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Working Title: Early Childhood Mixed Delivery and Attendance Research Consultant

Job Class: Research Scientist 3

Agency: Children Youth & Families Dept

• Job ID : 82107

• Location : St. Paul

• Telework Eligible : Yes

• Full/Part Time : Full-Time

• Regular/Temporary : Limited

• Who May Apply : Open to all qualified job seekers

• Date Posted : 11/26/2024

• Closing Date : 12/9/2024

• Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit : Children Youth & Families Dept / DCYF Central Office MAPE

• Division/Unit : DCYF/Early Learning Services

• Work Shift: Day Shift

• Work Hours : 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• Days of Work : Monday - Friday

• Travel Required : No

• Salary Range: $36.71 - $54.60 / hourly; $76,650 - $114,004 / annually

• Classified Status : Unclassified

• Bargaining Unit/Union : 214 - MN Assoc of Professional Empl/MAPE

• End Date : 11/19/2027

• FLSA Status : Exempt - Professional

• Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities (https://mn.gov/mmb/careers/diverse-workforce/people-with-disabilities/connect700/) : No

The work you'll do is more than just a job.

At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.

In the 2023 legislative session, the Governor’s Office, Minnesota legislature, and leaders for children and families worked in partnership to pass legislation establishing the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to create a sustainable, public face for children’s issues in state government. This new cabinet-level agency brings together programs centered on children and families, including childcare and early learning, child support, child safety and permanency, economic support and food assistance, and youth opportunity. e new Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) Agency became effective on July 1, 2024.

* Telework (https://mn.gov/mmb-stat/policies/1422-telework.pdf) ( Within Minnesota or neighboring states only; telework is not allowed in other states ) and flexible hours options are available .*

*This position is temporary and includes full state fringe benefits; the position is expected to last up to three (3) years.*

The Early Childhood Mixed Delivery and Attendance Research Consultant will conduct complex research and data analysis activities related to mixed-delivery service and early childhood, including Kindergarten and attendance on behalf of the Departments of Children, Youth and Families; Education; and the Children’s Cabinet. This position will lead mixed delivery and attendance research using Minnesota’s Early Childhood Longitudinal Data System (ECLDS). In service of federal grant(s), this position will ensure responsive data use in mixed-delivery collaboration as well as build internal research capacity and ECLDS capability.

Responsibilities include:

• Working closely with the ECLDS Lead, ECLDS Research Scientist, and cross-agency researchers to help multiple state agencies better understand the characteristics and experiences of Minnesota’s youngest children and their families as it relates to mixed-delivery early childhood programming and attendance.

• Identifying and measuring the use of mixed-delivery early care and education options and common pathways families take to prekindergarten and kindergarten enrollment with a primary focus on racial and ethnic minorities, those living in low-income families, and/or children who are homeless. When sufficient data exists, research could also focus on children who are not proficient in English, those who live in foster families, and children with other characteristics or factors collected in ECLDS.

• Conducting background research, fostering collaborative relationships with fellow researchers, and ensuring all research practices meet data privacy standards.

• Strategic analysis and planning, gathering requirements, and performing data analysis.

• Working collaboratively with MNIT staff, local and state agency program staff, DCYF Early Learning Services, as well as ECLDS and Statewide Longitudinal Education Data System (SLEDS) staff.

• Mixed-methods research with an emphasis on quantitative experience and an understanding of qualitative research.

• Communicating research findings to allow Minnesota a better sense of how families flow between public and private providers for care, the fluctuations of their childcare resource use over time, and how use of these resources may eventually influence attendance rates in kindergarten.

• Supporting the state in making and implementing policy decisions, allow Minnesota to understand shifts in attendance based on interventions, and contribute to national conversations on mixed delivery and attendance.

• Actively participating in team efforts.

Minimum Qualifications

To facilitate proper crediting, please ensure that your resume clearly describes your experience in the areas listed and indicates the beginning and ending month, day and year for each job held.

Three (3) years of professional experience in both research and policy expertise that demonstrates experience in these areas:

• Programing language/computer coding for database querying, data manipulation, and/or statistical analysis (e.g., including but not limited to SQL, R, SPSS, STATA, SAS, Python, etc.).

• Data analysis, data manipulation, data transformation and interpretation, and modelling.

• Synthesizing large amounts of information by creating dashboards, white papers, reports, and other methods of sharing analytic results in context.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree preferably in education, data science, or social science area.

Experience with:

• Leading work that integrates a complex set of programs, policy areas and/or data sets.

• Managing projects that involve staff in a variety of roles and balance multiple priorities.

• Early childhood research or policy

• Variety of experiences working effectively with others from different backgrounds and cultures

• Expertise in using statistical methods and mathematical modeling to analyze early education or other social and economic policy/program data

Additional Requirements

REFERENCE/BACKGROUND CHECKS – DCYF will conduct reference checks to verify job-related credentials and a criminal background check prior to appointment.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is an Equal Opportunity employer/educator committed to the principles of diversity. We prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or membership in a local commission as defined by law. As an affirmative action employer, we actively seek and encourage applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status.

Reasonable accommodations will be made to all qualified applicants with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability who needs assistance or cannot access the online job application system, please contact the job information line at 651-259-3637 or email careers@state.mn.us . Please indicate what assistance is needed.