projects when possible and we also contribute to open source software. Often the OS tools we build come from our own needs, but are then used by a much wider community. 

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Thank you,

Julie Garcia, People Operations Coordinator
Pronouns: she/her/ella | click for name pronunciation
Azavea | 990 Spring Garden Street, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA
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Azavea is a B Corporation – our mission is to advance the state of the art in geospatial technology and apply it for civic, social, and environmental impact.