Senior Research Associate

General Summary:

The Institute for Asian American Studies (IAAS) 1. conducts community-focused research on Asian American issues principally with a Massachusetts focus, 2. provides data and information about Asian Americans to policymakers, service providers, educators and students, foundations, the media, and community groups; and 3. contributes to the success of Asian American students and the enrichment of Asian American studies on campus.

Working with the Director and the Operations Coordinator, the Senior Research Associate will initiate, develop, lead, and conduct research and related projects for IAAS. S/he will pursue funding opportunities working with on-campus partners and external collaborators as appropriate, and interface with the grants administration office as required. S/he will develop work plans, including budgets, for projects which may include original data gathering, and submit applications to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) as needed. The Senior Research Associate will manage research projects, ensuring compliance with university and IRB requirements, and oversee cleaning and analysis of data as well as the writing and preparing reports for publication. Responsibilities include supervising research and program support staff. The Senior Research Associate will present findings to multiple constituencies including academics, government agencies, media outlets, non-profit organizations, and community members depending on the project. Developing strong relationships with faculty, other researchers, and on- and off-campus partners including government agencies and community-based organizations is essential as IAAS collaborates with a variety of partners on its research projects and programs.

Examples of Duties:

• Initiate and develop research projects with the Director and Operations Coordinator.
  
  
• Pursue external funding opportunities in collaboration with both on- and off-campus partners as appropriate.
  
  
• Write grant proposals and apply for grants as part of a team of collaborators.
  
  
• Work with the grants administration office as needed to manage grants.
  
  
• Lead a team of research staff and partners both on- and off-campus to plan and carry out research projects.
  
  
• Oversee the collection of original data including interviews and focus groups.
  
  
• Oversee the cleaning and analysis of data.
  
  
• Supervise full and part time research staff, including students.
  
  
• Perform and monitor personnel functions for designated staff, subject to established university personnel policies in consultation with Director and Operations Coordinator.
  
  
• Produce written products such as research papers, reports, and briefs for multiple audiences including academia, policymakers, practitioners, and laypeople.
  
  
• Deliver presentations to multiple audiences including academia, policymakers, practitioners, and laypeople.
  
  
• Provide guidance to senior staff about Asian American issues nationally and developments in local Asian American communities as relevant to shaping IAAS' agenda.
  
  
• Network and develop partnerships with Asian American community organizations.

Qualifications:

Doctoral degree in the social or behavioral sciences, public policy, public health, education, humanities or law preferred; advanced degree with 5-7 years experience leading research projects required. Command of a range of research methodologies, including quantitative and qualitative approaches. Advanced knowledge of a statistical software package used to analyze data such as SPSS or STATA. Managerial and supervisory skills with the ability to foster a positive and cooperative workplace. Excellent analysis, organizational, writing, and oral communication skills. A record of published work, such as journal articles, books and monographs, and research reports on topics related to Asian Americans. Ability to engage external collaborators including government agencies, non-profit organizations, and individuals. Ability to present information and findings in a cogent fashion, both written and oral, to a wide variety of audiences. Experience pursuing external funding preferred. Knowledge of and experience working effectively and respectfully with Asian American community organizations desirable

Application Instructions:

Please apply online with your resume, cover letter and list of three professional references.

Review of candidates will begin following the application closing date.

Only Internal candidates in the Professional Staff Bargaining Unit will be considered during the first 10 business days of the posting. All other candidates will be considered after that period.

Salary Ranges for the appropriate Pay Grade can be found at the following link:

Grade: 34

Salary Ranges

This is an exempt union position.

All official salary offers must be approved by Human Resources.

UMass Boston is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact HRDirect@umb.edu or 617-287-5150.