Research Associate II

Throughout its 75-year history the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) has administered numerous externally-funded projects serving children and families. The Butler Institute for Families (Butler) established in 1994 is affiliated with GSSW and is nationally recognized for our leadership and collaborative work at the national state and local level in evaluation research and technical assistance aimed at improving the quality of child- youth- and family-serving systems.

We bring together 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. Currently Butler conducts business in four primary content areas: child welfare early childhood systems tribal child welfare and behavioral health. These content areas operate within a Research-to-Practice framework that promotes the use adoption adaptation replication and scaling of research and/or evaluation knowledge and the integration of this knowledge in addition to the benefits offered by the University of Denver (see here for more details: Butler offers the opportunity to work with a dedicated group of people committed to using research and evaluation to inform practice and practice to inform research and evaluation. We also offer professional development and job growth opportunities flexible schedules and the opportunity to work remotely. Butler intentionally partners with family and child serving agencies to create healing positive systemic change and daily inclusive actions that reflect equity.

Position Summary

This position will support several grant-funded evaluation projects frequently serving as project lead with minimal oversight. The Research Associate has significant research experience working with different communities. This position requires experience designing and conducting evaluation projects using culturally-based methodologies such as qualitative participatory and story-telling approaches. Research Associates are responsible for supporting and occasionally leading research design activities overseeing data collection and management activities qualitative and quantitative data analysis report writing and dissemination and collaboration with funders community partners providers and interest holders. This position may contribute to developing proposals and grants. This position usually supervises and mentors Research Assistants. This is a grant-funded position and while Butler often has new projects that can replace a project that ends Butler cannot guarantee positions after the end of grant-funding.

Essential Functions

Project Management Data Collection Statistical Analysis and Interpretation

• Provide project management including establishing project timelines and ensuring timelines are met.
• Participate in framing of research and evaluation questions.
• Lead development of evaluation plans data collection protocols tools and methodologies.
• Verify the validity of data.
• Design coordinate and conduct interviews and focus groups with inclusive participants/communities.
• Conduct statistical analyses and interpretation activities independently or with minimal guidance from project Principal Investigators.
• Guide team member tasks and activities on projects.
• Lead relationship development and management maintaining positive working relationships with clients programs and other key project interest holders.
• Independently conduct project management for research and/or evaluation studies or major components of complex evaluations.
• Use a broad array of skills which may include advanced proficiency in Atlas-ti SPSS and Remark and intermediate proficiency in Stata NVivo Winsteps and other statistical analysis/visualization tools.
• Support Spanish translation and review of translated materials for assigned project work as needed.

Dissemination

• Lead the development and presentation of results to key interest holders funders and other audiences.
• Independently and collaboratively produce reports publications conference presentations and other dissemination opportunities requiring excellent writing skills and quality presentation abilities.
• Communicate with community and interdisciplinary collaborators and act as a spokesperson.
• May assist in writing grant proposals.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for preparing reports presentations and grant applications as well as coordinating and communicating with project team and multiple professional and lay interest holders.
• Advanced analytic skills including statistical analysis and interpretation.
• Broad array of research and presentation skills including data collection and management statistical analysis (including proficiency in SPSS and/or other statistical analysis packages) proficiency with Microsoft Excel and web-based survey design.
• Project management skills with multiple interest holders and tasks involved.
• Ability to tactfully hold project members and leadership accountable to deadlines.
• Ability to prioritize competing timelines and project deliverables.
• Knowledge of child- youth- and family-serving systems.
• Ability to facilitate constructive interpersonal interaction and teamwork.
• Strong critical thinking and solution-building skills.
• Ability to work with members of various cultures and communities with respect and humility.

Required Qualifications

• Masters degree in human services or other relevant field or degree in progress
• 4-6 years of experience working in program evaluation or social sciences research including evaluation planning design data collection data management and data analysis
• Experience working in Tribal communities and/or communities of color
• Experience analyzing quantitative data including descriptive and inferential statistics

Preferred Qualifications

• 6 or more years experience in program evaluation or social sciences research including evaluation planning design data collection data management and analysis
• Experience with data visualization software (such as Tableau and Excel)
• Experience independently leading the design and administration of web-based surveys
• Experience supporting the creation of logic models and/or theories of change
• Extensive experience analyzing qualitative data including interviews focus groups document reviews and open-ended written feedback
• Experience working with grant-funded projects in government nonprofit or university settings
• One or more years experience supervising staff students or others.
• Biliterate in English and Spanish with experience supporting translation and review of translated materials for project work as needed.

Working Environment

• Primarily remote work
• Option to work outside of the Denver area with occasional travel
• Work Schedule Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Physical Activities

• Ability to sit in front of a computer for an extended period.
• Occasionally required to move about the office/campus with the capability of transporting objects up to 20 lbs. with assistance.

Work Schedule
Estimated Monday Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Application Deadline
For consideration please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) May 7 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 11.

Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $65000-$75000.

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.