Research Assistant

Project Background:

Bridges to Academic Success (Bridges) is a program that provides educational services and advocates for newcomer students who enter U.S. schools with limited academic skills, including low levels of literacy in their home languages. Bridges supports schools, teachers, and students by helping to accelerate language, literacy, and content area learning through special school programming, curricula, and professional development for educators.

Bridges is part of the Center for Advanced Study in Education (CASE), a group of researchers and practitioners who conduct basic and applied research concerned with improving and upgrading the quality of education in urban areas. In addition, we work and collaborate with linguistic researchers from the Research Institute for the Study of Language in Urban Society (RISLUS).

General Description: Under the supervision of the Assistant Director of Research and Evaluation and the support of the Senior Project Director/PI, the Research Assistant will support on-site data collection. Responsibilities will include qualitative and quantitative data collection, interfacing with lab site teachers and administrative staff, conducting interviews and focus groups, observing teacher professional development meetings, observing classes in Project schools. The specialty of the Research Assistant will be in language and literacy, preferably in the field of education, educational psychology and/or linguistics.

Time Commitment: Part-time, 7-10 hours per week through June 30, 2025. With time mostly focused on school sites (field data collection) in the 2024-2025 school year. Travel will be required to schools throughout the year for data collection purposes.

Compensation: $20-22 per /hour, commensurate with experience

To Apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume. Should you have any questions, please email Wanda Tejada at wanda@bridges-sifeproject.com

• Observe lab site classes in project schools as needed (take field notes/ use curriculum specific observation protocol).
• Conduct focus groups with students as permitted by IRB.
• Conduct interviews with teachers.
• Interface with Bridges staff and evaluation partners as needed.
• Participate in research meetings (biweekly) and occasional staff meetings
• Travel to school site(s) as needed, approximately twice per month.
• Assist in qualitative and quantitative data analysis and report writing
• Other duties as assigned

• Graduate student in a research related field
• Some research experience and/or methods courses
• Experience working with youth and teachers
• Bilingual (Spanish and English)
• Demonstrated proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
• Demonstrated proficiency in Google applications (Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google docs etc.)
• Technologically adept and comfortable with a variety of apps and online platforms
• Excellent writing skills
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Experience working on a team
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to be flexible, and work independently
• Ability or willingness to learn R and Dedoose

Preferred Qualifications

PhD candidate
Knowledge of or willingness to learn qualitative research skills, including the use of Dedoose.

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) was established as a not-for-profit educational corporation chartered by the State of New York in 1963. RFCUNY supports CUNY faculty and staff in identifying and obtaining external support (pre-award) from government and private sponsors and is responsible for the administration of all such funded programs (post-award).

RFCUNY stands between CUNY’s principal investigators (PIs) and the sponsors who support them and strives to fulfill its essential responsibilities to both groups. Working closely with individual PIs and Grants Officers on the campuses, RFCUNY oversees employment, accounting, audit, reporting, purchasing, and special responsibilities that include management of a planned giving program; liaison with governmental agencies and foundations; negotiation of agreements; facility construction and renovation; protection and commercialization of intellectual property; and compliance with applicable standards in research involving human subjects, animal care, environmental and radiological safety, and conflicts of interest.