RESEARCH STUDY ASSISTANT - NCIAD (HOURLY/TEMPORARY)

The University of Washington (UW) is proud to be one of the nation’s premier educational and research institutions. Our people are the most important asset in our pursuit of achieving excellence in education, research, and community service. Our staff not only enjoys outstanding benefits and professional growth opportunities, but also an environment noted for diversity, community involvement, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty.

At the University of Washington, diversity is integral to excellence. We value and honor diverse experiences and perspectives, strive to create welcoming and respectful learning environments, and promote access, opportunity and justice for all.

The Social Development Research Group (SDRG) will be working in collaboration with DSHS to administer the National Core Indicators-Aging and Disabilities (NCI-AD) survey to individuals across Washington State. The core indicators are standard measures across states to assess the outcomes of services provided to individuals and families. NCI-AD’s primary aim is to collect and maintain valid and reliable data that gives states a broad view of how publicly-funded services impact the quality of life and outcomes of service recipients.

Essential Function:
The primary function of the Research Interviewer is to contact study participants, schedule, and complete interviews. The majority of work will require phone prompting and interviews (75%), and there will be a small amount of travel for in-person interviews as well (25%).

This position requires some travel (primarily, day trips, driving in personal cars) across Washington State to conduct in-person computer-assisted interviews with older adults and individuals with disabilities who have benefited from publicly-funded services offered by the state.  Research Interviewers will use various tools (phone, web, mail), resources, and techniques to coordinate both phone and in-person interviews with participants. All travel costs to study participant homes will be paid for by the University of Washington.

This is a temporary, part-time position from July 2022-November/December 2022.  There will be a mandatory training in July before the project goes into the field for data collection.

After the provided training, interviewers will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the project, work expectations, and a mastery of basic interviewing protocols before beginning work on the project.

Per Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14.1, employees of higher education and healthcare institutions must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless a medical or religious exemption is approved. Being fully vaccinated means that an individual is at least two weeks past their final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. As a condition of employment, newly hired employees will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination.

Responsibilities Will Include:
• Successfully completing all required training (approximately 25-30 hours)
• Demonstrating an understanding of interviewing techniques and protocols
• Prompting respondent participation over the phone and conducting phone interviews (75%) as well as traveling for in-person interviews (25%)
• Motivating respondents to schedule and complete the interview as soon as possible; assisting the project in meeting completion goals
• Calling participants to explain the study and schedule interviews both over the phone and in-person
• Traveling to participant homes or other private locations in a specific region in Washington to conduct in-person computer-assisted interviews
• Contacting respondents at their last known location and implementing locating strategies as needed to uncover new contact information
• Adhering to project protocol: assuring confidentiality of participant information, using project tools properly, keeping detailed and accurate records
• Implementing refusal prevention techniques for hesitant participants; maintaining high response rates
• Reporting promptly, reliably, and accurately to your supervisor and other project staff
• Having regular access to an internet connection for communication and data transmissions
• Serving as a member of the team: participating in weekly staff meetings, offering assistance and support to fellow research assistants, providing ongoing feedback on survey administration and procedures, assisting in problem-solving solutions
• Participating in regular individual supervisory meetings
• Assist with other data collection and clerical tasks, as needed  

Minimum Qualifications:
Minimum Education: Two years of college-level course work in a relevant academic area
Can equivalent experience substitute for degree requirement? Y - equivalent education/experience
Number of years of experience required and type of experience: N/A

Additional Requirements:
• Have a reliable personal vehicle available for business use, valid Driver’s License, and the ability to travel as needed

Desired Qualifications:
• The ability and flexibility to make multiple day trips during July-November/December 2022.
• Strong ability to work independently
• Flexible schedule with the ability to regularly work evenings and weekends
• Comfortable learning new technology; able to handle working with multiple electronic systems (specifically MS Office and specialized survey software)
• Candidates with experience working with diverse communities, preferred
• Candidates with experience working with individuals with intellectual, mental, or physical disabilities, preferred
• Ability to consistently follow detailed instructions
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Ability to work as a member of a cooperative team
• Previous customer service experience and/or ability to build rapport easily
• Experience working on research project or understanding of social science/data collection process preferred

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 Work 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.