Research Assistant

Position Summary

The Research Assistant (RA) will support faculty-led research activities in the areas of social work, psychology, mental health. The position provides an opportunity for a student to develop advanced research skills while contributing meaningfully to scholarly projects, presentations, publications, and other research activities.

The ideal candidate is a graduate student, although highly qualified advanced undergraduate-level students with strong research interests are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

The Research Assistant may assist with activities including:

• Conducting comprehensive literature reviews and synthesizing scholarly literature.
• Searching and organizing academic databases and research materials.
• Assisting with qualitative data collection, management, and analysis.
• Supporting the development and management of research databases.
• Assisting with qualitative coding, thematic analysis, and other forms of data analysis, as appropriate.
• Preparing tables, figures, summaries, and other materials to communicate research findings.
• Assisting with Institutional Review Board (IRB) materials and research documentation.
• Conducting background research for grant proposals and other funded research initiatives.
• Maintaining organized research files, references, and project documentation.
• Participating in research meetings and providing regular updates on assigned activities.
• Completing other research-related responsibilities consistent with the goals of the position.

Required Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in an academic program in social work, psychology, education, public health, or a related discipline.
• Strong academic writing, research, and organizational skills.
• Ability to locate, evaluate, and synthesize peer-reviewed scholarly literature.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate research records.
• Ability to work independently, meet deadlines, and manage multiple research tasks.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and follow ethical standards for research involving human participants.

Preferred Qualifications

• Current enrollment in a graduate program is strongly preferred.
• Experience conducting systematic, scoping, or other structured literature reviews.
• Experience with qualitative research methods.
• Knowledge of IRB procedures and human-subjects research.
• Demonstrated interest in social work, psychology, mental health
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish is desirable.

Professional Expectations

The Research Assistant will be expected to demonstrate reliability, initiative, intellectual curiosity, professionalism, and responsiveness to feedback. Because the position may involve multiple research projects at different stages of development, the successful candidate should be comfortable working independently while also collaborating closely with the faculty supervisor and other members of the research team.