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Research Associate

Position Title: Research Associate
Working Title: Research Associate
Position Category: Research Professionals
Position Number: 1002402
Salary Grade/Range: Salary Dependent upon Qualifications
FT/PT: Full Time
Hours Per Week: 40
Permanent/Time Limited: Permanent
Department Name: Highway Safety Research
Department Number: 5350
Application Deadline: 10/19/2009
Proposed Start Date: 11/01/2009
Location: Chapel Hill

Position Summary:

The University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center (HSRC), located in Chapel Hill, is seeking a Research Associate who will be a key team member in conducting research and outreach in highway safety and injury prevention projects for North Carolina and nationwide. HSRC conducts interdisciplinary research aimed at reducing the risks associated with transportation, including the deaths, injuries, and societal costs of roadway crashes in North Carolina and the nation. Research at HSRC spans from broad policy changes to targeted community interventions and evaluations. The person selected for this position will conduct research on a wide range of issues related to highway safety - such as parental behavior regarding infants, children and adolescents; safety and mobility of older drivers, school busses, motorcycle safety and various driver distractions. However, a primary responsibility of this position will be to conduct research on occupant restraints, including child passenger safety, and to use this knowledge to provide information to the public about NC occupant restraint laws and the correct use of occupant restraint systems. In addition, HSRC works with a number of state and national organizations to conduct research on occupant restraint related issues and to develop and provide child passenger safety and seat belt training materials and classes on the State and national level. The person selected for this position will be expected to assist in the preparation of research proposals and identification of appropriate study designs, review and critique existing studies, develop data collection protocols and tools, manage data collection activities, and contribute to the data analysis and reporting of study results. Candidates for this position should expect to work on several projects at any given time, and with more than one project director. Ultimately, the goal will be for this person to obtain his/her own grant or project funding and to manage projects independently. The position is a full-time, non-tenure track appointment. Additional information about the UNC Highway Safety Research Center can be found at: http://www.hsrc.unc.edu. Additional information about the NC Occupant Restraint Program can be found at: http://www.buckleupnc.org

Education Requirements:

A master's degree in psychology, sociology, social work, epidemiology, health behavior, public health, public policy, planning, or other related field is required.

Qualifications and Experience:

Demonstration of strong writing and oral communication skills and the ability to function as part of a research team as well as work independently to accomplish project goals are required for this position. A solid grounding in applied research design and statistical analysis techniques as well as facility with a variety of research tools (e.g., database, spreadsheet, presentation, and word-processing software) is desirable. Experience with funded research in transportation safety or other field of social/behavioral research is desirable. Experience and/or knowledge related to child passenger safety/occupant restraint initiatives, issues, and research methods and written and oral proficiency with Spanish are especially desirable. The ability to relate well to the general public, community leaders, and diverse audiences as well as the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other agencies, the media and the public are desirable.

Special Instructions:

Applicants must submit a brief cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references with the on-line submission. Applicant should also be prepared to submit two examples of their professional writing upon request.

Contact:

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the University's Equal Employment Opportunity Office at (919) 966-3576 or send an email to equalopportunity@unc.edu.

If you have any questions about the job requirements or the hiring department, please contact Peggy James, Human Resources Manager, peggy_james@unc.edu.

To apply, please visit the UNC Human Resources Web site.

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