Research Associate

Research Associate – Overview

Organization Description

Austin Coming Together (ACT) facilitates collective impact and community development in the Austin community area of Chicago.   ACT and our members have created a long-term strategy called “Thrive 2025,” a blueprint for collective impact over 10 years. Thrive 2025 outlines 4 impact areas that our members collaborate around: Quality Early Learning, Living Wage Careers, Safe Neighborhoods, and a Stable Housing Market. ACT’s role is to build shared leadership in each impact area, facilitate strategic and collaborative action to achieve common goals, develop systems of mutual accountability and support, and create opportunities to engage the community together. Our work is driven by our core values of unity, commitment, transparency, collaboration, and action.

Position Description

The Research Associate helps to tell the story of ACT and its network’s impact in the Austin community area of Chicago.  The position assists the Senior Director of Community Impact with the collection, management, and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data for various short- and long-term research initiatives.   Core responsibilities of the position include:

• Assisting with the compilation of internal documents
• Assisting with data collection, including compiling publicly available data, conducting and transcribing interviews, administering surveys, and taking field notes
• Assist with the analysis of evaluation data, including coding interviews and field notes, and interpreting results
• Assisting with the writing of research reports
• Maintaining and updating the ACT network database and directory 
• Creating monthly reports that summarize community engagement activity across the organization. 

Qualifications & Skills

• Experience conducting or assisting with field or desk research 
• Experience working in community-based settings preferred
• Relevant college coursework in research methods is a plus 
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with limited supervision and as part of a team
• Experience working in Westside neighborhoods of Chicago; Austin community preferred

Hours & Compensation

This is a part-time contractor position that pays $25/hour for a maximum of 24 hours per week.  Some evening and weekend hours may be available but not required. The Research Associate reports directly to the Senior Director of Community Impact.