Research Fellowship, Institute for Human-Animal Connection

Apply now Job no:495940
Work type:Staff Full-Time
Location:Denver, CO
Categories:Postdoc / Fellow, Research

The Institute for Human-Animal Connection is a specialized program within the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver which intentionally elevates the value of the living world and the interrelationship and health of people, other species, and the environment. Focusing on the two core areas of Therapeutic Human-Animal Interactions and Animals in Communities, IHAC operationalizes its mission through innovation in education and research.

Position Summary

A two-year post-master’s position as an Institute for Human-Animal Connection (IHAC) Research Fellow is available. The overall goal of this position is to provide the Research Fellow with robust training in social science research with a focus on the Human-Animal-Environment Interaction field, in preparation for a career in research.
The IHAC Research Fellow will be an integral member of the IHAC research program at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work, supervised by the Institute’s Executive Director with direct reporting to the IHAC Research Associates. An emphasis will be placed on developing strong research skills, strategies, and ethics that support the established IHAC research agenda. The Fellow will have opportunities to contribute to academic products including funding proposals, peer-reviewed journal articles, conference abstracts, and other research products to build the Fellow’s professional portfolio. The Fellow can anticipate gaining exposure to a variety of research methods and substantive areas in the Human-Animal-Environment Interactions field. After two years, the IHAC Research Fellow will be prepared for doctoral programs and/or research within academic, non-profit, or for-profit environments.
Individuals who plan to pursue a career in social science research or program evaluation, particularly those who are interested in contributing to understanding the impacts of the intersections between people, other species, and the environment, are encouraged to apply. We are especially interested in considering applications from members of socially and economically marginalized groups, first-generation college graduates, or those who work on topics related to these issues. The IHAC Research Fellow will receive a full-time salary with access to University of Denver benefits. Preference will be given to applicants with a history of demonstrated interest in research, project management, and human-animal-environment interactions.

Essential Functions

In addition to following the University of Denver’s policies and procedures, responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Project Management

• Supports day-to-day project management of research projects
• Supports the research associate(s) in managing studies with multiple stakeholders and tasks

Project Design

• Engage in learning about the design process for quantitative or qualitative research or evaluation studies

Data Collection & Management

• Supports implementation of data collection and management activities
• Helps monitor the quality and completeness of data collection
• Helps manage timelines

Analysis

• Complete preliminary analysis
• Assist with inferential statistics
• Make initial interpretations and conclusions

Reporting and Publications

• Significantly contributes to and sometimes leads reports, publications, and dissemination as a co-author or co-presenter

Collaboration

• Communicates in an effective and inclusive manner with community members, interdisciplinary collaborators, and graduate research assistants

Proposals

• Engages in learning about identifying and writing grant proposals

Management and Supervision

• Supervise research assistant-level staff, including making recommendations about hiring, advancement, performance improvement, and/or termination of supervisees

Other Responsibilities

• Attend and participate in DU and IHAC-related meetings, public events, trainings, and activities
• Provide evaluation and research support in other areas within the research team upon request
• Provide general support upon request such as generating meeting minutes, making logistical arrangements, attending and participating in internal and external meetings, and other administrative duties as needed.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to establish timelines and support project team members to meet those timelines
• Ability to learn a broad array of research skills, such as proficiency in R, SPSS, and other statistical packages and visualization tools
• Ability to resolve routine problems using existing guidelines and processes
• Ability to make independent decisions and or/recommendations when necessary
• Ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
• Ability to research, investigate, analyze, and evaluate data.
• Capability to develop excellent writing skills and quality presentation abilities
• Strong interpersonal skills, including ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and with research and evaluation participants, sponsors, supervisees, and university staff
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong MS Office skills, including Excel
• Strong understanding of inferential statistics and/ or qualitative analysis techniques
• Demonstrated skills and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including the ability to approach work with diverse communities with respect and humility, as a listener and learner. This might include lived experience, volunteer, education, or work experience with socially and economically marginalized populations (e.g., low-income families, people of color, individuals with disabilities, ageing adults)

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree or Spring 2023 anticipated Master’s degree in a relevant field
• Strong academic performance (3.25 GPA or higher in their graduate coursework)

Preferred Qualifications

• At least one year of experience coordinating the work of a team or in a supervisory role
• Intermediate to advanced user of Excel, statistical analysis software (e.g., SPSS, R, Atlas.Ti), or comparable software
• Experience translating research findings into practice with multiple audiences using a variety of techniques. This could include facilitation of training, public-facing reports, peer-reviewed manuscripts, conference presentations, or public speaking
• At least one year of experience in research or evaluation project management, including providing strategy and support to leadership, supporting team members, and managing time effectively

Working Environment

Standard Office Environment
Noise level is quiet to moderate

Physical Activities

Ability to sit in front of a computer for an extended period of time
Occasionally required to move about the office/campus with the capability of transporting objects up to 20 lbs.
Occasionally required to travel by airplane to attend conferences and to conduct research activities.

Work Schedule
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. This position is eligible for remote work consideration.  Alternate work locations must meet university requirements and be within the United States.

Application Deadline
Applications are due by March 31, 2023. Position responsibilities begin July 1, 2023.

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 8.

Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $50,000-$55,000.

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 or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
2. Cover Letter
3. Written responses to each of the following questions, not to exceed 2 pages per question (1-inch margins, double-spaced, Times New Roman, size 12 font):

• What are your professional goals? How would this IHAC Research Fellowship contribute to your attaining these goals?
• Which of IHAC’s research areas (therapeutic human-animal interactions or animals and communities) are you most interested in contributing to? Please describe how your previous academic and professional experiences have prepared you to contribute to this research area. If you are not familiar with IHAC’s previous work, you can find more information on IHAC’s research areas on our website here: https://socialwork.du.edu/humananimalconnection/research-human-animal-environment-relationships

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. The University of Denver prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age (40 years and over in the employment context), religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital status, veterans 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; Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended in 2008; 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; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For the university's complete Non-Discrimination Statement, please see non‑discrimination‑statement .

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