Field Research Associate
YouthBuild USA, United States
Job Description
About the Organization
With love and respect, YouthBuild partners with opportunity youth to build the skillsets and mindsets that lead to lifelong learning, livelihood, and leadership. At more than 275 YouthBuild programs across the United States and around the world, students reclaim their education, gain job skills, and become leaders in their communities. To date, YouthBuild has partnered with more than 180,000 young people to dedicate over 50 million hours of service benefitting urban, rural, and tribal communities. YouthBuild strives to create a world where all young people are seen for their potential, and power to transform themselves and their communities.
Job Summary
The Field Research Associate will support YouthBuild USA’s Impact amp; Learning function by implementing various research or evaluation efforts related to program design and performance. The role reports to the Vice President of Impact and Learning and is responsible for various research/evaluation-related activities directed at the impact of the network, program design, and performance outcomes. This role will support the implementation of research and evaluation projects that involve YouthBuild USA and the network of YouthBuild programs. These tasks can include recruitment of program participants, development of instruments and protocols, conducting assessments and interviews, managing quantitative and qualitative data, as well as data analysis and communication of results.
The position may involve travel to YouthBuild programs for recruitment and data collection activities as needed by the research/evaluation projects. This position supports developing and managing relationships of program participants and maintaining an approach to research/evaluation that incorporates cultural humility.
Requirements
Essential Duties/Responsibilities
Recruitment and Retention of Field Participants
- Support the development and implementation of study/evaluation recruitment plans including recruitment materials and outreach
- Assists with establishing and implementing participant retention plans, when needed.
- Maintain and update related databases
Data collection and data management
- Coordinates and manages scheduling participant engagement in research/evaluation activities
- Support in the development and implementation of various methods of data collection from study participants (focus groups, interviews, surveys)
- Support development and piloting efforts regarding data collection systems
Research/Evaluation operations
- Support the day-to-day management of research/evaluation projects, including computer work, managing project tasks, and deadlines, meeting agendas and notes, or other tasks relevant administrative tasks.
- Develop, contribute and/or distribute daily, weekly, or ad-hoc study progress reports to the project management team.
Other Duties/Responsibilities
Compile and convey Research/Evaluation Learnings
- Develop and contribute to literature reviews (e.g., review articles and documents, abstract information, summarize findings) as needed.
- Compile and contributes to summary reports and presentations describing learnings and findings of research/evaluation projects for diverse audiences.
Education amp; Experience Required
An undergraduate-level degree in social work, psychology, public health, human development, or a related field. Master’s degree preferred but not required.
At least 2 years of experience in qualitative, mixed research methods, or program evaluation research as demonstrated through any of the following:
- Experience conducting focus groups, surveys, interviews, and/or other community-based participatory research.
- Familiarity with virtual data collection platforms (e.g., Qualtrics).
- Data set modeling and preparation.
- Experience in developing program evaluation plans or research, collecting, coding, analyzing, and interpreting data.
- Experience with collaborative evaluation or research methods
At least 2 years of relevant work experience in social justice fields, opportunity youth or social service programming