Research Coordinator Position @ University of Minnesota

Position Overview

The University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development (ICD) has a position open for a full-time Research Coordinator. This position is funded by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, Aligning Measurement of Personal Attributes for Predicting STEM Education Outcomes. This project is a collaboration between the ICD (Dr. Stephanie Carlson) and the University of Chicago’s Center for the Economics of Human Development (Dr. James Heckman), together with Educational Testing Service (ETS; Dr. Patrick Kyllonen) and the University of Bonn (Dr. Thomas Dohmen). The project aims to measure and model a combination of personality traits, executive function skills, and economic preferences to predict student achievement and interest in STEM fields. This is a longitudinal study beginning in 4^th and 8^th grade and includes remote surveys with children and caregivers, as well as cognitive and behavioral tasks in the lab. We seek applicants with prior experience working with child or adolescent populations and with participant recruitment, as well as behavioral/clinical research experience.

The Research Coordinator will report to Dr. Stephanie Carlson. Duties will include IRB management, participant recruitment and screening, informed consent and assent, cognitive and behavioral assessment, database management, and onboarding and supervision of undergraduate research assistants. The position has funding for up to 5 years, contingent upon a 6-month probationary period and successful completion of duties.
 

Job Responsibilities

Recruitment of child and adolescent participants (30%)

• Understand the research and participant recruitment process and comprehend the value and importance of gathering, organizing, and maintaining research data results
• Conduct email and telephone recruitment of child participants by calling families indicating an interest in participating in this or other research projects
• Identify and establish communication with community organizations that could partner in advertising to a broader diverse and representative participant pool
• Screen confidential health information for assessment of inclusion and exclusion criteria to assess study eligibility
• Develop rapport with children and families to ensure a positive research experience
• Develop procedures for effective follow-up with longitudinal participants
• Draft correspondence and send participant emails or mailing packets, including attachments with information regarding appointment, driving directions, and helpful hints
• Schedule, update, and cancel appointments with families participating in the research study
• Organize and track study files (electronically and by paper) including participant appointment information, calling log, and files to be sent to family such as welcome letter and directions
• Learn and follow all participant recruitment reporting requirements for the project using online reporting tools

Data collection (30%)

• Complete Human Subject ethics training
• Adhere to the study protocol
• Obtain informed consent and assent from children, adolescents, parents, and teacher participants
• Prepare and maintain electronic surveys for remote data collection
• Reliably administer standardized and research based behavioral tasks to children
• Monitor and support participants in completing survey measures in a timely manner
• Use standard desktop software to manage documentation and track study progress
• Ensure protection and storage of data and participant information on secure servers
• Work evening and weekend shifts as needed to test participants
• Manage and monitor online participant payment system
• Communicate with Dr. Carlson, the GRA, and the University of Chicago project coordinators on a regular basis regarding recruitment and assessment progress and any or all issues related to participants (children, parents, teachers).

Data management (20%)

• Support the Graduate Research Assistant who will be overseeing data coding, scoring, and analysis
• Learn and follow best practices in data organization and processing streams
• Train and supervise undergraduate research assistants
• Ensure reliable and timely completion of data coding and cleaning
• Perform quality control/quality assurance procedures
• Adhere to data security and privacy practices
• Create tables and figures as directed for project meetings, conference presentations, and publications

General lab duties (20%)

• Meet weekly with Dr. Carlson, providing an agenda in advance and maintaining documentation of meeting notes, decisions made, and action items
• Prepare and monitor IRB approval, modification, and renewal procedures
• Order materials as needed and maintain budget documentation
• Provide website updates (to be uploaded by the ICD Communications team)
• Oversee the annual lab newsletter
• Support Dr. Carlson and other lab staff on general communications, updates to the lab manual, etc.
• Support related to Dr. Carlson’s travel for project meetings and conferences
• Attend weekly lab meetings and celebrations

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• BA/BS in child psychology or related field, or a combination of related education and work experience to equal four years
• Experience working in a research environment, including the following experiences:
  - Experience interviewing and/or testing children; 
  - Experience with Excel.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, including communication with study faculty, junior and senior research staff, organizations serving diverse communities, and individual families and children
• Detail-oriented and the ability to execute / meet deadlines on a timely basis

Preferred 

• Coursework in psychology, child psychology, or educational psychology
• At least one year of post BA research experience or coursework
• Ability to manage multiple tasks on a daily basis
• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills, including attention to detail and documentation of work
• Excellent public relations skills and abilities to interact professionally and warmly with other professionals as well as diverse children and families.
• Intention to commit 2 or more years in this position

About the College:

The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), the third largest college in the University, contributes to a just and sustainable future through engagement with the local and global communities to enhance human learning and development at all stages of the life span. We know diversity is necessary to do our best work and foster our humanity. That’s why the CEHD community is collectively dedicated to cultivating an inclusive and equitable environment, embracing and celebrating all identities of our students, staff, and faculty. These values are also a moral imperative requiring continuous proactive measures and a firm stance against prejudice, discrimination, and systemic injustice.

About the Department:

The Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota has long been a premier center for scholarship, teaching, and outreach devoted to the understanding and fostering of child development. Coursework and research activities focus primarily on the central cognitive, social, emotional, and psychological processes that underlie the development of infants, children, and youth. Founded in 1925, the Institute is one of the oldest departments studying children’s development in the United States. From its inception, a key tenet of the department has been to “give away” child psychology. This philosophy has created an environment rich with collaborations, new ideas, and exciting interdisciplinary work.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted online by going to this link. Then click external or internal applicant, and search for position number 350748.

To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter (required) and resume (required). Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

Review of applications will begin immediately.

*To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-UOHR (8647).