[Hiring] Research Assistant @National University

Role Description

The Cause Research Institute (CRI) at National University seeks applications for a part-time, project-based Doctoral Research Assistant to support applied research and evaluation initiatives. This role is designed for doctoral students seeking to deepen their research skills through hands-on, real-world projects.

The Research Assistant will work under the mentorship of the Faculty Principal Investigator (PI), supporting all aspects of project implementation. Current work will support the United 4 Youth (U4Y) Learning and Evaluation Project, a collaborative, equity-centered initiative focused on improving outcomes for youth through systems alignment, data-informed decision-making, and continuous learning.

This role emphasizes participatory, mixed-methods research, including qualitative inquiry, process evaluation, and collaborative data interpretation.

• Support implementation of mixed-methods evaluation activities, including interviews, focus groups, surveys, and observations.
• Assist with data management, including data cleaning, organization, and preparation for analysis.
• Conduct qualitative coding and thematic analysis under mentorship of the PI.
• Support quantitative analysis, including descriptive statistics and basic trend analysis.
• Contribute to process mapping and documentation of workflows and partnership dynamics.
• Assist in synthesizing findings aligned with evaluation learning questions.
• Contribute to development of reports, learning briefs, and data visualizations.
• Translate research findings into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences.
• Participate in team meetings, partner convenings, and sensemaking sessions.
• Maintain organized documentation and ensure timely completion of assigned tasks and deliverables.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, preferably in psychology, organizational leadership, public administration, or education.
• Currently enrolled in a doctoral program, preferably in psychology, organizational leadership, public administration, or education, at National University.
• Experience with graduate-level research methods (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods) required.
• Prior experience in program evaluation, applied research, or community-based research preferred.
• Experience working in education, workforce development, public health, or nonprofit settings preferred.

Requirements

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated analytical and critical thinking ability.
• Ability to collect, organize, and interpret data and draw valid conclusions.
• Familiarity with qualitative analysis tools (e.g., NVivo) and/or quantitative tools (e.g., SPSS, R, or similar) preferred.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines in a collaborative environment.
• Knowledge of equity-centered, participatory, or community-engaged research.
• Experience working with diverse or underserved populations.
• Ability to translate complex findings into accessible formats for non-technical audiences.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Benefits

• Student employees are in part-time positions hired for short-term projects not to exceed one thousand (1,000) hours per year.
• National University does not provide student employees with benefits including accrued sick and vacation, health and life insurance, or other benefits.
• Candidate receiving offers will be offered a salary/pay rate commensurate with experience that vary based on a candidate’s qualifications, skills, and competencies.
• Base pay is one component of National University’s total rewards package, dedicated to supporting the needs of the “whole you” with comprehensive well-being benefits.