Research Assistant (Bilingual or Intermediate Spanish Proficiency)

Location: New York State OR Massachusetts-based

Projected Start Date: February 2025

Schedule: 

• 1 day per week February-June 30th;
• 2 days per week during the summer (July-August), pending funding;
• Additional responsibilities and hours possible 2025-2026,  pending funding.

Project Background: Bridges to Academic Success (Bridges) is a program that provides educational services and advocates for newcomer students who enter U.S. schools with limited academic skills, including low levels of literacy in their home languages. Bridges supports schools, teachers, and students by helping to accelerate language, literacy, and content area learning through special school programming, curricula, and professional development for educators. 

Bridges is part of the Center for Advanced Study in Education (CASE), a group of researchers and practitioners who conduct basic and applied research concerned with improving and upgrading the quality of education in urban areas. In addition, we work and collaborate with linguistic researchers from the Research Institute for the Study of Language in Urban Society (RISLUS).

General Description: Under the supervision of the Assistant Director of Research and Evaluation and the support of the Senior Project Director/PI,  the Research Assistant will support on-site  data collection. Responsibilities will include qualitative and quantitative data collection, interfacing with lab site teachers and administrative staff, conducting interviews and focus groups, observing teacher professional development meetings, observing classes in Project schools. The speciality of the Research Assistant will be in language and literacy, preferably in the field of education, educational psychology and/or linguistics.

Time & Travel Commitment: Part-time, 14 hours per week through June 30, 2025. With time mostly focused on school sites (field data collection) in the 2024-2025 school year. Travel will be required to schools in New York State (3 visits), and schools in Massachusetts (3 visits), during the school year for data collection purposes. Compensation for travel will be provided. 

Duties include: 

• Observe lab site classes in project schools as needed (take field notes/ use curriculum specific observation protocol).
• Conduct focus groups with students as permitted by IRB.
• Conduct interviews with teachers.
• Interface with Bridges staff and evaluation partners as needed.
• Participate in research meetings (biweekly) and occasional staff meetings
• Travel to school site(s) as needed, approximately twice per month.
• Assist in qualitative and quantitative data analysis and report writing

Core Competencies and Qualifications

• Graduate student in a research related field
• Some research experience and/or methods courses
• Qualitative research skills
• Experience working with youth and teachers
• Intermediate Spanish Proficiency or Bilingual (Spanish and English)
•  Demonstrated proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
• Demonstrated proficiency in Google applications (Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google docs etc.)
•  Technologically adept and comfortable with a variety of apps and online platforms
•  Excellent writing skills 
•  Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
•  Experience working on a team 
•  Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to be flexible, and work independently
• Experience with or willingness to learn R and Dedoose

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD candidate
• Driver’s license and ability to travel to schools by car

Compensation: $20-24 per /hour, commensurate with experience 

To Apply: Email a cover letter and resume to George Horvath at george@bridges-sifeproject.com