Research Fellow, Community Health Services, School of Public Health

HEY! Lab Team Research Fellow, BUSPH

The Department of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health has a long history and national reputation of applying social and behavioral sciences to enhance the health and wellbeing of communities and promote health equity. A Research Fellow position is available within the Healthy and Empowered Youth Lab (the HEY! Lab) on the teams of Drs. Kimberly Nelson and Allegra Gordon, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The Research Fellow will assist the Principal Investigators (PIs) with the coordination of at least two studies related to sexual and mental health among adolescents and young adults (AYA). The Youth Expectations and Standards in Sex (YESS) study seeks to assesses the prevalence and diversity of rough sexual behaviors among AYA (ages 15-29 years) in the United States, explores which factors influence whether and how AYA engage in rough sex (e.g., partners, peers, media), and examines how engaging in rough sex relates to the mental and sexual health of AYA. The study is part of a collaboration between researchers at Boston University, Indiana University, Brown University, and the University of Virginia. The qualitative arm of this project will be the main focus of this position. This arm aims to assess how rough sex behaviors are understood, experienced, and related to health by AYA.

Studying Policies’ Effects on Communities: Trends in Resilience and Undergraduate Mental Health (SPECTRUM) study seeks to improve our understanding of how mental health during late adolescence and early adulthood (ages 18-24 years) is influenced by four types of LGBTQ-targeted policies (e.g., religious exemptions, gender affirming healthcare bans, LGBTQ-supportive school curricula). The study is part of a larger collaboration between researchers at Boston University School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School. The qualitative arm of this project will be the main focus of this position. This arm aims to identify and explore the pathways by which LGBTQ-targeted policies can affect the mental health of LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ young people.

The Research Fellow will be in charge of coordinating both studies, including: development and maintenance of study protocols, forms, and assessments; assisting with correspondence and other materials needed for audits, IRB, and reporting to sponsor; organizing the qualitative interviewing teams and conducting qualitative interviews; and collecting, cleaning, entering, managing, and analyzing data (both quantitative and qualitative). The Research Fellow will work with students, faculty, other Research Fellows, and a postdoctoral associate. The Research Fellow will assist the PIs with literature reviews and have opportunities for authorship on academic publications and presentations.

Candidates should have an interest in public health and/or health research. Specific interest in sexual health, mental health, AYA health, and/or sexual and gender minority health is a plus.

Required Skills

To apply: Submit CV and a letter describing your interest to Academic Jobs Online:

Candidates should have experience with: (1) behavioral research in a clinic or a public health setting (this experience can be part of educational preparation) and (2) working with adolescents and young adults. Experience conducting qualitative interviews is a requirement. Fluency in both English and Spanish is a plus.

Candidates should be: (1) highly organized and attentive to detail; (2) interpersonally skilled, warm, empathic; (3) highly efficient across a range of tasks and studies; (4) able to work effectively both independently and in a team; (5) have strong written and verbal communication skills; and (6) have strong computer skills (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite).

Candidates must have at least one of the following:

• A Bachelor’s degree in public health or a related field and at least 3-5 years of research experience
• A Master’s degree in public health or a related field and at least 2 years of research experience

About the HEY! Lab: The HEY! Lab is a group of research collaborators focused on adolescent and young adult health, particularly sexual health, access to health care, eating disorders, body image, and substance use at the intersections of sexual, racial, and gender justice. You can learn more about the HEY! Lab here:

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.