Part-Time Research Assistant Hamer Center for Community Design
University Park, IL - USA
Job Summary
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JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS
Department:Healthy Environments Action Lab (HEAL) Hamer Center for Community Design Stuckeman School College of Arts and Architecture
The Healthy Environments Action Lab (HEAL) within the Hamer Center for Community Design at Penn State University is dedicated to addressing the intersection of the built environment community resilience and human health. We are currently seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Part-Time Research Assistant to join our team and support ongoing research initiatives.
Position Summary
The Part-Time Research Assistant will support various phases of the research lifecycle from securing funding to publishing results. The ideal candidate will bring a strong foundation in mixed-methods research and possess specific subject matter expertise in climate change public health and emergency preparedness.
Key Responsibilities
- Grant Preparation:Assist in the research drafting and assembly of grant proposals and funding applications.
- Manuscript Preparation & Editing:Draft review edit and format manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed academic journals.
- Qualitative Analysis:Conduct qualitative data analysis including coding thematic analysis and synthesizing qualitative data.
- Literature Reviews:Perform comprehensive systematic literature searches and synthesize findings to support grant proposals manuscripts and project development.
- Project Assistance:Provide general administrative and logistical support for ongoing research projects to ensure milestones are met; other research and administrative tasks as assigned.
Required Qualifications
- Education: Bachelors degree in psychology Global Health or a related field. Current enrollment in or recent completion of a Masters degree program in Epidemiology Public Health or a closely related discipline.
- Research Experience:Proven experience in manuscript preparation literature reviews conducting qualitative interviews and large-scale cohort analysis.
- Technical & Methodological Expertise:High proficiency in statistical programming (R RStudio SPSS). Experience with epidemiologic methods (e.g. regression modeling survival analysis causal inference) and survey design.
- Subject Matter Knowledge:Strong understanding of concepts related to climate change community health impacts and the social determinants of health. Experience in crisis counseling or community resource navigation is highly desirable.
- Work Ethic:Highly self-motivated disciplined and capable of working independently with minimal supervision.
- Communication:Excellent written and oral communication skills with a proven ability to translate complex health data into reproducible research outputs.
- Attention to Detail:Exceptional organizational skills and a meticulous approach to data cleaning editing and maintaining confidentiality protocols.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with international research fellowships or global health fieldwork.
- Demonstrated experience in interdisciplinary teamwork and student/stakeholder consulting.
- Familiarity with additional tools such as Canva Adobe Photoshop or Unity/C#.
Application Process: Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to Dr. Erica Husser: by August 15th 2026.
BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES
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EEO IS THE LAW
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Required Experience:
Junior IC
About Company
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