Part-Time Research Assistant Hamer Center for Community Design

The Pennsylvania State University; State College (Centre County); On-site; USD 28,000 - 39,000; Part time

Job summary

The Healthy Environments Action Lab (HEAL) at Penn State University is seeking a Part-Time Research Assistant with strong mixed-methods training to support climate change, public health, and emergency preparedness research.

Responsibilities include grant prep, manuscript drafting, qualitative analysis, and literature reviews, plus general project support to meet milestones with rigorous data management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, Global Health, or a related field.
• Current enrollment in or recent completion of a Master’s degree in Epidemiology, Public Health, or related discipline.
• Experience in manuscript preparation, literature reviews, conducting qualitative interviews, and large-scale cohort analysis.
• High proficiency in statistical programming (R, RStudio, SPSS) and knowledge of epidemiologic methods.

Responsibilities

• Grant preparation: assist in the research, drafting and assembly of grant proposals.
• Manuscript preparation & editing for submission to peer-reviewed journals.
• Qualitative analysis: code, theme, and synthesize qualitative data.
• Literature reviews: search and synthesize to support proposals and manuscripts.
• Project assistance: provide general administrative support and ensure milestones are met.
• Other research and administrative tasks as assigned.

Skills

Statistical programming (R, RStudio,SP

Qualitative data analysis

Manuscript preparation

Literature reviews

Strong written and oral communication

Independent work capability

Epidemiology knowledge (causal infer)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in psychology, Global Health, or related field

Master’s degree in Epidemiology, Public Health, or related discipline

Tools

Canva

Adobe Photoshop

Unity/C#

Job description

Department

Healthy Environments Action Lab (HEAL), Hamer Center for Community Design, Stuckeman School, College of Arts and Architecture

Position Summary

The Part-Time Research Assistant will support various phases of the research lifecycle, from securing funding to publishing results. The ideal candidate will bring a strong foundation in mixed-methods research and possess specific subject matter expertise in climate change, public health, and emergency preparedness.

Key Responsibilities

• Grant Preparation: Assist in the research, drafting, and assembly of grant proposals and funding applications.
• Manuscript Preparation & Editing: Draft, review, edit, and format manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed academic journals.
• Qualitative Analysis: Conduct qualitative data analysis, including coding, thematic analysis, and synthesizing qualitative data.
• Literature Reviews: Perform comprehensive, systematic literature searches and synthesize findings to support grant proposals, manuscripts, and project development.
• Project Assistance: Provide general administrative and logistical support for ongoing research projects to ensure milestones are met; other research and administrative tasks as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, Global Health, or a related field.
• Current enrollment in or recent completion of a Master’s degree program in Epidemiology, Public Health, or a closely related discipline.
• Proven experience in manuscript preparation, literature reviews, conducting qualitative interviews, and large-scale cohort analysis.
• High proficiency in statistical programming (R, RStudio, SPSS). Experience with epidemiologic methods (e.g., regression modeling, survival analysis, causal inference) and survey design.
• Strong understanding of concepts related to climate change, community health impacts, and the social determinants of health. Experience in crisis counseling or community resource navigation is highly desirable.
• Highly self‑motivated, disciplined, and capable of working independently with minimal supervision.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with a proven ability to translate complex health data into reproducible research outputs.
• Exceptional organizational skills and a meticulous approach to data cleaning, editing, and maintaining confidentiality protocols.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with international research fellowships or global health fieldwork.
• Demonstrated experience in interdisciplinary teamwork and student/stakeholder consulting.
• Familiarity with additional tools such as Canva, Adobe Photoshop, or Unity/C#.

Work Arrangements

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location.

Background Checks/Clearances

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

EEO IS THE LAW

Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473. Penn State is committed to and accountable for advancing equity, respect, and belonging. We embrace individual uniqueness, as well as a culture of belonging that supports equity initiatives, leverages the educational and institutional benefits of inclusion in society, and provides opportunities for engagement intended to help all members of the community thrive. We value belonging as a core strength and an essential element of the university’s teaching, research, and service mission.

Application Deadline

August 15th, 2026

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