Undergraduate Opportunity for School Based Research

Posted: January 9, 2023

The Role:

The Department of Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health is seeking part-time research assistants to support a research study funded by the National Institutes of Health or NIH and conducted in elementary school grades 3-5. Hours for the work will vary depending on the schools involved, time of year, and research assistant availability but research assistants must be available for at least two, 4–5-hour slots per week, during school hours through June 2023.  This opportunity can be used for credit/to fulfill research requirements. Limited paid opportunities may be available.

Research Assistant Responsibilities:

  • Communicate with the research study Principal Investigator (Dr. Elise Pas) and Research Program Coordinator (Javiera Johnson) about study responsibilities.
  • Get trained in and reliable at administering classroom observations using the Assessing School Settings: Interactions of Students and Teachers (ASSIST) observational measure.  (Note: All research assistants will need to complete a training and reliability assessment)
  • Schedule and complete computerized classroom observations.
  • Engage in supervision calls.
  • Support collection of parental consent forms.
  • Oversee the administration of student surveys.

Skills Requirements Include:

  • Willingness to travel to and between schools in Anne Arundel County, MD. We can provide an option for Business Lyft if personal vehicle is not available.
  • Availability to work 2 days per week during school hours (Monday-Friday, 7:00 am – 4:00 pm). Can also provide hours for more than 2 days per week.
  • Ability to use and perform basic troubleshooting of technology including tablets is essential.
  • Exceptional organization skills.
  • Ability to work effectively with diverse populations.
  • Excellent verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
  • Pass a fingerprinting background check administered at the central office of the partnering school district, per their requirements

Preferred qualifications:

Preference will be given to candidates with some coursework or experience in education or social science research.

If interested in this position, please email Javiera Johnson (jjohn513@jh.edu) and CC Dr. Elise Pas (epas@jhu.edu), Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health.