Research Associate 3

Louisiana State University; United States; On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Flexible spending accounts

Retirement options

Various leave options

Paid holidays

Wellness benefits

Tuition exemption for qualified posis

Training and development opportunities

Employee discounts

Job summary

Louisiana State University seeks a Research Associate 3 in the College of Human Sciences & Education, Social Research Evaluation Center. The role focuses on program evaluation, grant writing, and dissemination of research findings. Strong analytical skills, data management, and collaborative work are essential.

The candidate will supervise others, handle multiple projects, and communicate results to non-technical partners. A Master’s with experience or PhD is preferred.

Qualifications

• Master's degree with 2 years experience in Social Sciences (e.g., Social Work, Education, Psychology) or another relevant discipline.
• PhD in Social Sciences or Master’s with 4 years of relevant experience in social services or related field preferred.
• Experience managing research or evaluation projects.
• Experience in grant writing and working on government funded projects.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word and Excel) and ability to conduct statistical analysis using SPSS, STATA, R, SAS.

Responsibilities

• Oversees evaluations and research projects through project completion.
• Develops evaluation protocols that align with project designs.
• Develops research designs, quantitative and qualitative methodology and instrumentation.
• Oversees design and management of project databases.
• Manages data collection, including surveys, interviews, focus groups and site observations.
• Maintains relationships with clients and stakeholders.
• Conducts quantitative and qualitative data analysis.
• Ensures reports are completed and submitted to funders in a timely manner.
• Develops evaluation- and research-oriented content for grant proposals.
• Prepares and disseminates research findings to diverse audiences.
• Keeps current on professional standards and participates in conferences and trainings.

Education

Master's degree with 2 years experience in Social Sciences

PhD in Social Sciences

Master’s degree with four years of relevant experience

Experience managing research or evaluation projects

Grant writing experience

Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word and Excel)

Statistical analysis using SPSS, STATA, R, SAS

Tools

SPSS

STATA

R

SAS

SQL

Python

Tableau

Job description

College of Human Sciences & Education Social Research Evaluation Center Research Associate 3

The Research Associate 3 will provide several major functions. These activities include: 1) Program Evaluation 2) Grant Writing and Expansion of Evaluation Activities; and 3) Research and Dissemination. This position demands a person with highly developed analytic skills who has the ability to solve complex, real-world problems, collect data from a variety of sources, manage large datasets, analyze statistical data, supervise others, and prepare research reports and findings. The Research Associate 3 must have the ability to make research- and evaluation-related decisions and judgments on a daily basis. Strong writing skills and the ability to work effectively in a team is essential. This position also requires a person with strong organizational skills who can work both within groups and independently, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and prioritize tasks, often in a fast‑paced environment. This RA3 must have statistical knowledge, problem‑solving and critical thinking skills, and the ability to communicate clearly, both in writing and verbally, to non‑technical expert partners.

Program Evaluation (65%)

• Oversees evaluations and research projects through project completion, as well as in accordance with the local, state, federal regulations
• Develops evaluation protocols that align with the project designs
• Develops research designs, quantitative and qualitative methodology and instrumentation
• Oversees design and management of project databases
• Manages data collection, including administration of surveys and conducting interviews, focus groups and site observations
• Maintains effective/positive working relationships with clients and stakeholders.
• Conducts quantitative and qualitative data analysis
• Ensures evaluation and research reports are completed and submitted to funders and stakeholder in a timely manner

Grant Writing and Expansion of Evaluation Activities (15%)

• Develops evaluation- and research-oriented content in response to government, nonprofit, and foundation requests for proposals, ensuring alignment with the mission of SREC, CHSE, and LSU
• Provides consistent, concurrent communication with College of Human Sciences and Education Office of Sponsored Research (CHSE-OSR) in the development of grant proposal narratives to facilitate the accurate and timely preparation of proposal budget(s) by CHSE-OSR for submission to the LSU Office of Sponsored Program
• Develop and sustain clients who may use evaluation-related services (including grant proposal work)
• Develops a menu of evaluation-related products and services to be provided to existing organizations

Research and Dissemination (10%)

• Prepares and presents research findings to multiple audiences and stakeholders
• Contributes to the writing and dissemination of research studies, including publishing in scholarly journals
• Remains current on relevant professional standards, trends, and innovations, including participating in local, state, and national research conferences, trainings, and other professional events

Other Duties (10%)

• Other duties as assigned on SREC projects which might include, but not limited to, program design and implementation, survey design and data collection and analysis

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree with 2 years experience in Social Sciences (e.g., Social Work, Education, Psychology) or another relevant discipline

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in Social Sciences (e.g., Social Work, Education, Psychology) or another relevant discipline
• Master’s degree in Social Sciences (e.g., Social Work, Education, Psychology) or another relevant discipline PLUS four years of relevant experience in social services or related field
• Experience managing research or evaluation projects
• Experience in grant writing and working on government funded projects
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word and Excel) and ability to conduct statistical analysis using computer software (e.g., SPSS, STATA, R, SAS)

Preferred Certifications / Licenses

• SQL
• Python
• Tableau
• R

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• Retirement options
• Various leave options
• Paid holidays
• Wellness benefits
• Tuition exemption for qualified positions
• Training and development opportunities
• Employee discounts
• and more!

Background Check

An offer of employment is contingent on a satisfactory pre‑employment background check.

Work Location

Positions approved to work outside the State of Louisiana shall be employed through Louisiana State University’s partner, nextSource Workforce Solutions, for Employer of Record Services including but not limited to employment, benefits, payroll, and tax compliance. Positions employed through Employer of Record Services will be offered benefits and retirement as applicable through their provider and will not be eligible for State of Louisiana benefits and retirement.

Equal Opportunity

LSU is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All candidates must have valid U.S. work authorization at the time of hire and maintain that valid work authorization throughout employment. Changes in laws, regulations, or government policies may impact the university’s ability to employ individuals in certain positions.

About LSU

LSU includes institutions, facilities and programs in each of Louisiana’s 64 parishes, and its campuses stretch the length of the state from New Orleans to Shreveport. Each institution plays a vital role in preparing students to incorporate new knowledge and technologies into their daily lives. LSU researchers across Louisiana are working on developing a wide-range of innovations to improve quality of life by studying issues such as disease management, advance medical treatments, obesity, coastal protection, hurricane preparedness, energy, natural resource management and agriculture, among others. Louisiana’s Flagship University is a land‑, sea‑ and space‑grant institution with academic programs in all areas of science, engineering, humanities, arts and social sciences. The University comprises of nine institutions: Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College (“LSU”), the premier flagship university for the state, which include the Paul M. Hebert Law Center and the School of Veterinary Medicine Louisiana State University at Alexandria Louisiana State University at Eunice Louisiana State University at Shreveport LSU Health Sciences Center – New Orleans LSU Health Science Center – Shreveport The Health Care Services Division Louisiana State University Agricultural Center Pennington Biomedical Research Center Any other college, university, school, institution, or program now or hereafter under the supervision and management of the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College In implementing its mission, LSU is committed to: Offering a broad array of undergraduate degree programs and extensive graduate research opportunities designed to attract and educate highly qualified undergraduate and graduate students; Employing faculty who are excellent teacher‑scholars, nationally competitive in research and creative activities, and who contribute to a world‑class knowledge base that is transferable to educational, professional, cultural, and economic enterprises; and Using its extensive resources to solve economic, environmental, and social challenges.