Part Time Research Assistant - Family and Community Medicine

Penn State University • Tallahassee, FL

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Penn State Department of Family and Community Medicine is seeking a part-time (up to 24 hours/week) Research Assistant to support our community-engaged, dynamic, fast-paced Food as Medicine and SNAP-Ed initiatives during the summer months. This is a summer appointment with the possibility of extension beyond the summer if funding is available. Our team’s goal is to realize a future where everyone can identify, access, prepare, and eat high-quality, culturally appropriate food to achieve optimal health. We develop, test, and implement evidence-based nutrition education and culinary medicine programming for diverse populations in community and clinical settings. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-moving, community-based environment and is deeply passionate about nutrition education, food access, gardening, and health equity. Candidates must be adaptable, energetic, and committed to delivering high-quality programming while supporting evaluation and reporting efforts.

Requirements

• Exceptional interpersonal skills and strong oral and written communication abilities
• Strong culinary skills and foundational nutrition knowledge
• Passion for community nutrition, SNAP-Ed programming, gardening, and health equity
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a collaborative team
• Flexibility and willingness to work in varied community settings
• Reliable transportation for local travel to partner sites
• Availability for occasional evening and weekend community events
• Must pass a background check

Nice To Haves

• Fluency in Spanish
• Experience with SNAP-Ed or other community-based nutrition education programs
• Experience with gardening or garden-based education
• Experience with data management and analysis tools (e.g., REDCap, Excel)
• Background in community nutrition, public health, dietetics, or a related field

Responsibilities

• Deliver SNAP-Ed and Food as Medicine programming in low-income community settings, including: Community gardens, Food pantries, Boys & Girls Clubs, Senior centers, Other community partner sites
• Conduct engaging nutrition education sessions, food tastings, and cooking demonstrations
• Adapt programming for diverse audiences (children, adults, families), including potential digital or social media engagement
• Support garden-based education and seasonal food programming
• Collect, manage, and report evaluation data to assess individual- and community-level impact
• Contribute to continuous quality improvement of programming

Benefits

• The successful candidate must pass a background check.
• PA State Police Criminal Background Check, PA Child Abuse History Clearance Form, and Federal (FBI) Fingerprint Criminal Background Check.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed