RESEARCH SCIENTIST 3 WAKAYA

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

At the University of Washington School of Social Work, we commit ourselves to promoting social and economic justice for poor and oppressed populations and enhancing the quality of life for all. We strive to maximize human welfare through education, research, and public service. We embrace our position of leadership in the field of social work and join in partnership with others in society committed to solving human problems in the twenty-first century.

The UW and the School of Social Work promote diversity and inclusivity among our staff, faculty and students; we seek applicants for this position who are committed to these principles and whose experiences have prepared them to fulfill our commitment to inclusion and have given them the confidence to fully engage with audiences from a wide spectrum of backgrounds.

The Indigenous Wellness Research Institute —a National Institutes of Health–designated Center of Excellence—collaborates with indigenous people in three areas: research, tribal capacity building and knowledge sharing. The Institute brings together community, tribal, academic and government resources, increasing its capacity to develop innovative, culture-centered and interdisciplinary social and behavioral research and education. 

IWRI has an outstanding opportunity for a 50%- 100% Research Scientist III on their Wakaya project. This NIH R01, Wakaya: Rising Up for Choctaw Youth Health, a collaboration between UW investigators and Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is an outdoor, land-based healing project that is grounded in Choctaw culture. This is a multilevel, youth leadership development randomized control trial that seeks to increase physical activity, lower sedentary behaviors by connecting youth to nature, culture, and healthy coping skills. This project draws from the academic fields of positive psychology, social work, land health leadership, and exercise sciences. It is further entrenched in Indigenous concepts of land-based healing, cultural continuity, identity, and ecological kinship.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
• 25%   Independently design and create research, technical assistance and training materials, e.g. surveys, study protocol manuals, training agendas and trainee materials. Coordinating development, implementation, and maintenance of community partnerships, vendors for this  project; program data collection tools in ACASI, recruits subjects; conducts follow-up surveys; collects data for existing and future projects. Consult with co-investigators on appropriate management of participant problems and concerns.
• 20%  Collecting, entering, analyzing, and presenting data; attending training and in-service sessions.
• 10%   Contributing to the design and creation of communications and public relations tools; coordinates meetings among community, faculty, research teams, and support staff. Present research results in publishable form, including write portions of scientific manuscripts, create and write Powerpoint® presentations, locate references to support manuscripts and coordinate submission of manuscripts for peer review
• 10%   Working with investigators and IT vendors, lead the team in establishing protocols to standardize daily operating procedures and promoting an organizational culture that is transparent and accountable to all stakeholders.
• 10%   Conduct and provide oversight of various administrative tasks associated with the day-to-day operations of research studies and projects. Ensure that projects are executed successfully and completed within time frames to meet  research objectives
• 10%   Develop and manage interim reports for principal investigators, funding sponsors and  IRB to ensure that each project is moving toward timely completion. Liaison between the project team and funding agencies or significant parties.
• 5%     Serving as liaison between the University, local, state, and tribal agencies, and other participating agencies as needed; provides consulting assistance to various organizations
• 5%     Reviewing research-related work and tasks given to research assistants and students
• 5%     Contribute to research grant preparation and administration, including protocol development, consent form preparation, budgets, and electronic submission of applications  

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
• A Master's degree in psychology, social work, indigenous health, health services or related field
• At least three years of related work experience
• Experience managing day-to day operation of randomized control studies with at least 1 year experience managing day-to day operation of randomized control studies conducted with AIAN populations.
• 1 year of experience experience writing progress reports to NIH, developing IRB protocols, responding to IRBs, developing study procedure manuals, developing tracking systems for study process indicators
• 2 years of experience conducting quantitative data analysis with STATA software
• Ability to troubleshoot remote communication problems, such as working with study participants or staff that are located off site.
• Ability to work independently, support investigators in reaching study deliverables,
• Outstanding professional behavior, emotional intelligence, and communication skills deliver throughout a deadline driven environment
• Available weekends and evenings to recruit participants and respond to study needs

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE
• PhD in Psychology or Social Work or Public Health with an Indigenous Health focus
• Training in motivational interviewing, land-based healing, environmental health, youth promotion leadership, nature and health, or related.
• Experience running health interventions, youth interventions, environmental or land-based health interventions or related research.
As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs.  For detailed information on Benefits for this position, click here.

As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs.  For detailed information on Benefits for this position, click here.

Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Workforce Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.