Postdoctoral Research Associate

JOB SUMMARY

The CT Early Years: A Whole Family Approach to Child Care intervention, funded by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood and directed by Principal Investigators Rachel Chazan Cohen and Caitlin Lombardi at the University of Connecticut, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position beginning in the Summer of 2024. The position is a full-time, annually renewable position.
CT Early Years is an innovative initiative that will bring comprehensive two-generation services to community-based childcare settings serving families with infants and toddlers. CT Early Years builds upon the knowledge base and infrastructure existing within Connecticut, bringing together childcare and home visiting resources to better support the “whole child/whole family” and maximize outcomes for children and families.
We are hiring a Postdoctoral Research Associate with a clearly articulated portfolio of research in applied early childhood development. Ideal candidates will have training in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods data collection and analysis. The candidate will gain opportunities for extensive exposure to primary data collection and analysis and management of qualitative and quantitative data; professional development opportunities in publishing, assisting with grant writing, and research translation; supervision of graduate students and project staff; and mentorship from a research and policy team.
The work location for this position is at the Storrs campus of the University of Connecticut under the direct supervision of Drs. Chazan Cohen and Lombardi in the Human Development and Family Sciences Department (HDFS).
The HDFS Department has 37 full-time faculty from diverse disciplinary backgrounds. Faculty are located across the state at four campuses where the Department offers the HDFS major. The Department includes staff and about 40 graduate students, 500 undergraduate majors, and 150 undergraduate minors.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Ph.D. in HDFS, psychology, social work, sociology, public health, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of research experience, including experience gained during graduate training.
• Knowledge of early childhood development.
• Experience in early childhood programs and policies.
• Experience interacting with diverse children and families.
• Effective interpersonal communication skills, especially with practitioners and families in communities.
• Expertise in quantitative methodology.
• Strong academic writing.
• Beginning track record of publication.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and participate in a team.
• Strong organizational skills.
• An ability to manage multiple priorities.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with interventions in community settings.
• Experience in qualitative methodology.

• Make research contributions to research aims, including developing research instruments, participating in primary data collection in the community, and managing, cleaning, and analyzing data (qualitative and quantitative).
• Capitalize on opportunities to analyze data related to their area of interest.
• Write manuscripts, present results at local and national conferences, and contribute to additional grant applications.
• Participate in weekly team meetings with the research team and project advisory board meetings.
• Assist with grant administration and management, including participating in community meetings; supervising staff and students; and assuring compliance with IRB human subjects requirements.