How to Apply
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1. Cover Letter / Letter of interest
2. Resume
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Job Summary
Job description:
We are seeking a research assistant for mixed methods research studies with legal system providers. The ideal candidate will understand the research activities (e.g., recruitment, consenting/assenting/enrolling individuals in the study), the data collection process, including using Qualtrics to create surveys, conducting semi-structured interviews and listening sessions via Zoom, downloading, transcribing, verifying, cleaning, coding and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data with the appropriate software.
Population:
The study participants will be legal system actors, i.e., parole officers, probation officers, judges, prosecutors, criminal defense attorneys, correctional officers, administrators, etc. We will conduct listening sessions (N~40), and semi-structured interviews with a sub sample of the legal system actors (n=20). The legal system actors will all ages 21 and over who working in Central Ohio, Cook County, IL, Pima County, AZ, New Orleans, LA, and Philadelphia, PA. They will work in corrections or organizations that serve legal system involved populations, especially adolescents and girls of color, i.e., Black girls.
Current project:
We will be recruiting, consenting and enrolling legal system or other related system actors and providers to participate in the pilot study. Once consented, we will enroll participants in the study; they will complete face sheet via Qualtrics and then we will conduct four listening sessions and we will conduct 20 semi-structured individual interviews that will be audio and video recorded virtually about criminal justice reform, crime desistance, as well their views on an intervention we are adapting (i.e., does it seem useful for the population, who should deliver it and where to further intervention adaptation). Upon completion of data collection, the research team will transcribe, verify and analyze the listening sessions and interviews and code them to develop themes and sub-themes. We will use the themes to adapt the healing and stress reduction intervention we are tailoring. Our research team consists of both students and faculty.
To help us conduct a truly participatory and action-oriented study, we are looking for a research assistant who has both academic and experience researching the experiences of Black/African American girls, young women, adults, and communities. Given the location and population of this study, we are looking for a research assistant who can help us account for the impact of legal system involvement and its aftermath. This research assistant would contribute a critical perspective to this study and may be able earn co-authorship on the resulting manuscript(s). Other opportunities for authorship and conference presentations may be offered as additional manuscripts are developed, including potential first authorship if interested.
Responsibilities*
- Recruit, consent, and enroll individuals to participate in the study.
- Assist with uploading survey into Qualtrics and collect survey measure responses.
- Conduct individual interviews via zoom that will be recorded.
- Assist with and/or transcribe the individual interviews.
- Assist with thematic analysis of interview transcripts as part of a collaborative team of analysts.
- Assist principal investigators (PIs) with compilation and summarizing the findings.
- Assist the PIs and research team with adapting the intervention using the findings/themes.
- Help compile and summarize the study findings in manuscript and conference presentations.
Required Qualifications*
Education: Undergraduate degree in the social sciences, social work, or a related field and 1 to 2 years of research experience and understanding of the lived experiences of the legal system and its impact on Black girls, young women, adults and communities in the United States.
Knowledge and Experience: Coursework and experience in research methods, quantitative and/or qualitative data analysis, including cleaning and coding data; excellent attention to detail and organizational skills; strong critical thinking and writing skills. Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Qualtrics, Canva, and quantitative analysis software (e.g., SPSS, stata), qualitative analysis software (e.g., Dedoose, NVivo, Atlas.Ti).
Desired Qualifications*
Masters degree in social work or related fields (public health, sociology, criminal justice) preferred; some familiarity with law enforcement/corrections, court-involved girls and/or the youth court system, trauma, and mixed methods research, and the lived experience as a Black or African American girls, young women, adults or woman and communities in the United States.
Modes of Work
Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.
Additional Information
$18 to $20/hour depending upon education and experience. This is a hybrid position so the research assistant will work in person and remotely based on the need of the project per the principal investigator. The research assistant in this position may be able earn authorship on the resulting manuscript(s).
Approximately 10 hours per week.
Job start date: Immediately
Job end date: Estimated completion December 31, 2025, subject to change.
U-M EEO Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.