"MMG/HDAG Research Assistant"

MMG/HDAG Research Assistant

Req No: 2026-20016

Category: Research/Project

Type: Part-Time Contract

Salary: $17.75 - $19.00

Overview

This position is budgeted at $17.75 - $19.00 per hour depending upon qualifications and is non-negotiable.

SDSU RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Established in 1943, the mission of the SDSU Research Foundation (SDSURF) is to support the research objectives of San Diego State University by helping faculty and staff find, obtain, and administer funding for their research and sponsored programs. SDSU achieved its strategic plan goal of becoming an R1, premier public research university in early 2025, furthering discoveries, interventions, and solutions that improve communities and change the world. SDSURF provides the full life cycle of grants services to faculty and staff to further their important work.

Our vision is to foster a culture of creativity and collaboration with integrity and respect for individuals that results in the delivery of superior service to support the university's strategic aspirations.

Our core values: Service, Collaboration, Innovation, Respect, Integrity.

FUNCTION OF THE UNIT

At San Diego State University's (SDSU's) HealthLINK Center for Transdisciplinary Health Research (SDSU HealthLINK Center), our vision is to inspire transformational and collaborative research that promotes health and well-being for all people and communities. Funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) through a U54 Cooperative Agreement, the SDSU HealthLINK Center offers a wide range of research services.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

The Research Assistant II is important to the work of the Measurement Methods Group and the Health Data and Analytics Methods Group and contributes to the overall efforts of the SDSU HealthLINK Center's Research Capacity Core (RCC). Under the immediate supervision of the Center's Data Analytics and Measurement Coordinator, the Research Assistant II will provide assistance related to measurement and data management, including setting up survey instruments in electronic data capture (EDC) systems; performing data entry and verification; and conducting simple data cleaning and analyses in statistical software. In addition, the Research Assistant II will help maintain the Measures Registry.

The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in data-driven processes, enjoy collaborating with researchers across diverse disciplines, and be highly motivated and able to work independently.

Responsibilities

Measurement and Data Management Related Tasks 90%

• Assist with the setup, programming, and testing of survey instruments (including testing skip logic, validations, etc.) in electronic data capture (EDC) systems, such as Qualtrics, REDCap, and other platforms as needed.
• Create, update, and maintain study documentation, including protocol documents, data dictionaries, and step-by-step how-to guides for using functions within various EDC systems.
• Conduct data quality assurance and control checks, including reviewing completeness, consistency, and accuracy of collected data, and documenting identified issues.
• Perform basic data cleaning and descriptive data analyses, such as generating frequencies, cross-tabulations, and summary statistics, using statistical software (e.g., R, SAS, SPSS, Stata, or Mplus).
• Perform data entry and data verification tasks, including double-checking entries against source documents and resolving discrepancies.
• Assist with maintaining the Measures Registry by updating components of existing measures as needed and adding new measures.
• Prepare and compile presentations for team meetings and training sessions.
• Edit videos of recorded presentations/training sessions.

Other Duties as Assigned 10%

• Attends Center training and meetings as needed.
• Maintain routine communication to ensure coordination and implementation of assigned activities are on target and within established deadlines.
• Other Center duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Knowledge & Abilities

• Basic knowledge of statistical software applications such as SPSS, Stata, SAS, R, and/or Mplus
• Knowledge of standard office software applications (e.g., MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Knowledge of the development and validation of surveys
• Ability to search for research articles on measures/scales online
• Ability to extract measurement-related information from research articles
• Ability to interact and communicate clearly and effectively in a professional manner, both orally and in writing
• Ability to display motivation and strong interpersonal skills
• Ability to display organizational skills, meet deadlines, possess good judgment, and common sense
• Ability to demonstrate excellent attention to detail
• Ability to quickly learn and apply elementary research methods and procedures
• Ability to follow oral and written directions
• Ability to follow detailed procedures and instructions thoroughly and accurately
• Ability to follow established research study protocols and procedures
• Ability to effectively use Word, Excel, and other computer programs to input/organize study data
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of the research project's protected records
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Ability to arrive at work on time, understand and follow posted work rules and procedures
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with coworkers and interact effectively with a variety of people in a multidisciplinary environment
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of cross-cultural sensitivity.

Minimum Education & Experience

• Completion of sufficient lower division coursework
• OR - Equivalent of one year related experience in lieu of coursework

Preferred Qualifications & Special Skills

• Successful completion of at least one statistics course and one research method course at the graduate level
• Previous experience generating datasets and some experience writing syntax/code in statistical software
• Previous experience working in a public health research environment
• Previous experience using electronic data capture systems, such as Qualtrics, REDCap, or REDCap Cloud
• Educational background in Public Health, Psychology, Nutrition, Statistics, Mathematics, or other related fields
• Fluency in English and Spanish (speaking, reading, writing, comprehension)

We offer comprehensive benefits that support the overall well-being and quality of life of our employees.