RESEARCH ASSISTANT Evaluation and Strategic Consulting (Entry-level)

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Evaluation and Strategic Consulting (Entry-level)

Who We Are

Action Research works with child welfare systems across the country, providing information, analysis, and support to illuminate paths to better outcomes for children, youth, and families. We partner with government leaders, frontline staff, think tanks, service providers, and foundations to generate insight and drive system reform. We are nationally recognized for our child welfare expertise and for producing innovative research to drive decision-making.

What We Are Looking For

Action Research seeks an enthusiastic, curious, and self-motivated individual with a background in social sciences, applied research and/or analysis, a passion for child and family services, and excellent analytic skills to work as a Research Assistant focused on our evaluation and strategic consulting work. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who seeks to develop a rich understanding of how programs, interventions, and systems can be strengthened to improve outcomes for children and families across multiple jurisdictions.

Please note this is an entry-level position.

Ideal candidates will have:

• A passion for improving outcomes for vulnerable children, young people, and families – you recognize that contact with the child welfare system has long and lasting impacts on children and families, and are committed to advancing work to keep children safe, stable, and in families;
• Excitement about using data to generate actionable insights – you know data is a powerful tool to provide insight and inform change;
• Strong task execution skills – you have a history of managing multiple tasks, reaching out for help when needed, and working on a task until completion;
• Great attention to detail – you recognize the importance of getting it right, and are comfortable operating on a team where everyone checks and rechecks our work together;
• Comfort working both independently and as part of a team – while you can advance a task on your own, you are excited to collaborate with others; you know when to ask for support from your colleagues, and understand that working at a small, fully remote organization requires participating in a culture of communication and camaraderie.
• A curious mind that thrives when unpacking, interpreting, and understanding data and how analysis can produce actions that directly impact the lives of children, youth, and families.
  
  
  

We are committed to inclusion, embrace diversity as an organization, and believe these values are essential to our work. The American child welfare system has a history of disproportionately impacting families of color, low-income communities, and LGBTQ+ youth. As an organization that seeks to make child welfare systems more responsive to children, youth and families and more effective in its services and operations, our staff must reflect diverse backgrounds, experiences, and cultures.

Role you would play

Working with a small, dedicated team, the Research Assistant will contribute to improving child welfare programs, interventions, and systems through Action Research’s evaluation and strategic consulting workstreams. As a primary member of our evaluation team, you will support projects that examine the design, delivery, and outcomes of services aimed at improving safety, well-being, and/or permanency for children and families.

In partnership with government agencies, nonprofit providers, and foundations, Action Research conducts evaluations of programs such as parent legal representation, youth mentorship, and behavioral health training for child welfare clinicians. These evaluations use a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to understand how services are implemented, what results they produce, and how they can be strengthened. Action Research also leads strategic consulting projects that help agencies and organizations clarify goals, improve internal processes, and translate evidence into action. These projects typically used mixed-methods, such as interviews, focus groups, and data analysis to provide actionable recommendations to our partners.

Our role is to generate timely, meaningful insights that partners can use to make informed decisions. Whether through thoughtful design, data collection and analysis, and clear communication of findings, our team’s attention to context, nuance, and real-world application helps support child welfare agency leaders and community partners in building stronger, more responsive systems of care.

Responsibilities and activities may include some or all of the following:

• Supporting qualitative research activities (e.g., interviews, focus groups, case reviews) and conducting desk research and literature reviews with guidance from project leads; synthesizing information into clear, concise summaries that highlight key insights for project teams and partners; and documenting all activities in alignment with project protocols;
• Participating in meetings with stakeholders and staying current on relevant state and local developments to keep projects grounded in real-world context and partner priorities;
• Observing decision-making and operational processes and contributing ideas or materials that help project teams identify opportunities for improvement and refine evaluation tools (e.g., logic models or theories of change);
• Assisting with data entry, formatting, cleaning, and basic analysis of program or administrative data to help the team understand services, participants, and outcomes;
• Communicating findings by drafting sections of internal and public-facing reports, contributing to presentations for project partners, and supporting preparation of academic manuscripts where applicable;
• Carrying out project coordination tasks such as scheduling interviews or meetings, tracking timelines, organizing project materials, and maintaining documentation across internal and external partners;
• Supporting the professional development of colleagues by sharing experiences, analytic strategies, and techniques, and conducting background research as needed to build Action Research’s organizational capacity;
• Working in other Action Research workstreams and on organizational development projects as time allows.
  
  
  

Specific requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree in public policy, public health, economics, sociology, social work, or other related discipline, and summer work experience, preferably in a research or programmatic setting;
• Strong interest in learning about child welfare, poverty prevention, vulnerable populations, and related topics;
• Strong interest in learning qualitative and mixed-methods research approaches, as well as program evaluation and implementation analysis;
• Attention to detail and commitment to ensuring high quality work;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the willingness to learn how to convey complex research findings to public audiences, and to contribute to clear, visually compelling reports for government, nonprofit, and private sector partners;
• Familiarity with, or willingness to learn, tools for organizing and analyzing qualitative information (e.g., Excel, NVivo) and software for analyzing program or administrative data (e.g., SPSS, R).
• Exceptional people skills with the ability to create and maintain working relationships with team members, government, and other partners;
• Ability to work on multiple projects effectively and efficiently, both independently and collaboratively with a team;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint, and comfort using or learning online applications including Box, Slack, AirTable, and other coordination tools;
• A commitment to a collegial workplace; and
• Comfort in working in a fully remote environment that requires proactive efforts to communicate, ask for help, and become part of the team.
• Willingness to work and attend in-person meetings in New York City and/or other project jurisdictions.
  
  
  

Strengths that are appreciated but not required

• Experience analyzing data to inform service delivery, program improvement, or policy decision-making, especially using qualitative or mixed-methods approaches;
• Spanish language proficiency; and
• Full time experience in a professional workplace.
  
  
  

What you can expect from Action Research

• Salary range - $55,000 to $62,500 (full time) depending on skills and level of experience.
• Excellent benefits competitive with national high-quality nonprofit research organizations – Benefits include health insurance, student loan repayment program, pre-tax flexible spending account, pre-tax transit check, and after one year, eligibility for 401(k), profit sharing, and education benefit. Generous holiday, vacation, personal, and sick time.
• Intentional professional development – As part of a small and highly active team, the Research Assistant will have opportunities for client and government interactions. Action Research will also invest in your professional growth and help you advance both your subject matter and technical expertise.
• Vibrant and flexible work environment – Action Research staff work from home, however, we are a highly collaborative, active team with regular interaction. You will get to know your colleagues through weekly “learning brunches” which provide opportunities to share and explore interests, including those that may not be apparent in our day-to-day work.
  
  
  

Action Research’s work

We work on a range of policy topics within child welfare including foster home recruitment, kinship placements, permanency, and prevention services, among other areas. We tailor each project to the needs of our partners and produce accessible results that program staff and funders can use to make concrete decisions.

In addition to rigorous designs and multiple research methods, we tap into sources of knowledge that are often overlooked. We have developed expertise in analyzing administrative data, an under-utilized resource that often produces findings unobtainable elsewhere. We pair the results of data analysis with the perspectives of clients, front line workers, middle managers, executives, and external stakeholders to form a comprehensive picture of how policies and programs are experienced.

We are committed to creating strong relationships with our partners. We invest in building trust with stakeholders, seek to minimize the burden of research on operations, and communicate actionable insights as they develop. With our wide range of clients, we have a reputation as an “information Switzerland”: a place that the child welfare community can rely on for accurate, reliable, and useful information.

How To Apply

Please send a cover letter explaining your interest in the mission of Action Research; a resume; and a short writing sample via the application portal.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are only able to contact candidates selected to move forward in the hiring process. Emails, phone calls, and LinkedIn messages to Action Research staff about this opportunity are not accepted and strongly discouraged. Applications will be accepted until October 31, 2025.

Action Research is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender expression, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status or caregiver status.