Research Project Coordinator

Position Title:

Research Project Coordinator

Job Group:

Professional & Scientific

Required Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree

Preferred Qualifications:

Demonstrated proficiency with personal computers, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Access, and internet-based tools, as evidenced by formal training or at least one year of related work experience.

Documented experience working in a social science research lab or serving as a research assistant on federally funded research projects.

Professional or volunteer experience interacting with various populations, such as children, adolescents, or individuals with health impairments or adverse institutional experiences.

Foundational knowledge of statistics and experience using statistical programming languages such as R, SPSS, or Matlab, as demonstrated through coursework, projects, or prior employment.

Job Description:

We are seeking a highly-detail oriented Research Project Coordinator to assist with the day-to-day management of a federally funded research project examining the outcomes associated with delinquency in justice-involved and child welfare-involved families. The Project Coordinator will work closely with a team of three principal investigators across multiple universities, facilitating communication and ensuring the project stays on track. Primary responsibilities include coordinating recruitment and scheduling of assessments, overseeing data collection and quality control, managing IRB submissions, and supervising graduate and undergraduate research assistants. The position also involves administrative tasks related to research outreach, staffing, and budget coordination.

The person in this position will join the Intergenerational Research (iGen) Lab at Iowa State University, led by Dr. Maria Schweer-Collins in the Department of Psychology. Our team is dedicated to understanding the long-term health outcomes associated with early adversity, with a particular focus on juvenile justice and child welfare populations. We use methods from developmental and health psychology to examine how psychosocial stress and adversity impact health, specifically through longitudinal, multigenerational research.  Our Lab's applied work focuses on co-developing tailored preventive interventions in collaboration with the communities and individuals they are designed to serve, to improve the relevance and successful implementation and sustainability of those interventions.

Candidates should have excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as strong interpersonal abilities to build rapport and communicate effectively with research participants. Many participants may be psychologically vulnerable due to their age, health status, or prior experiences with institutions, so sensitivity and professionalism are essential. The ideal candidate will bring a highly efficient and organized approach to their work, demonstrate strong attention to detail, and be capable of managing multiple tasks while meeting deadlines. Effective problem-solving abilities, adaptability, and a collaborative mindset are also critical for success in this role.

Candidate will be hired as a Program Specialist I.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship.

This position is a minimum of .75 FTE, with the option of up to 1.0 FTE based on applicant preference and lab needs. As this is an ongoing project, an initial 12-month appointment will be made with the potential for renewal for up to 35 months.

This is a fixed term position, with expectation for renewal based on availability of funding.

Level Guidelines
• Individual contributor position with developing professional and/or technical skills working under immediate to general supervision
• Grasps professional-level knowledge and concepts of field while working in a progressive learning mode
• Works on problems and issues of somewhat limited scope
• Follows standard practices and procedures in analyzing situations or data for which answers are available or can be obtained
• Responds to inquiries and issues, escalating to manager or higher level workers as appropriate
• May lead projects of limited scope and complexity
• May provide guidance to students

Appointment Type:

Regular with Term Appointment (Fixed Term)

Proposed End Date or Length of Term:

May 11, 2026

Number of Months Employed Per Year:

12 Month Work Period

Time Type:

Part time

Pay Grade:

PS806

Application Instructions:

To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please b