R2026105376 IRISS Social Science Grad Researcher (Acadia)

IRISS is seeking one to two highly detail-oriented student workers to support data collection and analytic preparation for a mixed-methods research study involving parent caregivers of children with Rett Syndrome. This project is a multidisciplinary, multi-institution collaboration across Colorado State University, the University of Denver, and Children’s Hospital Colorado.

The position is supervised by the IRISS Director, Dr. Abigail Rolbiecki (Principal Investigator) and involves close collaboration with Dr. Tim Benke, a pediatric neurologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, and Dr. Talia Thompson, a developmental psychologist at the University of Denver. The student will engage with a diverse research team spanning clinical, developmental, and social science disciplines.

This role is central to ensuring the integrity, security, and usability of study data across both quantitative and qualitative components; as such, experience or interest in mixed-methods research is highly desirable. The student will play a key role in supporting data collection (quantitative and qualitative), implementing quality assurance processes, and preparing datasets for analysis.

In collaboration with the research team, the student will assist in developing and maintaining structured data systems to support baseline, process, and outcome data collection, as well as tracking study participation and feasibility metrics. This position offers hands-on experience with research data infrastructure, including survey design, data quality monitoring, and coordination of mixed-methods data collection.

Department Name

Institute for Research in the Social Sciences

Anticipated Start Date

June 25, 2026, open until filled

Anticipated Weekly Hours

10-20

Required Job Qualifications

Current Graduate Student (PhD student preferred, though highly skilled masters-level students will be considered) in social science  (social work, sociology, public health) or related field.

Strong attention to detail and organizational skills

Experience in Microsoft Excel

Ability to handle sensitive data confidentially and follow research protocols

Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate with a research team

Preferred Job Qualifications

Experience with REDCap, Qualtrics, or similar electronic data capture systems

Coursework or experience in research methods (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods)

Familiarity with data cleaning or preparation for analysis

Exposure to statistical software (e.g., R, Stata, SPSS, SAS) and/or qualitative tools (e.g., Dedoose)

Experience tracking or managing research project data

CITI Training for Human Subjects Research (or willingness to complete upon hire)

Essential Duties

Data Capture & System Development

Assist in designing, building, and maintaining electronic data capture instruments (primarily in REDCap and/or qualtrics), including surveys and tracking tools

Support programming and testing of survey logic (branching, validation rules, required fields)

Help ensure instruments align with study protocols and data collection needs

Conduct qualitative focus groups and interviews as detailed in protocol

Data Quality Assurance & Monitoring

Conduct routine data quality checks to identify missing, incomplete, or inconsistent data

Apply data validation rules and assist in troubleshooting data issues

Track recruitment, retention, and participation metrics across study activities

Generate basic data summaries to support ongoing study monitoring

Data Management & Security

Organize and maintain structured datasets in accordance with IRB and institutional data security requirements

Assist in managing user access and maintaining data confidentiality

Contribute to documentation of data structures, coding schemes, and workflows

Analytic Preparation & Coordination

Prepare clean, well-documented datasets for descriptive and exploratory analyses

Support development of summary tables, feasibility metrics, and basic visualizations

Assist in preparing and organizing data files for qualitative analysis

Support qualitative data analysis

Help coordinate integration of quantitative and qualitative data to support mixed-methods interpretation

Team Collaboration

Work closely with the investigative team to resolve data discrepancies and improve data workflows

Support ongoing project needs as data collection and analysis evolve