Research Assistant/Associate (Survey Research Operations Manager)

Wayne State University is searching for an experienced Research Assistant/Associate (Survey Research Operations Manager) at its Detroit campus location.

Wayne State is a premier, public, urban research university located in the heart of Detroit, Michigan where students from all backgrounds are offered a rich, high-quality education. Our deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity, diversity and inclusion creates exceptional educational opportunities which prepare students for success in a global society.

Essential functions (job duties):

Center for Urban Studies, a research center located within Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, seeks an experienced Survey Research Operations Manager to oversee the logistics and processes for implementing large-scale multi-mode surveys.

Responsibilities

 ·         This position is responsible to the Center Director and reports to the Center’s Managing Director on a day-to-day basis, providing ongoing updates as requested. 

·         Collaborate with Research Team: Work with researchers to translate study designs into practical data collection plans, including sampling, recruitment, and incentive administration. 

·         Project Management: Develop/update project workplans, manage timelines, oversee daily activities for data collection efforts. 

o    Coordinate with state agencies to ensure ADA compliance of survey materials, including non-English versions.

o    Coordinate with external partners, including printing/mailing house and directory providers. Provide leadership at printing house to ensure adherence to quality control measures.

o    Work with other lead researchers to prepare samples across several surveys, including cohort rebalancing, and creating lists for target remails and for follow-up efforts.

o    Coordinate with CATI lab to monitor phone samples on an ongoing basis.

o    Manage technology and systems needed for processing data and for tracking/monitoring progress (e.g. SPSS, Excel, Access, SQL, OMR software such as Remark).

o    Work with other lead researchers to produce clean survey datasets across all modes, conduct statistical analysis, and produce data summary files and reports and other deliverable documents.

o    Provide regular updates to survey team and Center leadership.

·         Data Collection Oversight: Manage the deployment and execution of various survey modes (mail, web, phone, in-person) to maximize response rates and to reach diverse populations. 

• Mail Surveys: Oversee printing, mailing logistics, and tracking returns. Work with others to oversee data processing of incoming mail, including rigorous checks, coding, data cleaning, and privacy protection.
• Web Surveys: Oversee the programming of online platforms such as Qualtrics, managing access, and monitor completion rates.
• Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI): Work closely with others to set up call center procedures/protocols, including training, monitoring interviewer performance, tracking interviewing hours against numbers of completes, etc.
• In-Person/Field Interviews: Coordinate field staff, logistics, and data collection methods.

 ·         Quality Assurance and Quality Control: Implement quality control measures.

o  Ensure data integrity and compliance with IRB research protocols.