Research Assistant, Early Childhood Assessor (Jacksonville, FL Area)

Research Assistant, Early Childhood Assessor (Jacksonville, FL Area)

The Marsico Institute for Early Learning is housed in the Morgridge College of Education (MCE) at the University of Denver. We have dedicated ourselves to improving learning environments and outcomes for children, birth to age 8. We identify the best in early learning research, practice, and policy, and we deliver that information at just the point it will be useful to academics, practitioners, policymakers, and parents — the people who can create and implement changes to improve the lives of young children. The quality of relationships and learning opportunities that young children experience can set the stage for what they will be able to accomplish throughout the rest of their lifetimes.

Position Summary

The Marsico Institute is accepting applications for Early Childhood Assessors. These assessors will work as part of a team for an efficacy research study implementing and evaluating the interdisciplinary pre-K Connect4Learning (C4L) curriculum focusing on mathematics, literacy, life skills, and science in preschool classrooms under the direct supervision of the Principal Investigators and Project Director. They will use standardized assessment tools to collect one-on-one assessment data on preschool student knowledge and skills in various content areas.

This position involves driving or commuting to sites in and around Jacksonville, Florida, assessing students using computer adaptive tests and interviewing students with strict, standardized protocols.  Assessors will videotape each assessment and review these recordings to verify data accuracy. All candidates will be required to fully participate in multiple in-person and/or virtual training sessions, fidelity work, inter-rater reliability training sessions in in Jacksonville, Florida. 

This is a temporary, grant-funded position to begin work on or after August 1, 2025 through October 3, 2025, or until all student data has been collected. Assessors must be available to travel and assess children at multiple school sites in and around Jacksonville, Florida between 7:00 am and 3:30 pm at least 3 days per week Monday through Friday. Access to a vehicle and adherence to DU Driving Procedures, including the successful completion of a driving background check and online driving safety course is required for this role.

Assessors will also be required to complete and pass criminal background checks for both the University of Denver and any background checks required by participating schools in a timely manner. Failure to complete either of these components will result in an inability to carry out the project work and, therefore, will result in immediate separation.

Required training for assessors will take place at a TBD location in the Jacksonville area at the following dates and times. Assessors must fully attend all training sessions; failure to attend any sessions in their entirety may result in immediate separation.

Required Training Sessions: August 7-8; 8:30am – 4:30pm ET; Jacksonville, FL Location TBD

Required Certification Timeline: Initial round certification video and material due by August 15, 2025, 4:00pm ET. Assessors cannot begin data collection until they have passed certification.

Important: To continue in this position, following training sessions, assessors will be required to pass a certification process demonstrating they are able to reliably conduct and code all assessments with fidelity to the instruments. The successful candidate must demonstrate proficiency of a minimum of 85% accuracy of instrument administration and coding on all portions of the assessments to achieve certification. Candidates will have two attempts to complete the certification process outlined above. If certification is not achieved after two rounds, the candidate will not be permitted to move forward in this role, effective immediately. Depending on performance and project funding, there may also be opportunities to continue this role in Spring 2026.

This is a non-benefited position not to exceed 1,000 hours in a calendar year.

Essential Functions

• Conduct one-on-one student assessments using math, literacy, science and life skills measures. 

• Verify data collected. 

• Clean and code data. 

• Upload assessment and video data daily. 

• Participate fully in and successfully complete fidelity work and inter-rater reliability training. 

• Travel to data collection sessions at specified dates, times, and locations in the Jacksonville, FL area. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Must be ab