Research Assistants Needed for Implementation Study of Early Care and Education Center
Serving Low-income Children
Overview: Dr. Brenda Jones Harden, Professor, Department of Human Development and
Quantitative Methodology at the University of Maryland College Park (UMD), is seeking an
undergraduate research assistant (URA) to work in our lab. The URAs would be part of a busy
and thriving research-to-practice group – the Prevention and Early Adversity Research Lab
(PEARL) in UMD’s College of Education. This position is ideal for a young professional wanting to
work with children and families and/or seeking to attend graduate school at a later point.
Responsibilities: The URA position is related to a contracted research project with an early care
and education center in Washington, DC serving young children ages 0-5. URAs will develop
relationships with parents and school personnel to build rapport and conduct good-quality research.
URAs may be responsible for conducting child assessments including measures of language, cognition, and school readiness, as well as parent interviews. Additional duties include entering data,
reviewing relevant literature, and helping with the organization of the project.
This position will be located at an early care and education program in Northeast Washington, DC (about 15-20 minutes from UMD). This center is metro-accessible; however, it is easier if the URA has their own transportation. Ideally, students should have availability some weekday mornings, from 8am-12pm. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. There are options to work in the lab for credit or volunteer.
Qualifications:
● Major in psychology, education, child development, family science, or a related discipline.
● Some experience working with children and families.
● Background using SPSS or other data entry programs is a plus, but not required.
● Excellent interpersonal, collaborative, and organizational skills are required.
● Minimum 6 hours per week preferred.
How to Apply: Please send the following in one pdf file Tanya Tavassolie (ttavasso@umd.edu)
● Resume or Curriculum Vita (CV).
● Half page (double-spaced) letter of interest describing the applicant’s related experiences,
interest in the position, and future career aspirations.
● Names and contact information for 1-2 references (references can come from work or
volunteer experience or academic advisors or instructors).
● An unofficial transcript for any undergraduate work completed.