Dchs -Research And Evaluation Assistant Internship

Current employees: Please apply through the employee portal to be considered for this opportunity.
Pay Range:
$15.45 - $30.00 Hourly
Department:
Department of County Human Services (DCHS)
Job Type:
Intern
Exemption Status:
United States of America (Non-Exempt)
Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified):
March 25, 2024
The Opportunity:
DCHS -Research and Evaluation Assistant Internship
Pay Rate: $24 per hour
Job Type: Temporary College Intern
Duration: Summer 2024 - Starting in June - 12 weeks
Hours:30 - 40 hours a week
Telework:Work will be primarily telework, although working in the office more often is possible.
Building Physical Location: 5 Oak Building (209 SW 4th Ave, Portland OR, 97204)
Does This Position Require Driving a County Vehicle? If so, please explain why and frequency: No, driving is not required.
TriMet Passes are available if transportation to County facilities is required.
Eligibility requirements and more details found on our College to County website.
Department, Division, and Program Summary:
The Department of County Human Services (DCHS) long-range goals remain anchored by the DCHS North Star which states "in Multnomah County, every person at every stage in life has equitable opportunities to thrive."
Aging, Disability and Veterans Services Division (ADVSD) is the federally designated Area Agency on Aging and represents the diverse needs of more than 181,000 older adults, people with disabilities, and veterans. ADVSD maintains a coordinated service system that supports individuals to achieve independence, health, safety, and quality of life. ADVSD services include 24-hour community resource information; social and nutrition services; eligibility for Medicaid health and long-term services and supports; access to Veterans benefits; protective and guardianship services; and adult care home licensing.
The Administration Team provides division-wide leadership, performance management, program evaluation, quality improvement, data analysis, budget development, administrative support, and workforce equity strategies to ensure fiscal responsibility, compliance, and participant focused outcomes. Program evaluation efforts seek to center participant and community input to produce insights that enhance equity in service delivery and outcomes.
Internship Description & Responsibilities:
This position will work primarily with the Administration Team's two Research and Evaluation Analyst Seniors, as well as collaborate with other staff, interns, and program specific experts across ADVSD depending on project needs. This position's primary duties will be centered on program evaluation projects involving the design, collection, and analysis of data collected through surveys and/or interviews from service providers and service recipients.

• Assist in the completion of the Family Caregiver Support Program Community Relationships project. Example tasks include conducting and analyzing community interviews to identify and document community engagement processes, developing and implementing an equity assessment framework, categorizing and mapping processes, and communicating project results. It is expected that assisting with this project will constitute approximately 60% of the internship.
• Assist in the evaluation of the 2023 ADVSD Community Services for Older Adults Request for Programmatic Qualifications (RFPQ) process. Example tasks include assisting with reviewing data collected through interviews and surveys, summarizing results, and communicating project findings. It is expected that assisting with this project will constitute approximately 20% of the internship.
• Depending on skills, interest, and experience, this position will assist with other ongoing and emergent Research and Evaluation work. It is anticipated that this emergent work will constitute approximately 20% of the internship. These tasks may include:
  
  • Research and documentation support to management and staff by gathering and synthesizing information from various sources; distributing status updates and reports; conducting briefing sessions and giving presentations
  • Data management, maintenance, integrity, and validity by following data management processes for the collection and storage of original data, updating databases, developing forms and procedures, and validating data
  • Designing and testing of Research and Evaluation questions, performance measures, and data collection instruments (surveys, interview protocols, focus group facilitation guides, etc.)
  • Conducting interviews with clients, community members, and staff in person, virtually, or over the phone; facilitating focus groups in person or virtually
  • Performing statistical data analysis (sampling, descriptive statistics, trend analysis, tests of significance, etc.) and qualitative analysis (content analysis, developing and applying codes and themes, etc.)
  • Developing and substantiating program performance models using Theory of Change and Theory of Action. Contribute to measure development for program model activities and outcomes.

Interns are also expected to:

• Promote a culture of respect, inclusiveness, and appreciation of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and values (Link to Equity and Empowerment Lens)
• Be responsible for ethical practices at all times - including preserving participant confidentiality and data per program, agency, and HIPAA/PII rules
• Practice effective self-management of workload - including making the best use of available time and resources to effectively manage tasks and meet productivity expectations when performing job duties independently and in teams

Qualifications (knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for the job):
Required

• Strong writing, organization, and oral communication skills
• Experience establishing rapport with people in-person and over the phone, listening to and making people feel heard, and recording information accurately while multitasking
• Experience, or interest in qualitative and quantitative data collection (surveys, interviews, focus groups, etc.) and analysis (statistical analysis, qualitative coding and theming, etc.)
• Experience, or interest in research, evaluation, quality improvement, data, and how to use them to improve equity in service delivery, community responsiveness, and program outcomes
• Demonstrated ability, or a strong desire to learn, to apply an equity or racial justice lens to your work to help foster a culture of respect, inclusiveness, and appreciation of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and values
• Familiarity with PC environment, MS (Word, Excel), and Google (Forms, Docs, Sheets)
• Respect for and ability to work with diverse individuals
• Ability to self-manage and perform directed tasks with independence
• Must pass a criminal background check (This step happens after an offer is made)

Useful

• Experience, or interest in Human Centered Design, Culturally Responsive Evaluation, Community Based Participatory Action Research, Decolonizing Research Methods
• Understanding of, or interest in learning about how system thinking, systemic racism and other forms of oppression, and white supremacy impact research, evaluation, and human services work
• Experience, or interest in creating charts, graphics, and other figures for synthesizing and communicating information to diverse audiences through reports and presentations

Time/Schedule Requirements:
A weekly Monday - Friday schedule with some flexibility, if needed. The position will be mostly virtual, however, there are times when the team meets up in person for staff meetings or other in-person project meetings.
Internship Learning Outcomes:

• Be a part of an awesome team!
• Develop a broad knowledge and understanding of services in Multnomah County Aging, Disabilities, and Veterans Services Division
• Experience working in a professional setting and team environment
• Informational interviews, job shadowing, training, and other networking opportunities
• A portfolio of work products that demonstrate your acquired skills in program evaluation and research design, implementation, and analysis through the internship

Diversity and Inclusion: At Multnomah County, we don't just accept difference; we value it and support it to create a culture of dignity and respect for our employees.
We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran or protected veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics. The EEO Know Your Rights poster is available for your reference. Multnomah County is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We request priority protected veteran referrals.
Veterans' Preference: Under Oregon Law, qualifying veterans may apply for veterans' preference. Review our veterans' preference page for details about eligibility and how to apply.
Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act: We gladly provide reasonable accommodation to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing an application or participating in this recruitment process. Please contact the recruiter below in advance to request assistance. Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may contact the recruiter through the Telecommunications Relay Service by dialing 711.
Questions?
Recruiter:
Cole Whitehurst
Email:
cole.whitehurst@multco.us
Phone:
+1 (971) 2713709
Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice.
Disclaimer: This announcement is intended as a general descriptive recruitment guide and is subject to change. It does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.
Job Profile:
8007 - College Intern