Research Associate, JEDSI

Yale University; New Haven (CT); Hybrid; USD 62,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

Yale University seeks a Research Associate to support the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Sustainability Initiative (JEDSI) Lab at the Yale School of the Environment. The role focuses on researching food insecurity, green infrastructure, and environmental justice, working with scientists and program managers to publish articles and reports.

The position involves supervising lab students, organizing the New Horizons in Conservation convenings, and managing budgets.

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in environmental field is strongly preferred.
• Experience with community-based engagement and diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple complex processes and budgets.

Responsibilities

• Carry out research within the established study protocol and comply with human subjects rules.
• Develop criteria for admission of study subjects aligned with project goals.
• Identify funding sources and potential partnerships.
• Evaluate feasibility by analyzing staffing, resources, and costs.
• Negotiate contracts with funders and service providers.
• Develop IRB submissions; revise protocols with investigators as needed.
• Create data collection forms and documentation procedures.
• Document and transmit study data; ensure timely reports at every site.
• Coordinate with university, non-Yale collaborators, IRB, and funders.
• Perform spatial mapping and multivariate analyses using software.
• Design quality controls for data collection and processing.
• Contribute to reports, abstracts, and manuscripts.

Skills

Strong communication

Advocacy

Spatial analysis

Statistical analysis

Data visualization

Education

Master’s or PhD in Environmental field

Tools

ArcGIS

SPSS

R

Adobe Illustrator

Job description

Working at Yale means contributing to a better tomorrow. Whether you are a current resident of our New Haven-based community, eligible for opportunities through the New Haven Hiring Initiative, or a newcomer, interested in exploring all that Yale has to offer, your talents and contributions are welcome. Discover your opportunities at Yale!

Overview

We are seeking a Research Associate to carry out and supervise some of the activities of foundation grants. The grants fund the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Sustainability Initiative (JEDSI) Lab at the Yale School of the Environment (YSE). The Research Associate will focus on the portion of the JEDSI that conducts and disseminates research on food insecurity; green infrastructure; institutional diversity; environmental grantmaking; and environmental attitudes, perceptions and behaviors; and environmental justice. For about half a century, activists and scholars have identified and tried to mitigate the disproportionate amounts of environmental hazards people of color and low-income communities face. Despite these efforts, environmental injustices such as exposure to toxic wastes, heavy pollution burdens, lack of access to healthy and affordable foods, exorbitant utility rates and high levels of utility shutoffs, and climate disasters are commonplace in poor and people of color communities. JEDSI seeks to identify interconnected actions, impacts, processes, and outcomes that give rise to and perpetuate environmental injustices. JEDSI also identifies initiatives, amenities, and resources that can help to reduce inequities and foster community resilience.

The Principal Investigator is Dorceta E. Taylor of YSE.

The Research Associate will identify and assess environmental injustices in people of color and low-income communities. They will collaborate with research scientists and program managers in the JEDSI Lab to research and publish articles and reports on food insecurity, green infrastructure, institutional diversity, environmental grantmaking, and related environmental justice issues. The research associate help identify and compile resources to help document and archive environmental inequalities and achievements. The Research Associate will collaborate with lab staff, supervise lab students, help organize the New Horizons in Conservation convenings, and track and manage budgets. This is a one-year fixed-duration position.

Principal Responsibilities

• Carries out research within the scope of the established study protocol. Adheres to all human subjects regulations defined by Yale University and the federal government pertaining to research studies.
• Develop criteria for admission of study subjects based on the goals and objectives of the project.
• Determines potential sources of funding and prospective partnerships.
• Evaluate the feasibility of accepting potential projects through analysis of staffing needs, resource requirements, financial costs, and the group's current planned capacity.
• Negotiate contracts and/or changes with funders, consultants, and service providers.
• Develop original IRB submissions. Based on knowledge of science and research goals, collaborates with investigators on major revisions and contributes to scientific protocols. Plans and implements changes.
• Develop forms, questionnaires, and the application of research techniques; write procedures manuals for data collection and coding.
• Responsible for the documentation and transmission of study data. Ensures that report forms are accurately documented and completed in a timely manner at each site location.
• Works independently to develop, manage, and organize databases and multi-site studies. Serves as a primary coordinator between University, non-Yale collaborators, IRB, and funding sources.
• Performs spatial mapping and descriptive and multivariate statistical data analyses using computer software.
• Designs and implements quality control measures to ensure accurate collection and processing of data.
• Contributes to in-depth, original thought and relevance to written reports and the writing of abstracts and manuscripts.
• Help to organize the New Horizons in Conservation and other research convenings.
• Help provide new content for and update materials on the lab’s website and maintain it.
• Help to supervise student research assistants.

Required Skills & Abilities

• Strong oral and written communication skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Excellent advocacy skills.
• Spatial analysis (example creating maps with ArcGIS or similar software).
• Statistical analysis (with SPSS, R, SAS, or similar software); ability to do qualitative and quantitative research analyses).
• Experienced with data visualization (R, Adobe Illustrator).

Preferred Skills, Abilities, Education And Experience

• A master’s or doctorate in Environmental Studies, Environmental Sciences, Environmental Management, Conservation, Biology, Geography, Environmental Policy, Environmental Justice, Urban Planning, Industrial Ecology, or Public Health is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of and experience with community-based engagement and research and demonstrated ability to develop relationships with a diverse group of constituents.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex processes and projects and experience with budgets.
• High level of proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SPSS, ArcGIS, R, Adobe Illustrator, and other web-based tools.

Required License

Must have a valid driver’s license at the start of the appointment.

Physical Requirement

Must be able to travel; some evenings and weekends may be required.

Principal Responsibilities

• Recommends the design and implementation of procedures and protocols under the direction of a higher-level authority.
• Investigates, analyzes, and reaches preliminary scientific conclusions related to research planning.
• Ensures data results are compiled, analyzed, and presented properly.
• Analyzes, develops and interprets scientific results. Maintains clear documentation of results. Prepares scientific reports and papers for research proposals and published reports.
• Performs independent research and laboratory techniques and participates in experimental research planning.
• Interacts with internal contacts including the PI, research assistants, graduate students, Radiation Safety and Biological Safety officers, and Animal Care personnel to discuss and evaluate research results and to ensure the smooth and safe operation of the laboratory.
• Interacts with external contacts such as researchers at other institutions, staff at biotechnology and reagents companies to consult on research methods and to keep abreast of product information and developments.
• May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience Master’s Degree in a scientific discipline and one year experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Job Posting Date

08/13/2026

Job Category

Professional

Bargaining Unit

NON

Compensation Grade

Clinical & Research

Compensation Grade Profile

Research Associate 1 MS (22)

Salary Range

$61,500.00 - $91,875.00

Time Type

Full time

Duration Type

Staff Fixed Duration (Fixed Term)

Work Model

Hybrid

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.

Health Requirements

Certain positions have associated health requirements based on specific job responsibilities. These may include vaccinations, tests, or examinations, as required by law, regulation, or university policy.

Posting Disclaimer

Salary offers are determined by a candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education in relation to the position requirements, along with the role’s grade profile and current internal and external market conditions.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring department.

The University is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education, and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and seeks to attract to its faculty, staff, and student body qualified persons from a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. In accordance with this policy and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran.

Inquiries concerning Yale's Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).

Note

Yale University is a tobacco-free campus.