Research Associate

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.

The mission of the School of Social Work is to advance equity, transform systems, improve lives. The School's curriculum supports the mission and recognizes the uniqueness of the region served, including concerns for disadvantaged, vulnerable, and oppressed individuals, families and communities. Classes provide rigorous and evidence-based content, and give students the opportunity to explore theory, learn intervention skills and engage in challenging dialogue with colleagues.

The Research Associate will work in the laboratory of Dr. Eric Rice, Gordon Berg and Martha Beach Distinguished Professor at the School of Social Work at UNC Chapel Hill. Dr. Rice is an internationally recognized scholar and leader in developing innovative, data-driven solutions to address homelessness, health inequities, and other complex social problems. His research focuses on youth experiencing homelessness, where he has transformed the field's understanding of how social networks shape health and well-being. This position will provide support in all areas of the research process, including for active projects (i.e., suicide prevention among active-duty soldiers, substance use prevention among adolescents, assessing post-disaster community resilience, designing appropriate tools for housing and homelessness) and in scoping future research directions (e.g., testing generalizability, implementing findings in the real world).

The Research Associate will contribute to the development of research questions and study design, interventions and data collection, data management and analysis, manuscript preparation and publication, dissemination of findings, and collaboration with academic, community, and policy partners. Day-to-day responsibilities include coordinating with research team members and external partners on project management, planning and participating in team meetings, and drafting and editing manuscripts, IRB submissions, project proposals, and grant applications. The role will also involve developing ideas for future projects, conducting literature reviews, analyzing data using multiple software programs, and preparing white papers, presentations, trainings, and conference materials. The Research Associate will be encouraged to present at conferences and trainings, while also participating in professional development opportunities to support continued learning.

Primary research topics and populations of interest include promoting positive health behaviors and preventing suicide among persons experiencing homelessness, college students, active duty military members, and veterans, and the successful candidate will bring prior experience in conducting primary research with at least one of the aforementioned populations and/or in the research topic areas (i.e., suicide prevention, health behavior). The Research Associate is expected to contribute high-quality work, demonstrate initiative in supporting the research program, and work collaboratively to advance the team's mission of producing rigorous, equity-focused research that improves outcomes for vulnerable populations.

Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required (or foreign degree equivalent); for candidates demonstrating comparable independent research productivity, will accept a relevant Bachelor's degree (or foreign degree equivalent) and 3 or more years of relevant experience in substitution. May require terminal degree and licensure.

The successful candidate must have excellent communication skills and be creative, highly motivated and able to work independently, with demonstrated strong experience in managing complex research studies (e.g., multisite, longitudinal, large-scale), adhering to study timeline, and abiding by study protocols. The preferred candidate has demonstrated prior project leadership and excellent communication and verbal skills to lead and execute high-level research projects The candidate must have the interest in and ability to collaborate with other researchers and must be willing to proactively write and publish manuscripts and help with grant submissions. The candidate must have the ability to manage the day-to-day of research projects, interview participants, implement defined program management strategy, coordinate multiple projects simultaneously, collect and analyze data, and follow protocols and guidelines.

Preferred qualifications include competencies in professional knowledge, project design, data analysis and management, and manuscript composition.. Prior industry experience in designing questionnaires, conducting participant interviews and focus groups particularly with vulnerable populations, organizing a multimember research team, and writing peer-reviewed journal articles are preferred. A master's degree in sociology, social work, public health, data science, or other relevant field is preferred.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.