Evaluation Research Assistant

Title: Evaluation Research Assistant

State Role Title: Education Support Spec II

Hiring Range: $16.80

Pay Band: 2

Agency: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Location: MAIN MUSEUM

Agency Website: vmfa.museum

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts education team is seeking a eager and detail-oriented Evaluation Research Assistant to join our team and provide essential support in understanding visitor experiences and satisfaction. This position plays a key role in assisting the Evaluation and Research Specialist by coordinating and implementing visitor evaluation efforts, which include collecting data through observations, interviews, surveys, focus groups, and telephone interviews.

The ideal candidate will be responsible for processing and organizing raw data, uploading audio files for transcription, preparing data for entry, and assisting with the analysis. Additionally, the Evaluation Research Assistant will support the preparation of proposals, presentations, and reports, including proofreading, formatting, and helping design data visualizations.

VMFA’s Education Department centers on the core values of Quality, Collaboration, and being Community-centered. Through art and shared experiences, we invite an exchange of diverse perspectives to uncover layers of meaning and in turn, support discovery, learning, and deeper connections. VMFA staff enjoy museum benefits like free admission to special exhibitions, previews of special exhibitions, employee pricing for select museum programs and classes, and discounts at Amuse Restaurant, Best Café, and VMFA Shop.

Key Responsibilities:

Support the facilitation of project operations and logistics.

Assist in the development of research and evaluation instruments.

Conduct fieldwork activities, including record observations, timing and tracking, interviews, intercept and online surveys, and focus groups.

Provide training and manage data collector volunteers, including assisting with their skill development through a gradual release model (shadowing, guided practice, independent practice), giving training feedback, and monitoring data collection quality.

Be the primary point of contact for processing data, such as uploading audio files to transcriptionists, preparing files for data entry (both quantitative and qualitative), and organizing raw data for analysis.

Assist in the preparation of proposals, presentations, and reports for distribution, including proofreading, formatting, and designing data visualizations.

Support evidence-gathering practices to inform decisions and actions.

Ensure the ethical treatment of human research and evaluation subjects, completing related training as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to effectively work independently in completing assigned project tasks and to collaborate with teams on multiple, simultaneous, diverse tasks. Includes ability to learn quickly and meet deadlines.
• Strong customer service and oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent time management and coordination skills.
• Ability to follow basic instructions. Excellent attention to detail with high degree of accuracy.
• Understanding of confidentiality and protocol.

Position Notes:

Fluency in Spanish is a plus but not required

This position includes weekend and evening hours (Wed–Fri evenings/Saturday/Sunday daytime) on a rotating schedule.

Travel may be required throughout Virginia, nationally, and internationally for conferences, workshops, lectures, and representing VMFA in an official capacity.

The position will report to the Evaluation and Research Specialist under the direction of the Interpretation Manager.

Additional Considerations

Experience equivalent to a degree in social sciences, educational psychology, museum education, museum studies, or a related field is a plus.

Experience assisting a professor or researcher with qualitative or quantitative research projects, or hands-on experience with word processing, spreadsheet analysis, statistical or qualitative software, computer graphics