Erika Suzette Espinoza ‘19
Title: Operations System Research Analyst
Employer: Quantum Research International
Major: Economics and Anthropology
Minor: Statistics
What do you enjoy the most about your position?
I enjoy determining what is relevant to a problem, deciding what methods might be used to analyze the issue, and brief pertinent data to senior leaders.
What is a typical day like in your position?
There are a variety of different meeting whether with the smaller modeling team or a larger group. There is almost always ongoing training/continual learning that coincides with work in Tableau, SAS, and online Army databases as part of the G-8.
How did you find your current position?
My first job was an Economist for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. I did a lot of work in SAS and industry analysis, which in addition to my previous experience, led to being recruited by Quantum Research International.
Which undergraduate experiences did you find most helpful in preparing you for your current position?
Project RISE, an on-campus research internship, provided me the background to conduct thorough analysis and intake methodology in social and behavioral research that can be applied to the work I do today.
How has your coursework helped you in your current position (i.e. quantitative skills, research techniques, communication skills)?
The various programming courses I took in R, SAS, and STATA provided me the background to manipulate the large data sets I work with now. Various economics courses, such as a Labor Markets course I took my senior year of college, provided me the basis from which to interpret various types of methodologies used to identify statistical significant data.
What other advice do you have for students trying to find jobs or internships in your field?
Reach out the Career Center, they have events year-round and conduct resume reviews.
