Research Specialist

MIT•Cambridge, MA

12d

About The Position

The Center for Transportation & Logistics (CTL) at the AgeLab is seeking a Research Specialist to join a multidisciplinary team focused on improving the lives of older adults through technology, science, and business solutions. This role involves supporting research, writing, and external communications. The specialist will conduct qualitative and quantitative research with minimal supervision, perform literature reviews, data collection, cleaning, analysis, and reporting. They will collaborate with sponsors to identify research questions and support statements of work, manage communications and timelines for research consortia and panel datasets, and contribute to study design and execution. The position also involves developing written content for academic, sponsor, and public audiences, supporting presentations, outreach, and lab communications (e.g., website, social media, public inquiries), assisting with survey design and data collection tools (e.g., Qualtrics, SPSS), and providing feedback on research protocols. Additionally, the role will support lab events, meetings, and tours.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
A minimum of four years of experience working with qualitative and quantitative social science data
Demonstrated excellence in written work and in writing for different kinds of publications (e.g. sponsor deliverables, academic conferences and papers)
Be a team player
Be able to handle multiple priorities from multiple sources
Perform accurately under time pressures and frequent interruptions
Ability to work independently
Experience and comfort with Microsoft Office Suite, including PowerPoint
Experience and comfort with SPSS

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in urban or city planning
Background or experience, including research around public attitudes toward transportation and driving, or public agencies’ planning for demographic change
Four or more years of experience with working with qualitative and quantitative social science data including data collection, cleaning and analysis
Three or more years’ experience with writing for multiple audiences, especially academic and lab sponsor audiences

Responsibilities

Support research, writing, and external communications
Conduct qualitative and quantitative research with minimal supervision
Perform literature reviews, data collection, cleaning, analysis, and reporting
Collaborate with sponsors to identify research questions and support statements of work
Manage communications and timelines for research consortia and panel datasets
Contribute to study design and execution
Develop written content for academic, sponsor, and public audiences
Support presentations, outreach, and lab communications (e.g., website, social media, public inquiries)
Assist with survey design and data collection tools (e.g., Qualtrics, SPSS)
Provide feedback on research protocols
Support lab events, meetings, and tours