Lead Evaluation & Research Specialist - Social Work Research & Public Service

Lead Evaluation & Research Specialist - Social Work Research & Public Service - 23000002F8 

Description

 

Lead Evaluation and Research Specialist (1 Position) – CSW:

Social Work Office of Research and Public Service

Salary Range: $75,000 - $80,000

The University of Tennessee Knoxville, College of Social Work, through the Social Work Office of Research and Public Service (SWORPS) is accepting applications for a Lead Evaluation and Research Specialist for the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services Title IV-E Evaluation and Fidelity Monitoring Project. Reporting to the Implementation Researcher Scientist, the Lead Evaluation and Research Specialist brings multi-year experience with complex projects involving implementation and rigorous evaluation of new interventions that catalyze practice change demonstrated through a record of past work experiences and/or peer-reviewed publications sharing original contributions to knowledge base for practice. 

The expertise of the person in this position will be harnessed to lead a team of six senior researchers providing direct technical assistance to a multitude of community-based organizations/providers across the state.  The person in this position will be responsible for original design of protocols and procedures that address needs for tailored solutions in different settings and contexts for a large-scale statewide initiative. 

The person in this position will work closely with each senior researcher they supervise to formulate tailored support plans for the implementation of different evidence-based programs (EBPs), short-term goals for initial implementation at each setting and long-term goals for scaling up practices as sites move to full implementation.  As projects mature, this person in this position will collaborate with other leaders (PI, co-PI, and Implementation Research Scientist) to develop detailed plans for dissemination and strongly contribute in plan execution -leading dissemination of original research findings making innovative scientific, professional, or applied contributions within the field of implementation science and/or program evaluation and taking a lead role in identifying new avenues of investigation that generate additional external funding.

 

Qualifications

 

Key Areas of Responsibility

The following job duties include, but not limited to:

Team Management

-Provide strategic direction for senior researchers working directly with community-based organizations/providers, ensuring that all team members are familiar with fundamental concepts of implementation science, defined modular frameworks for supporting implementation of selected EBPs, and aligned with a mission to anchor technical assistance in these frameworks

-Continuously assess project staffing for quality supports to community-based organizations/providers and develop strategies that improve workflow, senior researchers' collaboration, communication processes, efficiency, and effectiveness

-Provide leadership, management, supervision, and coaching to senior researcher team dedicated to the project and engage in continual process improvement work to consistently achieve deliverables in high-quality and timely manner

-Engage in regular communication with leadership of agencies supported in implementation of EBPs by technical assistance and actively solicit feedback and input regarding quality; act as a consistent driver of evolution and growth in provided supports cultivating internal capacity of community-based organizations/providers to sustain full implementation with high fidelity

Program Management

-Lead a process to define the most salient barriers to adoption, implementation, and sustainment of selected evidence-based programs

-Remain fluent in the most current implementation science research, and utilize findings and guidelines to define the set of implementation strategies with the most promise for overcoming common barriers and improving the quality and accessibility of effective prevention EBPs that promote safety and well-being of children and families

-Collaborate with Principal Investigators and Implementation Research Scientist to set a visionary agenda and corresponding strategic plan for grounding implementation of EBPs in modular frameworks, ensuring technical assistance provided to community-based organizations/providers are responsive to identified barriers and continuously monitored for impact

-Lead design and development of mechanism that enable ongoing quality assessment to determine whether implementation strategies provided to community-based organizations/providers are appropriately responsive, delivered with fidelity, and effective

Knowledge Translation & Dissemination

- Collaborate with Principal Investigators and the Implementation Research Scientist on the development of a detailed workplan for knowledge translation that sets foundation to establish SWOPRS' Division of Applied Research and Evaluation as a regional and national leader in the implementation and sustainability of evidence-based practices

-Prepare and present professional, publishable reports and presentations to guide decision making and continuous quality improvement efforts

-Develop peer-reviewed publications synthesizing research/project work contributing to implementation science

-Participate in the development and delivery of ongoing technical assistance/training activities offered to agencies/providers to support effective implementation of EBPs

-Other duties as assigned

 

 

Education

Master’s or Doctoral degree in Psychology, Implementation Science, Prevention Science, Public Health, Social Work, or related field. Doctoral degree preferred.

Required Work Experience

-Minimum of 5 years of job experience leading/managing program evaluation and/or applied research work.

-Experience with multi-site evaluations.

-Demonstrated experience communicating applied research and evaluation findings clearly to a variety of audiences both orally and in writing.  (Minimum of 3 years of job experience if relevant educational coursework/internships).

-Fluency in participant confidentiality and data security protocols.

-Strong written, oral, interpersonal, and organizational skills.

Preferred experience

-Knowledge of the field of child welfare and child maltreatment prevention.

-Demonstrated experience with evidence-based practice models.

-A record of peer-reviewed publications and/or community-engaged collaborative research.

Exempt Position: Market Range, 13.

WORK SCHEDULE: Monday-Friday with occasional weekends, evenings, and overnight travel.

WORK LOCATION:  Remote in TN - Knoxville, TN (position is remote with occasional state-wide travel in TN)

Application Process: Interested individuals should provide a cover letter  addressing professional experience relevant to each required and preferred qualifications, a resume , and complete contact information for 3 professional references .  Screening of applicants will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. 

 

 

Job
  Research Professional 
Primary Location
  US-Tennessee-knoxville 
Organization
  Social Work Research & Pub Svc 
Schedule
  Full-time 
Campus/Institute  Knoxville 
Job Posting
  Jan 8, 2024, 6:48:27 PM