Senior Research Coordinator, California Project

Department BSD SUR - OHNS: Thirty Million Words - R&D About the Department The TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health at the University of Chicago develops, tests, and implements evidence-based interventions designed to promote very young children’s cognitive and social-emotional development, with a priority placed on that of children living in poverty. TMW Center interventions are designed to be overlaid onto existing health, education, and social service systems working at scale in a given community in order to meet families where they already are. The TMW Center has a robust research and development strategy that includes further development and testing of TMW interventions; harnessing technology to support behavior change, intervention engagement, and analysis; and furthering strategies to engage adult caregivers (parents, early educators and others) in the TMW Center’s interventions across the health, early learning, and social service sectors. Job Summary The TMW Center develops, tests, and implements evidence-based interventions designed to promote very young children’s cognitive and social-emotional development, with a priority placed on that of children living in poverty. TMW Center interventions are designed to be overlaid onto existing health, education, and social service systems working at scale in a given community in order to meet families where they already are. The TMW Center has a robust research and development strategy that includes further development and testing of TMW interventions; harnessing technology to support behavior change, intervention engagement, and analysis; and furthering strategies to engage adult caregivers (parents, early educators and others) in the TMW Center’s interventions across the health, early learning, and social service sectors. The TMW Center is partnering with a nonprofit child development agency to conduct field research and implementation in California infant/toddler child care and preschool settings. The project will use a novel technology and professional development model to support teachers and demonstrate how teachers’ language inputs in birth-to-3 child care settings lead to positive child outcomes. This work will generate learnings and inform a classroom implementation and professional development model. This role will be based in California, with travel throughout the San Francisco Bay Area (with most work in the first year in Palo Alto) and potential occasional travel to other states (Illinois and Connecticut). The Senior Research Coordinator will report to the Senior Project Manager and shall provide on-the-ground management, implementation, and research support. The Senior Research Coordinator will work closely with California-based infant/toddler childcare and preschool providers as well as TMW Center research and curriculum staff. The Senior Research Coordinator will be responsible for managing the on-the-ground activities, including implementation and technical support for study participants, data collection (including administering assessments with children enrolled in the study), and operational and logistical coordination of various study activities. As the primary on-the-ground point of contact for the partner organization, the Senior Research Coordinator will build positive relationships with childcare centers, classroom teachers, families and partner organization staff to ensure strong communication and a successful partnership with the TMW Center. Significant field work consisting primarily of regular site visits to child care centers and study participants will be required. Typically, other work will be completed from home. At times almost 90% of time may be spent working in the field. Site visits will be required at varying times across child care center operating hours, approximately 7:30am to 5:30pm. Additionally, some evening or weekend hours will be required to facilitate assessments, participant consent sessions, or other activities. This role may also support ongoing work on a related project in Connecticut, including potentially occasional travel to Connecticut to conduct child assessments. Responsibilities Partnership Building and Management of On-Site Activities:   Builds and nurtures relationships with child care centers, classroom teachers, families, partner organization staff and other stakeholders to ensure strong communication and ultimate success between the TMW Center and these individuals and groups.   Serves as an ambassador of the TMW Center’s mission and resources to partners, families/caregivers, and the public.   Manages all on-site activities to successfully implement project deliverables.   Ensures relevant partner organization staff members are properly trained for project implementation.    Implement s data collection and entry best practices, monitor s for a high level of reliability, and ensure s fidelity of implementation of assessments.    Participates in meetings and planning sessions to share implementation observations and provide updates to inform program and process improvement.    Participant Outreach and Recruitment :     Serve s as a primary point of contact for participants. Maintain s regular contact with participants, updating them on progress and ensuring that their contact information is updated. Maintain s records of all communication efforts.   Support s consent process for program participants in accordance with IRB protocol and TMW research standards. Ensure s ongoing and new research subjects are onboarded properly and promptly.   Regularly report s updates on participant recruitment and project progress t o relevant parties.   Support s other aspects of outreach, recruitment, consent, data collection and support as requested.   Implementation and Participant Support:    Provide s implementation support, coaching, and training to participants, ensuring that activities are delivered with fidelity and tha