The University of Denver (DU) is committed to its vision as a great private university dedicated to the public good. One of the main tenets of DU’s strategic plan, DU Impact 2025, is an emphasis on collaborating for the public good, seeking the biggest problems in our region and working to solve them by addressing social needs in Denver and the Rocky Mountain West. The Research Associate will play an integral role in DU’s mission by working with our team of mental health professionals, trainees, and staff in a variety of roles.

Position Summary

The Research Associate will work with a team specifically on a federally funded study investigating the impact of RULER, an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. RULER supports the entire early childhood community in understanding the value of emotions, building the skills of emotional intelligence, and creating and maintaining a positive school climate. RULER is implemented in three phases: (1) Staff Personal and Professional Learning, (2) Classroom Instruction, and (3) Family Engagement and Education.

We are looking for an individual with expertise in quantitative and qualitative assessment, data collection, data management, and data analysis of longitudinal data collected from school administrators, teachers, and children across several preschool and center-based childcare centers in the Denver metro area.

The applicant should be a team player with a positive attitude who wants to be an ambassador for the Project team. The applicant should be detail-oriented, flexible, and exhibit a willingness to handle all requests and questions with a helpful customer service approach. Basic office and computer skills and knowledge of SPSS is needed. Treating everyone with respect, patience and kindness is a requirement.

Essential Functions

The Research Associate will lead data management, data organization, and data cleaning, data analysis efforts for school administrators, teachers, and children’s data across several preschool and center-based childcare centers in the Denver metro area.

They will also lead the project dissemination efforts in the form of conference presentations, white papers, manuscripts, and research, practice, and policy briefs.

They will maintain and support community connections.

Required Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Education or related field.
• Attention to detail and organizational skills
• Ability to meet deadlines and punctuality
• Cultural sensitivity, as many projects involve communicating with colleagues from diverse backgrounds, including international team members.
• Coursework in introduction to statistics or research design

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience with early childhood assessment
• Experience with statistical software such as SPSS
• Experience managing large data files
• Working in inter-university collaborative teams to conduct research.

Working Environment

• Standard office environment.
• Unexpected interruptions occur often, and stress level is moderate to high.
• Noise level is quiet to moderate.
• Limited remote work options available.

Physical Activities

• Ability to sit in front of a computer for an extended period.
• Occasionally required to move about the office/campus with the capability of transporting objects up to 20 lbs.

Work Schedule
Typically Monday – Friday. Occasional weekends and evenings may be required when on a tight project timeline or to meet teaming and collaboration needs. 

In accordance with the University’s flexible work policy, this position is eligible to be considered for partial remote work. Further details regarding this plan will be determined with the hiring manager and are dependent on the division and team specific needs.

Application Deadline
For consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) September 11, 2024.

Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number:
The salary grade for the position is 10.

Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $59,000-$60,000

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.

Benefits:
The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:
1. Resume
2. Cover Letter 

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital, family, or parental status, pregnancy or related conditions, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital family, and parental status, pregnancy, genetic information, military enlistment, or veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the University’s educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Worker's Rights ("POWR") Act; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For more information, please see the University of Denver's Non‑Discrimination‑Statement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.