Senior Research Associate - Uvalde Project

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Job Details:

This position is fixed-term and ends on May 31, 2026.

The Senior Research Associate for the Restore Uvalde Project leads a multidisciplinary research and response initiative focused on trauma-informed care, community recovery, and systems-level coordination following the Uvalde tragedy at Robb Elementary. This role involves full responsibility for the planning, execution, and oversight of research and operational components, ensuring alignment with community needs and institutional goals, under the supervision of the Principal Investigator. The Senior Research Associate is expected to adapt to rapid changes with the project in response to community needs. This position requires travel approximately twice a month for 1-2 nights.

• Strategic Planning & Oversight - Lead the complete planning and scheduling of research and operational activities. Develop project timelines, deliverables, and evaluation frameworks in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders. Create strategies and implementation plans to address rapidly evolving project and community needs.
• Proposal Development and Funding Support - Develop proposals and budgets in collaboration with research team members and university stakeholders to support research, programs, and services that benefit rural communities impacted by trauma and violence.
• Team Leadership & Supervision - Assign and supervise research tasks across staff and collaborators, including faculty, graduate students, and community partners. Provide guidance and quality assurance throughout the research lifecycle, from design to dissemination.
• Research & Evaluation - Conduct original research in trauma-informed care, community resilience, and systems response. Direct all phases of data operations, including collection, analysis, and reporting, with strict adherence to ethical standards and methodological rigor. Manage data systems to ensure confidentiality protections are upheld and oversee compliance with the established data archival plan.
• Stakeholder Engagement - Serve as liaison to public and private organizations, including state agencies, school districts, and advocacy groups. Facilitate inquiry and consulting services to support community recovery and policy development.
• Communication & Dissemination - Prepare comprehensive reports and presentations for funders, policymakers, and academic audiences. Represent the project in public forums, professional conferences, and civic engagements.
• Administrative & Fiscal Management - Oversee business and personnel operations, including meeting schedules, budget management, hiring, and compliance. Ensure alignment with university policies and grant requirements.
• Other duties as assigned.

Master's degree with six years of research, evaluation, and project management experience, or equivalent. Experience and knowledge working with traumatized populations. Demonstrated or expressed interest in collaborative teamwork and decision-making. Demonstrated interest in public scholarship, community engagement, social change and transformation. Excellent written and communication skills. Ability to travel approximately twice a month for 1-2 nights.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Master's degree in Social Work, Sociology, Public Health, Public Policy, or related field. Knowledge and experience conducting research, evaluation, or program management in the field of mass violence, intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and/or human trafficking. Experience working with a rural community that experienced mass violence. Experience in working with topics related to the US-Mexico border region. Quantitative data analysis experience (SPSS, Excel), qualitative data analysis software (NVIVO, Atlas.ti), training or teaching experience (or similar skills). Experience working in a highly collaborative environment. Ability to speak and write in Spanish is not required, but preferred.

$75,000+ depending on qualifications

Usual office environment with occasional travel to Uvalde and other partner sites for fieldwork, training, and stakeholder meetings.

• Resume/CV

• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Importantfor applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers:You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure thatALLRequired Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers:As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questionspresented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer,complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university's company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.