Project: LEARN (Leverage, Empower, Advance, Research, Network): Research Capacity-Strengthening in Ghana and Colombia

Title: Research Associate, LEARN (Full Time)

# of Vacancies: 1

Division/Department: Steinhardt/IHDSC – Global TIES for Children

Reports to: Dr. Lindsay Brown

Work Location: Based out of New York University, New York campus, the job duties for this position require minimal in-person interaction and can be performed remotely >60% of the time (i.e., more than 3 days per week).Options for Hybrid or Remote working are available.

Work Schedule: 80% to 100%, with some variability throughout the project. Guaranteed full-time work (100%) for the first six months is confirmed.

Salary (Pay Range): $70,000 - 80,000 annually for full-time

Possible Start Date/End Date: June 1, 2024 - November 30, 2024

(Renewable based on satisfactory performance and availability of funding)

About Global TIES for Children

At New York University’s Global TIES for Children (NYU-TIES) we design, evaluate and advise on programs and policies to improve the lives of children and youth in the most vulnerable regions across the globe. Led by University Professors Larry Aber and Hiro Yoshikawa, we work with some of the world’s leading non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and with governments in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and conflict-affected countries (CACs) on developing and evaluating innovative approaches to promoting the health, education, and social development of children and their communities. Together with our key strategic partner organizations, our work leverages cutting-edge scientific methods and interdisciplinary collaboration to:

• Generate actionable evidence to promote child and youth development by conducting and evaluating powerful strategies to transform relevant “social settings” (i.e., classrooms, schools, families, communities, etc.) that are key drivers of children’s learning and well-being;

• Communicate actionable evidence by engaging diverse stakeholders across sectors and regions and disseminating a rigorous evidence base to inform program and policy decisions for children and youth in LI and CA countries; and

• Engage in mutual human, administrative, and institutional capacity building for contextually and culturally grounded science and practice through the provision of professional development and training activities.

  http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/global-ties/

  Project Summary: The LEARN project is designed to strengthen the research capacities of scholars in Colombia and Ghana by developing tailored research learning trajectories in collaboration with local researchers and institutions. The Lead Investigators include Hirokazu Yoshikawa and Lindsay Brown at NYU Global TIES; Carolina Maldonado at the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá; and Christopher Kwaah at the University of Cape Coast in Accra. By enhancing the abilities of scholars to understand, apply, and employ scientific methods and practices, the project aspires to contribute meaningfully to both local and global educational research networks. To do so, we will partner with in-country Principal Investigators in Colombia and Ghana to design multi-day methodological workshops, virtual monthly seminars, and mentorship partnerships with specialized and/or more senior scholars from within and outside these countries. Additionally, the project emphasizes the creation of usable knowledge that resonates across diverse contexts, promoting deeper engagement with local policy and global academic communities, including greater use of research evidence among policy makers and practitioners.

  Position Summary:

  The LEARN project at New York University, funded by the Jacobs Foundation, seeks a Research Associate to join our international research team (based in Colombia, Ghana and the U.S.) dedicated to strengthening the research capacities of scholars in Colombia and Ghana. This role involves working closely with our Lead Investigators and partner institutions to develop and implement capacity-building initiatives focused on enhancing academic excellence and facilitating meaningful contributions to both local and global educational networks. The Research Associate will play a pivotal role in project management, data collection, analysis, and dissemination of findings.

  Position Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with Lead Investigators and team members to co-construct tailored research learning trajectories for scholars in Colombia and Ghana, focusing on critical skill areas such as psychometrics, impact evaluation methods, longitudinal methods, mixed quantitative-qualitative methods, partnership approaches, and proposal writing.

• Support the planning and execution of methodological workshops in Colombia and Ghana and monthly on-line seminars, including logistics coordination, session facilitation, mentor engagement, and content delivery.

• Engage in research activities, including literature reviews, instrument design, data cleaning, organization, analysis, and interpretation.

• Liaise with in-country research partners and counterparts to ensure the integration of local context and needs into the project's approach.

• Contribute to the communication and dissemination of project results through reports, academic journal articles, and presentations at conferences.

• Participate in collection of informal feedback and formal metrics to monitor and report on project progress. Prepare reports for internal and external stakeholders, highlighting progress, challenges, and impact.

• Support research administration as needed

  Qualifications:

• BA/BS or higher in Education, International Education, Developmental Science/Psychology, Human Development, Economics, Sociology, or a related social science field.

• Experience in quantitative methods, such as causal inference, longitudinal and multilevel modeling, and psychometrics.

• 2 years of experience building, coordinating, or managing partnerships with global stakeholders.

• Demonstrated ability to work well independently and in a multidisciplinary, multi-country team.

• Excellent organizational skills, efficiency, and attention to detail.

• Strong oral and written communication skills in English.

  Ideally, the candidates will also have:

• Proficiency or fluency in Spanish

• Experience in curriculum design

• MA/MS or higher in Education, International Education, Developmental Science/Psychology, Human Development, Economics, Public Policy, Sociology, or a related social science field.

  Additional Information:

• This full-time position is based out of New York University with the possibility of occasional travel to Colombia and Ghana. The position will be full-time for the first six months, and then may reduce to 80%. Global TIES hopes to combine funding from a second project to expand the scope of this job description and make it a full-time position for the duration of the project, which is scheduled to begin in May 2024 and conclude in April 2027.

• Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.

• In compliance with NYC’s Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is $70,000 - $80,000. New York University considers factors such as (but not limited to) the specific grant funding and the terms of the research grant when extending an offer.

  Application Process:

  Candidates must complete the following for consideration:

  This position could start as early as June 1, 2024.

  To Apply:

• Applicants should submit the following documents via the Handshake portal:

• Current CV/Resume

• Statement of interest

• Three professional references (full name, contact number, and email address)

  Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until a suitable candidate is identified.

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