Research Assistant

NYU Silver School of Social Work

JOB OPPORTUNITY: Research Assistant

Location: 1 Washington Square North, NY, NY 10003

PART TIME: 3-8 hours/week

Expected Starting Date: ASAP

Contact : View email address on click.appcast.io

Compensation: $30/hour

In-person and virtual

Project title : Deconstructing School Pushout (DSP) (Principal Investigator: Sireen Irsheid, PhD, LCSW, MSW)

Project Overview:

DSP project aims to address knowledge gaps in the understanding of the nonlinear pathways and factors that act as facilitators to the school pushout phenomenon (e.g., suspensions/expulsions and engagement with the legal system). This study is built on a growing body of social justice-oriented research concerned with the systemic influences that shape the experiences for young people. Specifically, this study aims to qualitatively examine how young people who have been suspended, expelled, or interacted with the legal system understand, make meaning, and navigate the structural factors related to neighborhood and school disinvestment and access to resources and supports, and their risk for school pushout. Furthermore, schools as political, cultural, and ideologically reproductive spaces often serve as sites of resistance and can support Black and Brown students who are impacted by educational inequity. This study also aims to explore the perceptions of school staff which will aid in the understanding of organizational practices and the day-to-day interactions between school staff and students designated as “high risk” for school pushout. Please see DSP ( for full description of study.

Duties and Responsibilities

● Assist in refining interview protocols, consent forms, and other materials as needed and input them on Qualtrics for electronic versions.

● Assist PI in submitting IRB applications and modifications, as needed.

● Assist in participant recruitment and enrollment efforts and track participant incentives for study participation.

● Conduct interviews with participants.

● Assist in monitoring progression of key research activities, such as recruitment, screening, enrollment, and follow-up of study participants.

● Assist in maintaining a data management system and/or data collection database .

● Carry out assessments of participants in Qualtrics or REDCap.

● Assist in data collection activities including in-depth semi-structured interviews.

● Assist in data coding and analysis using MAXDQ, SPSS, and STATA.

Required Education, Experience and Skills

● Background in social work, psychology, sociology, anthropology, or other social/behavioral science.

● Prior experience or training in qualitative and quantitative research methods.

● Interest in school pushout, school-prison nexus, racial equity, and/or structural racism and structural violence.

● Prior experience or training facilitating interviews or focus groups with young people.

● Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and accuracy.

● Proficiency using or willingness to obtain working knowledge of computer software programs including REDCap, MS Office, Adobe, Qualtrics, and data management platforms.

● Proficiency using STATA, SPSS, R and other statistical softwares.

● Demonstrate deep commitment to racial justice, social justice, and social equity.

● Ability to communicate in a clear, efficient manner as a member of a collaborative team.

● Ability to work autonomously, organize daily tasks and meet required deadlines on multiple concurrent tasks.

Preferred Education, Experience and Skills

● Prior experience with research and/or academic research setting.

● Prior experience in data ana lysis techniques and related data management platforms, i.e., MAXQDA, STATA, SPSS, descriptive statistics, and thematic analysis.

● Prior experience supporting planning, designing, and implementing projects.

● Training and experience in motivational interviewing theory and techniques.

● Knowledge of IRB protocols and procedures to modify protocols.

Performance Evaluation Procedure

● The RA will meet with the PI on a weekly basis to discuss completed tasks and plan activities for the following week. During these meetings the RA will also discuss professional development goals.

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