Associate in Research

Position Description

Job Summary: Seeking an Associate in Research, jointly supporting the Suffering and Compassion (SC) Lab (50%) and the Office of Institutional Research survey program (50%) at Duke University. Ideal candidates are recent college graduates who are detail-oriented, have excellent communication skills, and have research interests connected to human flourishing, student development, and/or higher education. This position is ideal for individuals looking to gain research experience prior to applying to graduate school, or for those interested in a career in data management and research support. The position will be in-person (Durham, NC, USA), and is a one-year position with a possibility of renewal depending on performance and funding.

About the Suffering and Compassion Lab:

The SC Lab, directed by Professor Rick Hoyle, is part of the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University. The Associate in Research will support the collection, management, and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data for research on beliefs about human suffering and their consequences for well-being and prosocial behavior.

About the Office of Institutional Research:

The Office of Institutional Research (OIR) advances the university’s mission by transforming data into insight and insight into action. We serve as a catalyst for institutional learning—bringing clarity, rigor, and perspective to the questions that shape our future. In an environment defined by complexity and accountability, IR ensures that strategy is grounded in evidence, decisions are informed by context, and progress is measured with integrity.

OIR’s survey program, led by Dr. Molly Weeks, contributes to the university’s mission by providing accurate, timely, and reliable data regarding the lived experience of members of the Duke community, including students, faculty, and staff. The Associate in Research will work closely with the survey program lead to implement survey data collections, prepare data for statistical analysis, integrate self-report data with administrative data sources, conduct data analysis, develop data visualizations, and report results for institutional and external audiences, as appropriate. OIR data collection includes regular surveys of incoming students, graduating seniors, faculty, and staff, as well as ad hoc surveys and analyses supporting institutional priorities. In addition to institutional surveys, the Associate in Research will support the Duke Undergraduate Check-In study [DUCkI], a research initiative examining the diverse processes that contribute to student success.

Work Performed:

The Associate in Research will perform a variety of tasks related to survey design, planning, and implementation; data management; data analysis; and dissemination of findings internally and, for some projects, in scholarly presentations and publications.

• Assisting in designing and implementing data collection efforts (15%)
• Supporting participant recruitment and retention
• Maintaining IRB records
• Data management (30%)
• Developing and maintaining data and process documentation
• Managing audio files and transcription quality reviews from interviews
• Cleaning and scoring self-report data
• Merging self-report data with administrative records data
• Statistical analysis (descriptive, correlation, and regression-based techniques; qualitative coding and analysis; 30%)
• Assisting in preparing reports, dashboards, and data visualizations for university leaders and campus partners, with a focus on data integrity, accuracy, and consistency (20%)
• Assisting in general administrative activities as requested (e.g., scheduling and planning meetings with campus partners and collaborators; 5%)
• Ensuring work is performed in accordance with relevant data privacy and security policies and ethical standards

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required of personnel so classified.

Qualifications

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree.

Preferred Qualifications

• Excellent organizational skills and keen attention to detail
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently and make progress on multiple varied tasks
• Competency with one or more of the following: Excel, SPSS, SAS, MPlus, R, Qualtrics, Tableau, PowerBI, and/or basic web coding (html, php, css, Python, JavaScript)
• Research experience and experience with statistical analysis and data visualization
• Enthusiasm for working collaboratively with administrators, faculty members, and other academic professionals

Required application materials:

• Cover

letter

• CV/resume
• Names

and contact information of two references

Applicants should upload their
materials through Academic Jobs Online. Only
applicants who have applied through Academic Jobs Online will be reviewed.
If you are not able to upload your application materials or if letter writers
would prefer to upload their letters directly, please complete your application
and email those materials to Meghann Koffi at meghann.koffi@duke.edu to be uploaded manually.

Duke University
is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment
opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability,
gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information,
national origin, ethnicity, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy
related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.

Duke University aspires to create a community built on collaboration,
innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on
the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich
diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes.
To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the
community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all
individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of
our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.