Sr. Research Associate I

Throughout its 75-year history the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) has administered countless externally funded projects targeting children and families. The Butler Institute for Families in GSSW aims to build the capacity and effectiveness of family-serving systems.

Butler works collaboratively with researchers practitioners public and private service system experts and community members to: engage in program evaluation and research; examine outcomes; and provide technical assistance and training to program administrators direct service providers and community leaders. Butler is committed to social justice and building anti-racist systems and conducts all work using a racial equity lens. Butler focuses on strengthening service delivery in four primary content areas: child welfare tribal initiatives early childhood systems; and behavioral health. These content areas operate within a Research-to-Practice framework that promotes the use adoption adaptation replication and/or scaling of research and/or evaluation knowledge and the integration of this knowledge in practice.

In addition to the benefits offered by the University of Denver (see here for more details: Butler offers the opportunity to work with a creative passionate and talented group of people in a learning organization who are committed to using research to support practice improvements building anti-racist service systems and supporting tribal sovereignty. We also offer professional development and job growth opportunities flexible schedules and the opportunity to telework remotely for part of the week as appropriate for the position. Butler stands in solidarity against the systemic oppression of persons of color and American Indian/Alaska Native tribes communities and individuals. Butler intentionally partners with family and child serving agencies to create healing positive systemic change and daily inclusive actions that reflect racial equity.

Position Summary

The Senior Research Associate is responsible for research and program evaluation activities including evaluation design project management data collection and management statistical analysis and interpretation qualitative analysis and interpretation as well as report preparation and dissemination for projects within the Butler Institute. Responsibilities also include supporting and mentoring internal project teams supervising staff collaborating with community partners and project stakeholders and collaborating on grant proposals and articles. This position will primarily support Butlers behavioral health projects. This position will use participatory and collaborative strategies to engage community partners providers and other stakeholders in the co-creation of research and evaluation projects using Inclusivity lens. This includes outcome and process evaluations of behavioral health treatment programs and development and implementation of county-level evaluation plans using a variety of databases. Further this position will be expected to support and mentor staff in the development of cross project evaluation skills with a particular focus on data management quantitative data analysis and data visualization strategies.

Essential Functions

Research and Evaluation Design Data Collection Statistical Analysis and Interpretation

• Co-create evaluation/research plans with internal and external stakeholders.
• Develop culturally responsive and anti-racist data collection protocols tools and methodologies.
• Apply quantitative research methods and inferential statistics to measure and analyze behavioral health indicators and outcomes.
• Build exploratory explanatory and predictive statistical models that inform strategic and operational planning for community partners.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to leverage opportunities for growth development automation and standardization by developing data dashboards models and visualizations.
• Conduct interviews and focus groups.
• Utilize content expertise to make novel and/or impactful interpretations and conclusions.
• Collaborate with project staff and community stakeholders to interpret findings and develop recommendations.
• Translate findings to practice recommendations using clear language accessible to inclusive audiences.
• Visually convey data-based findings to internal and external audiences.
• Provide capacity-building support and mentorship in data management statistical analyses and data visualization techniques for
• Butler staff and community partners.

Project Management

• Provide project management for research or evaluation projects including establishing project timelines and ensuring timelines are met.
• Ensure good communication among team members and stakeholders.
• Provide support and mentoring for research associates assistants interns and work-study students.
• Maintain positive working relationships with clients programs and other key project stakeholders.
• Collaborate and supervise data analysis activities among project staff.
• Identify implementation barriers and collaborate with project staff and other stakeholders to develop strategies and solutions.
• Generate disseminate and promote uptake of content-specific knowledge.
• Ensure culturally based approach to all evaluation activities that respects the treatment philosophies of community partners and harm reduction approaches.
• Support appropriate tracking and monitoring of all evaluation activities.

Dissemination

• Lead the development of dissemination materials.
• Develop and present results to key stakeholders funders and other identified audiences.
• Generate and implement communication plan to disseminate results.
• Present findings at conferences or other dissemination events.

Other Functions

• Grant-writing and business development.
• Participate in GSSW and Butler organizational meetings including EDI improvements.
• Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Duties:

• Supervise research assistants/associates and student interns.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Advanced skills in statistics and program evaluation methods
• Proficiency in SPSS R Python or related software
• Able to independently explore validate and merge information from multiple data sources.
• Proficiency in data visualization and dashboard development (e.g. Tableau)
• Experience in or knowledge of developing and coordinating data sharing processes between organizations and systems
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to translate evaluation findings into clear language for a variety of professional and lay audiences.
• Ability to work with members of various cultures and communities with respect and humility.
• Ability use an anti-racist lens in the design and development of evaluation research projects.
• Ability to utilize flexible evaluation approaches to meet changing project needs.
• Ability to use independent discretion and judgement beyond daily routine decisions including comparing and evaluating possible courses of conduct or decision making on matters of significance.
• Strong organization and time management skills including ability to prioritize competing deadlines and timelines.
• Ability to tactfully hold project members and leadership colleagues accountable to deadlines.

Required Qualifications

• Masters Degree in public health social work behavioral science research methods and statistics or a related field
• 5 or more years of quantitative research and analytics experience including data management and data visualization
• 5 or more years of experience developing and implementing evaluation projects including community based participatory research
• Experience working with a variety of communities
• Experience in quantitative analysis

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in public health social work behavioral science research methods and statistics or related field
• Experience working with substance abuse and mental health treatment providers recovery community and/or harm reduction organizations
• In-depth understanding of evaluation methods data analysis and reporting including equitable data practices
• Experience working within state or federal behavioral health administration systems
• Experience working with grant funding in government non-profit or university settings
• Bi-lingual English and Spanish

Working Environment

• Estimated Monday Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Remote work environment; option to office on DU campus
• Noise level is moderate at office location

Physical Activities

• Ability to sit in front of a computer for an extended period of time.
• Often required to move about the office/campus and transport objects up to 30 lbs.
• Occasional travel required for projects. Travel to Denver twice annually for Butler all staff meetings.

Work Schedule
Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Application Deadline
For consideration please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) May 4 2026.

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

Salary Grade Number:
The salary grade for the position is 12.

Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $80000-$85500.

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 candidates 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 Universitys 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 Workers 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 Denvers NonDiscriminationStatement.

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