AIR’s Youth, Family, and Community Development program area is seeking a Senior Researcher focused on Public Health Prevention to support teams aiming to build evidence on equitable pathways to thriving. Related projects aim to use culturally responsive science to focus around one or more areas, including but not limited to:
A public health approach to violence prevention such as
youth violence prevention
intimate partner violence prevention
suicide prevention
child maltreatment and other adverse childhood experiences prevention
community violence prevention
Adolescent pregnancy prevention
Community and societal level prevention solutions that promote equity
Prevention within the child welfare space
Social determinants of health, including housing and economic mobility
The Senior Researcher position can be remote or located out of any of AIR's U.S. office locations.
Responsibilities
The Senior Researcher will provide project leadership for major contract and grant research projects. In this role, the Senior Researcher is responsible for conceptualizing the vision for this work, providing support for project teams in developing and carrying out the work, following sound project management practices to ensure the timely completion of all deliverables within budget, and with high quality research standards that meet client requirements. Responsbilities include:
Manage day-to-day project operations in principal investigator, project director, and/or task lead roles.
Manage collaborative project teams and managing junior staff, including preparing timelines, coordinating staff on task assignments, and overseeing products to ensure they are completed on time, on budget, and with quality
Conceptualize problems and identify questions in public health and youth, family, and community development research and evaluation, and design studies to address them.
Use content knowledge and experience in public health prevention and youth, family, and community development to design and execute relevant and responsive projects for the field
Develop study designs, including appropriate research questions and aligned methods and analytic plans
Lead and contribute to research proposals for Federal, state, foundation, and other clients
Develop and implement creative solutions to practical challenges in applied research
Lead the collection and analyses of data
Oversee the design and planning of qualitative and/or quantitative data collection instruments including interview protocols, focus group protocols, and surveys
Oversee field-based data collection activities including interviews, structured observations, focus groups, and document review
Lead and/or oversee data analyses of survey, interview, observation, and/or extant data using the appropriate analysis tools
Communicate study progress and findings
Write reports, including briefs, charts, and graphs that describe and interpret findings of analyses for clients
Clearly communicate with clients and represent AIR in a professional manner
Communicate effectively, orally or in writing, with clients, site-based staff, and other stakeholders
Maintain positive and collaborative relationships
Manage client and stakeholder relationships in ways that are respectful and demonstrate knowledge of the field and policy landscape
Contribute substantively, thoughtfully, and creatively to project teams
Demonstrate cultural and linguistic competence and sensitivity in all interactions with colleagues, stakeholders, and project participants
Education, Knowledge, and Experience:
PhD in related subject area (Child/Youth/Human Development, Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, Public Policy, etc.), or related field with a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience or Master’s degree with a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience
Knowledge and experience in topics related to public health prevention described above and an interest in youth, family, and community development
Firm understanding of implementation science
Experience with data collection activities from the field using a variety of methodologies and data collection techniques such as structured interviews, observations, and survey research
Experience managing project and/or task teams on research and evaluation projects
Experience building and maintaining client and partner relationships
Experience with business pursuit (e.g., grant and proposal writing)
Skills:
Ability to take big ideas and develop work plans and timelines
Ability to conduct data analysis activities and knowledge of one or more data analytic software packages (e.g., SPSS, EXCEL, STATA, NViVO and Access)
Strong interpersonal skills to work in a fluid, team environment
Excellent interpersonal skills to ensure effective communication and ability to communicate research findings to individuals at all levels and from diverse backgrounds
Strong attention to detail with commitment to accuracy when writing
Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion - providing strengths-based perspective as well as mitigating the impacts of both personal and systemic biases in research
Disclosures:
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.
AIR adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
AIR’s Total Rewards Program, is designed to reward our staff competitively and motivate them to achieve our critical mission. This position offers an anticipated annual salary of $118,000 - $140,000. Salary offers are made based on internal equity within the institution and external equity with competitive markets. Please note this is the annual salary range for candidates that are based in the United States.
Established in 1946, with headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, AIR is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to solve some of the most urgent challenges in the U.S. and around the world. We advance evidence in the areas of education, health, the workforce, human services, and international development to create a better, more equitable world.
AIR’s commitment to diversity goes beyond legal compliance to its full integration in our strategy, operations, and work environment. At AIR, we define diversity broadly, considering everyone’s unique life and community experiences. We believe that embracing diverse perspectives, abilities/disabilities, racial/ethnic and cultural backgrounds, styles, ages, genders, gender identities and expressions, education backgrounds, and life stories drives innovation and employee engagement. Learn more about AIR's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy and hear from our staff by clicking here.
