Description

Position Summary

The Department of Family & Consumer Studies at the University of Utah invites applications for a full-time Research Associate to support the completion of a large-scale evaluation of Utah's Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) program. This is a full-time, grant-funded position with an anticipated duration of 12–18 months, with a flexible start date beginning as early as September 2026.

The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary evaluation team and play a leading role in completing the final stages of the RESEA impact evaluation. The position is particularly well suited for individuals with strong quantitative research skills and prior experience in program evaluation.

About the Project

The RESEA evaluation is funded by the Utah Department of Workforce Services (DWS) using a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. The evaluation uses a randomized field experiment with 45,000 claimants to estimate the effect of Utah's RESEA program on receipt of unemployment insurance benefits and employment status. The project is entering its final phase, which involves completing statistical analyses and preparing the comprehensive final evaluation report.

Responsibilities

The Research Associate will work closely with the principal investigators and will be responsible for:

• Conducting statistical analyses using large administrative datasets
• Preparing analytic datasets and documenting data management procedures
• Developing statistical code and producing tables, figures, and technical appendices
• Contributing substantially to the preparation of the RESEA Final Evaluation Report, including drafting technical sections and revising report chapters
• Collaborating with investigators to ensure timely completion of project milestones
• Participating in project meetings and communicating progress to the research team

Although opportunities for scholarly publications may arise, the primary responsibility of this position is the completion of high-quality evaluation reports.

About the University

The University of Utah is a Carnegie R1 research university, member of the Association of American Universities, member of the Big 12, and Utah’s flagship university. The University is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, offering outstanding access to outdoor recreation, a vibrant metropolitan community, and a collaborative interdisciplinary research environment. Utah’s great outdoors are close by and offer world class skiing, hiking, and mountain biking. The city is cosmopolitan with theater, arts, sports, entertainment, and nightlife. 

Requirements

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Economics, Public Policy, Sociology, Political Science, Statistics, Evaluation, or another closely related social science discipline
• Strong quantitative data analysis skills
• Experience analyzing large administrative or longitudinal datasets
• Proficiency in statistical software such as Stata, R, or SAS
• Excellent written communication skills, particularly technical writing
• Ability to manage multiple tasks independently while working collaboratively within a research team

Preferred Qualifications

Preference will be given to applicants with experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Program evaluation
• Impact evaluation or randomized controlled trials
• Labor economics or workforce development programs
• Analysis of government administrative records
• Preparation of technical reports for government agencies or research sponsors

Eligibility 

This position is open only to individuals who are eligible to work and reside in the state of Utah at the time of hire. 

Application Materials 

Applicants should submit:

• Cover letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Contact information for three professional references
• One writing sample demonstrating experience with quantitative research or program evaluation (e.g., evaluation report, working paper, or publication)

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Please direct any questions about this position to David Curtis, Lead Evaluator, at david.curtis@fcs.utah.edu, or Su Shin, Co-Evaluator, at su.shin@fcs.utah.edu.