The Research Associate (RA) position is based in the Maternal and Child Health Department at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. This role supports the ‘Partnering with WIC to Advance Maternal Health Equity Collaborating Center’ (80%, 32 hours per week) and the Improving Community Outcomes for Maternal and Child Health (ICO4MCH) Program (20%, 8 hours per week). The Collaborating Center will initiate and support a rigorous research program to identify and evaluate the implementation of evidence-based interventions to detect and address early warning signs of maternal morbidity and mortality in the WIC setting.
The ICO4MCH program was established in session Law 2015-241. The North Carolina General Assembly established a competitive grants process to improve birth outcomes, lower infant mortality rates and improve the overall health status of children ages birth to five. The program is now known as ICO4MCH. The University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health (UNC SPH), in collaboration with the DHHS DPH Women, Infant and Community Wellness Section will conduct an evaluation of the individual level implemented evidence-based strategies at the local health departments and the overall state project plan.
This is a 100% grant funded position. 80% of the funding comes from the Collaborating Center, with an anticipated end date of March 31, 2029. Additionally, 20% of this position’s funding comes from ICO4MCH, with an anticipated end date of May 31, 2026 (there is a possibility that this funding could continue for an additional two years). Supervisors will work with the RA to identify additional funding as needed for this role.
Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required (or foreign degree equivalent); for candidates demonstrating comparable independent research productivity, will accept a relevant Bachelor’s degree (or foreign degree equivalent) and 3 or more years of relevant experience in substitution. May require terminal degree and licensure.
Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
* Master’s degree in public health, social work, psychology, or related disciplines from accredited institutions.
* Ability to apply an equity lens in all work.
* Initiative and ability to engage internal and external collaborative partners.
* Strong project coordination skills.
* Effective communication with various partners and subgrantees.
* Ability to analyze, catalog, translate, and synthesize research findings.
* High-quality report writing and data visualization skills.
* Attention to detail and confidentiality.
* Proficiency in conducting literature reviews and data collection (key informant interviews, focus groups).
* Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative data analysis.
* Strong proficiency in MS Office, qualitative software (NVivo, ATLAS.ti, Dedoose), quantitative software (SAS/Stata), project management software (Asana), survey software (Qualtrics), and data management (REDCap).
* Experience supporting public health agencies and programs.
* Outstanding oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.
* Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
* Ability to travel within North Carolina for brief trips.
Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
* Experience with implementation science and active implementation frameworks.
* Content knowledge and professional experience in public health, particularly federal maternal and child health.
* Experience working with local/state WIC agencies and health department staff in rural and urban areas of North Carolina.
* Ability to interact effectively and respectfully with diverse disciplines, backgrounds, and cultures.
* Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks and occasional increased workload.
* Willingness and ability to travel to out-of-state program sites and conferences.
* Experience with REDCap, NVivo, Atlas TI, Tableau, and Qualtrics.
* Experience managing evaluation budgets.
* Experience in writing grant proposals and manuscripts.
* Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation principles, including theories of change, logic models, and formative and outcome evaluations.
* Knowledge of maternal and child health issues at state and national levels.
