Edgar I. Gandara
Chicago,USA
Summary
Experienced data-driven professional with a strong background in workforce planning and organizational assessment. Skilled in designing measurement systems to capture employee experience data and translate findings into strategic recommendations. Combining expertise in research psychology with practical experience in competency modeling, succession planning, and talent strategy. Demonstrated success in implementing data collection frameworks that identify key organizational trends and inform evidence-based decision making.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
Work History
Personnel Research Psychologist
The Department of Housing and Urban Development
07.2024 - Current
- Designed and launched a longitudinal onboarding analytics framework, collecting employee experience data at 4 strategic intervals to identify engagement drivers and retention risks
- Managed comprehensive exit survey program, analyzing attrition trends and presenting actionable recommendations to executive leadership that informed retention strategy development
- Conducted organization-wide skills gap analysis, identifying critical competency deficiencies and developing targeted training interventions to address workforce capability gaps
- Led multiple employee focus groups to gather qualitative insights on onboarding practices and survey effectiveness, implementing improvements to increase employee satisfaction
- Created data visualization dashboards for executive leadership, translating complex workforce metrics into actionable strategic recommendations
- Developed comprehensive employee toolkits for knowledge management, workload optimization, and strategic communications, enhancing team productivity across multiple departments
Site Director, The Cities Project
DePaul Department of Psychology
09.2023 - 06.2024
- Collected, analyzed, and interpreted over 1000 data points to identify trends such as attrition rates and demographic shifts
- Presented findings during weekly meetings with project leaders and directors, engendering evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement of therapy and support sessions
- Orchestrated workforce project initiatives, leveraging community partnerships and professional relationships to successfully complete advocacy campaigns helping hundreds of people
- Advised project stakeholders on recruitment strategies, implementing innovative planning models to increase enrollment across partnering Universities
Research Coordinator (IES Grant), The Cities Project
DePaul Department of Psychology
09.2022 - 06.2024
- Utilized statistical analysis and data visualization techniques to identify patterns and insights for program improvement
- Led recruitment efforts, expanding mentorship programs to nine additional Chicago Public Schools and increasing enrollment in The Cities Project by over 100 participants
- Directed meetings with professors and program directors to optimize measurement strategies, participant retention, and project deliverables
Strategic Workforce Planning and Analytics Team Intern
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
06.2023 - 08.2023
- Identified demographic profiles of position rank, race/ethnic group, and age across the agency, using the Departments hiring data of 30,000+ employees
- Compared data on race and age extracted from the U.S. Census bureau to create a 5-year predictive model on increasing racial/ethnic diversity by over 15% and age diversity by seven percent
- Conducted employee focus groups to identify key trends for employee retention across HUD
- Developed a comprehensive facilitation guide and led Program Office hiring manager interviews to discuss varying perspectives on backfilling at entry and junior level positions
Undergraduate Research Assistant
UT Austin Project SEED
11.2021 - 06.2022
- Administered comprehensive training to over 100 research assistants on transcription, data collection, and participant ethics
- Collected thousands of data points for a project assessing the effects of language brokering on adolescent stress
- Demonstrated proficiency in research methodologies and data analysis techniques, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of research findings
- Data will continue to be used in theses, dissertations, and research articles at a higher education university
Package Handler/ Supervisor
United Parcel Service (UPS)
11.2020 - 08.2021
- Managed and supervised a team of employees in a fast-paced work environment, ensuring the timely packing and delivery of 2,000+ packages per day
- Provided training and support to employees across six sectors, optimizing operational efficiency and productivity
- Collaborated with supervisors to maximize efficiency by strategically assigning employees to various positions, facilitating the dispatch of over 30,000 packages hub-wide per day
Education
Master of Science - Research Psychology
DePaul University
Chicago, IL06-2024
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
University of Texas At Austin
Austin, TX05-2022
Skills
- Data Analysis & Visualization: R-Studio, SPSS, Advanced Excel, PowerPoint, Survey Methodology & Instrument Design
- Workforce Planning: Competency Modeling, Job Analysis, Succession Planning, Workforce Forecasting
- Research Methodologies: Quantitative Analysis, Qualitative Research, Survey Design, Focus Group Facilitation
- Project Management: MS Teams, Strategic Planning, Resource Optimization, Stakeholder Management
- Professional Capabilities: Executive Communication, Change Management, Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Languages: English (Native), Spanish (Professional Working Proficiency)
Timeline
Personnel Research Psychologist
The Department of Housing and Urban Development
07.2024 - Current
Site Director, The Cities Project
DePaul Department of Psychology
09.2023 - 06.2024
Strategic Workforce Planning and Analytics Team Intern
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
06.2023 - 08.2023
Research Coordinator (IES Grant), The Cities Project
DePaul Department of Psychology
09.2022 - 06.2024
Undergraduate Research Assistant
UT Austin Project SEED
11.2021 - 06.2022
Package Handler/ Supervisor
United Parcel Service (UPS)
11.2020 - 08.2021
Master of Science - Research Psychology
DePaul University
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
University of Texas At Austin
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