Senior Research Associate

The University of Massachusetts Boston•Boston, MA

47d

About The Position

The Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging in the Gerontology Institute was created to help municipalities, nonprofits, and other organizations plan for an increasingly older population while providing training opportunities for students. The Center conducts research, develops analytic tools and information, and consults with governmental and nongovernmental groups and actively seeks out new opportunities to extend their reach and impact at the community and organizational level. Over the past decade, the Center has become a dynamic hub dedicated to studying various aspects of aging while actively involving the community in its research endeavors. Housed within Boston's only public university, the Center serves as a bridge between academic researchers, health and social service professionals, and local residents, aiming to address pressing issues and improve the quality of life for older adults. The Center braids together threads of community engagement, student training, and scholarship to create a fun and collaborative place to work. The Senior Research Associate within the Center for Social and Demographic Research in Aging will be responsible for managing the Center's program evaluation projects and will assist in expanding projects to promote the demographic and community-engaged research capacity of the Gerontology Institute, to serve the research and evaluation needs of community organizations that serve older adults and to provide training for students, including community engagement. The Senior Research Associate works with high degree of independence in designing, seeking funds for, and carrying out research projects.

Requirements

Social science doctoral degree and a minimum of 3-5 years of relevant work experience and quantitative research methods and skills are required.
Prior experience with project management, research, and demonstrated ability to work independently required.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite required.

Nice To Haves

Experience with quantitative and qualitative data analysis, survey design, survey administration, data management and statistical analysis preferred.
Training or work experience focusing on older populations is preferred.

Responsibilities

Design competitive research projects, either in response to Requests for Proposals (RFPs) or investigator- initiated funding opportunities
Ensure adherence to schedule and budget estimates for multi-site projects
Prepare and deliver written and oral presentations to clients
Both independently and in collaboration with other senior investigators, identify promising directions for research consistent with the mission of the CSDRA and Institute
Develop and submit for publication in peer review journals articles that contribute to advancing the knowledge base
Initiate and facilitate regular communication with co-investigators on research projects
Manage research projects in a responsible and timely fashion, troubleshooting and identifying needed modifications, when difficulties arise
Work with the Director of Finance, Grants and Operations and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) to assure proposals meet both university and funding organization specifications and that funded projects are managed appropriately
Participate in recruiting, training and supervising Research Assistants for research projects; manage the efforts of graduate student employees, including recruiting and training
Develop and implement strategies for effective dissemination to interested parties, including national conference presentations, funding agencies and service providers
Maintain in an organized and accessible manner, all files, documents and reports related to Center projects
Participate in all team meeting and external meetings
Plan and execute virtual focus groups· Participate in qualitative analysis and interpretation
Assist with the fielding of a web-based survey in a national setting
Work collaboratively to produce written materials and reports for external funder