AYA Research Team Project Coordinator

Position Responsibilities:

Dr. Shawn C.T. Jones, Assistant Professor within Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) Psychology Department, is seeking applications for a Richmond-based Research Coordinator to begin in Winter 2023. Research Coordinators generally perform administrative and study-related duties that are essential to the successful management of research. Typical duties may include scheduling and monitoring of research activities and timelines; conducting participant interviews, administering study related assessments, and recording observations; coordinating the management, storage, and reporting of study data; monitoring data to maintain quality control; purchasing supplies and tracking expenditures; summarizing study results; preparing reports; and scheduling and booking facilities.

The successful candidate will support the research and outreach activities of the AYA Research Team (https://www.ayaresearch.org/), as an integral team member. Directed by Dr. Shawn C.T. Jones, AYA supports the psychosocial wellbeing of Black youth and families by conducting research that seeks to (1) understand the interplay between racial risk and protective factors, (2) elucidate mechanism undergirding racial protective factors, and (3) has utility for prevention and/or intervention efforts.

Project coordination activities may include the following:

• Working with the broader research teams (e.g., graduate students, interns, volunteers) to implement research protocols
• Building online surveys using digital platforms (e.g. Qualtrics, REDCap, Google Forms)
• Recruiting and consenting participants
• Assisting with quantitative and qualitative data collection and database management
• Scheduling and conducting interviews with research participants
• Conducting literature reviews
• Attending weekly research team meetings
• Completing CITI training and follow Institutional Review Board (IRB) guidelines as required
• Conducting data entry, data organization, and management of references

Secondary activities may include informal mentorship of more junior team members (i.e., undergraduate students). Opportunities will also exist to collaborate with affiliated faculty, other postdocs, and the Center for Cultural Experiences in Prevention, as well as to provide clinical services through VCU’s community clinic (for those interested in licensure

This is a grant-funded position. The successful applicant understands that the continuation of this position depends on the continuation of grant funding.

Applicants should complete the online application along with a cover letter that includes research interests, career goals, and a description of how the candidate integrates equity, diversity, and inclusion into their work; a recent resume or CV; a writing sample; and a document with names and contact information for three references.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Human Development and Family Studies, or a closely related field.
• Experience with data collection, especially survey research, conducting mail and telephone surveys and interviews.
• Experience with database design, data entry and analysis of survey data.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills
• Strong organization, time management, and critical thinking skills
• Ability to work well independently and as part of a team
• Flexibility with work hours to include evenings and weekends as needed
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU

Preferred Qualifications:

• Expertise with examining issues of race and racism, parenting and family systems, research with Black families and youth
• Capacity to disseminate research findings and work both independently and collaboratively
• Good writing skills, experience with report preparation, and developing graphics for reports
• Foundation in qualitative research (e.g., understanding of approaches, experience with coding and analysis)
• Foundation in quantitative research (e.g., understanding of regression, moderation, mediation,)
• Familiarity with major statistical packages (e.g., SPSS, MPlus, Nvivo, R)

Job Specific Physical and Cognitive Requirements:

Physical Demands
Light lifting (<20 lbs.): essential
Moderate lifting (20-50 lbs.) marginal
Pushing/pulling: marginal
Standing: essential
Sitting: essential
Repetitive motion: marginal
Walking: essential
Reaching: marginal
Bending: marginal

Emotional Demands
Fast pace: essential
Average pace: essential
Multiple Stimuli: essential
Intense customer interaction: marginal
Frequent change: essential

Mental/Sensory Demands
Memory: essential
Reasoning: essential
Hearing: essential
Reading: essential
Analyzing: essential
Logic: essential
Verbal communication: essential
Written communication: essential

Salary Range:

$20-$23 per hour, commensurate with experience



Position Details:

Department: Psychology
Employment Type: H1 - Hourly
Restricted Status: Yes
FTE: .5
Exemption Status: Non-Exempt



Contact Information:

Contact Name: Dr. Shawn C.T. Jones

Contact Email: scjones4@vcu.edu