Research Specialist - Qualitative

Trellis Company; Round Rock (TX); On-site; USD 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Trellis Strategies is seeking a Research Specialist - Qualitative in Round Rock, TX to conduct interviews, focus groups, and surveys, and to produce client reports. You will use MS Excel and qualitative software to organize data and generate insights for Trellis strategies.

You will lead qualitative projects, support recruitment for large studies, ensure quality control, and share findings through briefs and social media outreach, with attention to data privacy and IRB requirements.

Qualifications

• One year of student success research or two years in social science or policy research.
• Three years of data reporting with tables and graphs.
• Graduate training may substitute for three years of data reporting.

Responsibilities

• Lead qualitative research projects, including surveys and interviews.
• Develop reports and landscape assessments for topics.
• Draft external reports on best practices in education and workforce development.
• Build data tables and clean data in Excel.
• Use AI tools for transcription and coding with oversight on privacy.
• Support recruitment tracking for large studies.

Skills

Qualitative research

Excel & data analysis

MS Office

AI tools awareness

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in business administration or social sciences

Tools

MAXQDA

Atlas.ti

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Research Specialist - Qualitative

Full Time Regular Professional Round Rock, TX, US

Salary Range: $55,000.00 To $65,000.00 Annually

JOB SUMMARY

The Research Specialist will perform research in support of various initiatives for the Trellis Strategies. The individual will produce reports related to Trellis client needs, conduct various qualitative research projects, and support other researchers as members of project teams. The Research Specialist will implement survey instruments, conduct interviews, and focus groups, code transcripts, and draft reports for clients. The individual will use MS Excel and similar tools for queries of internal and public databases to generate reports and databases for Trellis management and clients. The individual will provide quality control including reconciling and proofreading reports. The Research Specialist must be able to contribute to projects, exercise sound time management skills, demonstrate attention to detail, and work with a moderate amount of independence. The individual will support communication efforts to promote Trellis Strategies to a variety of audiences including the development of research briefs and various other social media related outreach.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The position incumbent is expected to perform the following essential duties and responsibilities of the position with reasonable accommodation.

• Lead standard qualitative research projects including administering survey instruments, focus groups, and interviews.
• Assist in other research projects including navigating publicly available databases for relevant information and conducting landscape assessments on specific topics.
• Independently draft reports related to best practices in postsecondary education and workforce development for external consumption.
• Develop and recommend appropriate research and data management techniques including identifying and resolving incongruities between research requirements and available data.
• In consultation with research staff, decide on the most efficient and effective technical means for achieving research objective including how to acquire, organize, interpret, and display data.
• Perform quality control checks on reports generated by the team.
• Contribute to transcription and analysis of focus groups, manages data, and codes relevant data.
• Build tables in MS Excel and performs data cleaning.
• Develop communication tools to present Trellis Strategies to a broad audience base including via social media.
• Contribute to project teams and small, informal research teams to carry out research objectives.
• Contribute to recruitment efforts for large-scale research projects, including participant outreach, client communication, and recruitment tracking to support study enrollment goals.
• Uses AI tools appropriately to support research tasks such as transcription, preliminary coding, and landscape scans, applying professional judgment to review and verify outputs, and adhering to data privacy, confidentiality, and IRB requirements when handling participant data.
• Participate in training and other learning opportunities to ensure compliance and expand knowledge of company, position, and process.

NON-ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist with how to acquire, organize, interpret, and display information.
• Work under general supervision with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.
• Respond to internal and external customer requests for ad hoc reports.
• Perform all other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
• Must be available to work flexible hours.
• Support other functions and responsibilities of the department.
• Interact with all levels of management as necessary.
• Contribute to the development of strategic initiatives.

COMPETENCIES

• Action Oriented
• Builds Effective Teams
• Business Insight
• Champion Change
• Communicates Effectively
• Compliance
• Consulting
• Customer Focus
• Decision Quality
• Demonstrates Self-Awareness
• Diversity FocusedDrives Results
• Interpersonal Savvy
• Organizational Savvy
• Plans and Aligns
• Relationship management
• Self-Development
• Situational Adaptability
• Strategic Mindset

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Skilled in utilizing AI-enabled tools and technologies to improve efficiency, enhance work quality and outcomes, and support innovation and continuous process improvement.
• Strong communication and writing skills.
• Strong analytical and qualitative research skills.
• Ability to use qualitative analytical tools such as MAXQDA, Atlas.ti, etc.
• Strong MS Office skillset, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Data reporting (i.e., written analysis; table and graph creation; and verbal presentations to management).
• Knowledge and understanding of issues related to college student success and financial challenges.
• Good time management.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Knowledge of higher education public policy.
• Ability to program in a qualitative coding software.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or social sciences, or related area.

Experience

Required:

• One (1) year of working with student success research or two (2) years of research in another social science or policy area.
• Three (3) years of data reporting (i.e., written analysis; table and graph creation; and verbal presentations to management).
• Graduate training in business administration or the social sciences may substitute on a year for year basis, for the three (3) years of data and management reporting.

Preferred:

• Experience cleaning data, building tables in MS Excel, and coding qualitative data.
• Experience conducting interviews and writing research papers.
• Project management training or experience.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS

• Occasionally must move about inside the office.
• Repetitive motion. Regularly operates a computer, phone, and general office equipment.
• Regularly required to handle, feel, grasp objects, and reach across a work area.
• Regularly communicates with other employees and on the phone, virtually, or in person with clients. Regularly converse with internal and external contacts.
• Visual acuity. Regularly must have close visual acuity to view and enter information into computer and software systems, analyze data, develop presentations and reports, and other materials.
• Mental focus. Requires worker to maintain focus and exchange detailed and accurate information through oral and written communication.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Work may be conducted remotely or in an office with a surrounding small cubicle environment.
• Office work environment is climate controlled with no substantial exposure to adverse environmental conditions.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• Base salary range: $55,000-$65,000 annually, depending on qualifications and experience.
• Eligible for a discretionary annual incentive, subject to Board approval.
• 12 paid holidays.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, gender identity or sexual orientation. We are also an equal opportunity employer of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.

Please view Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP.