Senior Researcher (Tribal Populations)

Full Time Regular Professional

Fully Remote

Company Overview

Founded in 1990, Kauffman and Associates, Inc., (KAI) is an American Indian– and woman-owned management consulting firm dedicated to uplifting American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people, tribal and urban Indian communities, and social sector programs. We value Indigenous Knowledge and believe in the inherent strength, resilience, and sovereignty of tribal nations to find community-led solutions for intergenerational healing, wellness, and growth.

Our expertise spans many specialty areas, including behavioral health, public health, education, and tribal affairs. We work closely with diverse stakeholders, combining stories of lived experiences with data-driven insights, to drive positive change across Indian Country.

At KAI, we do work that matters!

Job Summary

The Senior Researcher (Tribal Populations) will direct applied research-based activities focused on community-based initiatives, national evaluations, social marketing, and other evaluative components of federal contracts. The work in this position is predominantly intellectual and varied in character, involving independent research and evaluation activities across multiple contracts in education, health, and human services. Effective, collaborative teamwork is an essential ingredient to assist with weaving programmatic and evaluative efforts together. Aptitude and experience with managing federal projects is required.

Essential Job Functions

• Conducts program evaluation and applied research of various community-based initiatives and grant-funded projects, which are primarily focused with American Indian and Alaska Native communities
• Designs and plans programmatic and evaluation models using participatory processes including empowerment evaluation
• Uses mixed methods and develops both qualitative and quantitative measures to gather information for programmatic, evaluation, and social marketing purposes
• Effectively manages and analyzes data, and clearly and succinctly reports written and verbal findings using a mixed media approach
• Able to negotiate Federal OMB Clearance, Data Use Agreements, and Institutional Review Board processes and documentation
• Able to design trainings for research skill development and facilitate the building of evaluation capacity in communities
• Experience with federal contracts or subcontracts, and assisting with providing high quality deliverables and services, within budget and timeline, while coaching an effective team
• Main areas to conduct work include education, behavioral health, and social services

Secondary Functions

Secondary job functions include business development activities as needed, including presentations to potential clients on KAI’s capacities around research and evaluation, meetings with project officers and other officials of funding agencies, and participation in various meetings with strategic partners. They also include capacity building activities among junior staff members on the Research and Evaluation team.

Demands/Complexity

The Senior Researcher shall be responsible for producing high-quality, timely contract deliverables within budget. This individual will be assigned tasks that may at times be complex in nature with overlapping deliverables and deadlines. The Senior Researcher will regularly exercise independent judgment in matters of specialization within the discipline of social science. Work products will be subject to review by project managers respective of contract once the Senior Researcher has completed them.

Supervisory Responsibility

The Senior Researcher reports to the Vice President for Research and Evaluation but regularly will serve as the Point of Contact to coordinate assignments and deliverables performed by Program Evaluators as well as support staff and consultants.

Contact with Others

The Senior Researcher will communicate face-to-face, by email, and by telephone with the Vice President for Research and Evaluation. The Senior Researcher will communicate face-to-face, by email, and telephone with respective project managers and by appropriate means with other members of the team. The Senior Researcher will communicate with other KAI staff and subcontractors as required. Interactions will include simple exchanges of information, coordination of activities, receipt of assignments and other instruction, and regular invitations to independent problem solving.

Specific Job Skills

• Ability to conduct work that is predominately intellectual in character and requires the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment
• Outstanding relational, teamwork, and cultural competency with colleagues, community members, federal representatives, contractors, and clients
• Excellent qualitative research and analysis skills as well as familiarity with quantitative research and analysis skills
• Excellent analytical and writing skills that include attention to detail as well as a grasp of large conceptual frameworks
• Ability to facilitate and direct onsite/offsite evaluation work using participatory evaluation models such as empowerment evaluation
• Ability to incorporate adult learning methods when training and providing technical assistance to community
• Effectively analyze and report, written and verbally, findings from research and evaluation

Education and Experience

• Ph.D. in health, social sciences, or related field (required)
• At least 10 years of experience related to applied research and evaluation
• Significant research experience with American Indian and Alaska Native populations (required)
• Publications in peer-reviewed journals (strongly preferred)
• Familiarity/experience with tribal Data Use Agreements and Institutional Review Board processes and documentation
• Knowledge and experience with overall program evaluation and applied research of various community-based initiatives, primarily with Native American communities
• Experience leading, conducting and managing research and evaluation projects that require mixed method qualitative and quantitative research designs and methodologies.

Job Conditions

The Senior Researcher will work remotely. The position may include travel, evening meetings, extended hours, and interruptions from time-to-time. Close computer work for extended periods of time will be required.

Disclaimer:

This job description is not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of this position. All KAI employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed, to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

Benefits Overview

• 80% company paid medical insurance premiums; portion of family paid
• 50% company paid dental insurance premiums; portion of family paid
• Vision insurance
• $50K company paid life insurance
• Partial internet reimbursement
• 15 days of annual leave in first year
• 100% Remote work
• Matching 401K with immediate vesting
• EAP