Research Assistant (ORS)

ORS Impact; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits (medical, dental, vision

Vacation and paid time off

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

ORS Impact in Seattle, WA seeks a Research Assistant to support project teams through internal coordination, data collection, and client-ready deliverables.

Bachelor's degree and at least one year of related experience are required; duties include preparing agendas, scheduling interviews, supporting data analysis, and contributing to consulting teams.

This role emphasizes collaboration, ongoing professional development, and a culture that values diverse perspectives and inclusive practice.

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor’s degree and at least one year of related experience or training.
• Excellent communication skills with clients and staff at all levels.
• Strong organizational and multi-tasking abilities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proactive, detail-oriented, and collaborative with cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate project work plans and timelines with Project Directors.
• Prepare client-ready deliverables, agendas, and meeting materials.
• Schedule interviews and manage data collection efforts.
• Document meetings and actions; provide post-meeting notes and follow-ups.
• Support data collection, coding, and basic analysis for analytic sessions.
• Assist in product development and graphics tasks as needed.

Skills

Communication

Attention to detail

Multi-tasking

Organization

Problem solving

Collaboration

MS Office proficiency

Data analysis software familiarity

Education

Bachelor's degree + 1 year experience

Tools

MS Word

MS Excel

MS PowerPoint

SPSS

Dedoose

Job description

ORS Impact is a consulting firm that helps clients clarify, measure, and align around their social impact outcomes using evaluation, outcomes-based strategy and planning, theory of change, and MLE planning and implementation. We support philanthropies, nonprofits, and government agencies in their most challenging and complex work with our expertise in advocacy and policy change, networks and coalitions, systems change, and initiatives and strategies.

“Impact” is not just part of our name: it is a core value for why we do this work. Implicit in this value is the belief that the world can be more equitable, that accelerating social progress will lead to better lives for everyone.

These statements, however, do not explicitly address the systems of power that grant privilege and access unequally, particularly based on race, but also based on age, sexual orientation, gender, immigration status, or disability. These systems underlie the issues our clients seek to address and can be perpetuated and strengthened even as well-intentioned people seek to make positive social change.

We believe that diversity makes us stronger. We believe that all people are equal and that holding some groups of people down holds all of us down. We believe that these issues are complex and that we will stumble in our efforts. However, the goal of a more just, fair, and inclusive society requires changing how we work together, how we work with clients, and proactively finding ways for our organization to make a difference in the fight for a more equitable world.

About the Position:

The Research Assistant provides an important coordination role at ORS Impact. Research Assistants are an integral part of our consulting teams and work closely with Project Directors, Consultants, Research Analysts and clients to promote smooth delivery of our services and also contribute to consultation activities. S/he/they will spend most of their time on billable client work, though some time will also be spent on community of practice with ORS Impact colleagues, and internal activities (e.g., staff meetings, etc.). We take pride in our evolving expertise on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work with our clients and in our efforts to create an internal culture that welcomes a variety of perspectives from colleagues representing various cultures, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, religions and socio-economic backgrounds. We strive to provide ongoing career growth opportunities for all of our team members and the Research Assistant will be provided professional development opportunities that are aligned with the skill set for the Research Analyst track.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

Provide Internal Coordination Support to Project Teams

• Coordinate project work plans and timelines: with Project Director, develop work plan; maintain work plan documentation over the life of the project; proactively track timeframe and deadlines for implementing project/contract activities; communicate closely with the Project Director to support timely implementation and deliverables.
• Support internal team communication to document and share internal meeting notes, decisions or other logistics.

Support Consultative Work as Part of Project Teams

• Prepare client-ready work products, including meeting agendas, meetings materials, and other products and deliverables, such as Word documents and PowerPoint presentations.
• Support ongoing communication with clients and other stakeholders, including pre-meeting (e.g., agenda, pre-reads, logistics) and follow-up (meeting notes, action items, next steps) and schedule meetings with internal and external teams, clients, and other contacts.
• Serve as primary point of contact for client and sample population for data collection efforts.
• Document meetings, work sessions or other interactions with clients and produce client-ready products at the direction of the Project Director.
• Conduct and document background research.
• Support data collection, including: supporting development of data collection tools; scheduling interviews; conducting interviews and observational assessments; setting up and administering surveys; collecting secondary data; etc.
• Support data analysis: prepare qualitative and quantitative data files for analysis; conduct preliminary qualitative coding or basic descriptive analysis and tests of significance for quantitative data; document codebooks for data files; quality checks data tables; prepare data tables or other summary documents for analytic sessions; contribute to team analytic sessions.
• Support product development through writing, data table development, graphics development or other tasks as assigned.

Serve as a Brand Representative and Support Business Development Activities

• Represent ORS Impact in client relationships, including understanding of client internal and external considerations/context. Contribute to ongoing client relationships.
• Represent internally and externally ORS Impact values, approaches, unique perch, lines of business, etc.
• Support business development activities, including background research, participating on business development calls, developing presentations or marketing materials, etc.

Promote a Positive Culture

• Foster effective collaboration, intellectual curiosity, client-focused approach, high quality work and relationships, integrity, thought-partnership and impact.
• Contribute to a culture that values and supports a diversity of opinions and perspectives.
• Participate in internal meetings (e.g., staff meetings, project status meetings, etc.)
• Participate in quality processes and systems.
• Other tasks to support strategic direction of the company or other internal processes and projects as assigned.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• Excellent communication skills with both ORS Impact staff and clients and across organizational hierarchies.
• Extremely attentive to detail.
• An ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
• Superior organizational skills.
• Intellectually curious and willing to learn from others.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Skills in collaboration and working within a team.
• Ability to prioritize work flows between different project teams.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office tools, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and familiarity with or willingness to learn data analysis software, including SPSS and Dedoose.

Education/Experience:

Bachelor’s Degree and at least one year of related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

The position is located in Seattle, WA.

Salary and Benefits:

Annual salary of $50,000 with full benefits (medical, dental, vision, vacation)

ORS Impact is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.