Part-Time Student Research Assistant, Qualitative Research

THE O'NEILL SCHOOL - BL SPEA (BL-SPEA-IUBLA)

The O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs works to build a better world by stewarding the development of welcoming societies, democratic governance, and a healthy, sustainable environment. With partners across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, we pursue education, scholarship, and civic engagement at the crossroads of policy, science, and management. We give our students the knowledge and skills to have a significant impact around the globe.

• Excellence
  - Aiming to be the best in all that we do and developing the professional and personal capabilities necessary to improve the world through our work.
• Meaning and impact
  - Pursuing careers and service that add purpose and meaning to our lives, encouraging others to do so, and improving quality of life for individuals and societies.
• Ongoing learning
  - Continuously developing the skills, knowledge, experience, and sound judgment necessary for wise and informed decision-making.
• Well-being
  - Emphasizing the well-being and safety of individuals and the health of our natural environment as essential for thriving communities and well-functioning, just societies.

The Research Assistant will support a research project examining people's experiences with mobile money and digital financial technologies. The primary responsibility of this position is qualitative data analysis, including coding interview data, identifying and documenting emerging themes, and contributing to the organization and synthesis of qualitative findings.

• Works under the direction of the Principal Investigator (PI) and participates in regular discussions to develop and refine the project's coding framework and interpretation of findings.
• Analyzes interview data and qualitative research data using inductive and thematic coding methods to identify patterns, themes, and emerging insights that support project objectives.
• Utilizes established codebooks and coding protocols while contributing to the ongoing refinement of coding frameworks as new themes and findings emerge.
• Prepares and maintains analytic memos, coding records, codebook updates, and other documentation to ensure methodological rigor, transparency, and consistency throughout the research process.
• Participates in regular research meetings to discuss findings, align coding approaches, resolve analytical questions, and contribute to interpretation of qualitative data.
• Summarizes qualitative findings and supporting evidence for research reports, presentations, manuscripts, and other scholarly or professional dissemination activities.
• Manages qualitative data using research software and secures data systems while adhering to human subjects research requirements and institutional compliance standards.
• May contribute to the preparation of research outputs, including scholarly manuscripts and presentations.

Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

• Currently enrolled as a graduate student pursuing a degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Information Science, Communication, Sociology, Anthropology, Public Health, Development Studies, or another social science or related field.

• 2 years experience conducting qualitative research or qualitative data analysis.
• Experience working as part of a research team on a qualitative or mixed-methods research project.

• Proficient communication skills.
• Experience conducting qualitative analysis and can apply established qualitative coding practices with limited methodological training.
• Ability to code and analyze qualitative data, particularly interview or focus group data.
• Ability to conducting inductive or thematic qualitative analysis.
• Ability to analyze research concerning technology use, financial technologies, digital platforms, or related social and technological topics.

This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.

Must be able to complete required human subjects research training (CITI) and any…