Stanford
SPARQ

Job Opening - Research Scientist

We’re hiring! SPARQ is looking to bring on board 1-2 Research Scientists to join our team.

Research Scientist, Stanford SPARQ

Department of Psychology, Stanford University

Overview

Stanford SPARQ is a “do tank.” We partner with industry leaders and change-makers to tackle disparities and bridge social divides using insights from behavioral science. We work in criminal justice, economic mobility, education, and health. Reporting to the Managing Director of SPARQ, the Research Scientist will work with SPARQ staff, faculty affiliates, and practitioner partners to originate, execute, and report social psychological research that both creates new knowledge and solves social problems. The Research Scientist will collaborate closely with Faculty Co-Directors Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt and Dr. Hazel Rose Markus, as well as Managing Director Dr. MarYam Hamedani and the SPARQ team, to design and execute the center’s basic and applied research, intervention programs, and research translation projects. The position will also contribute to the center’s outreach programs and communications efforts. 

Sample SPARQ projects include: partnering with law enforcement agencies to improve police-community relations; developing strategies to build trust across students’ differences and divides on college campuses; facilitating evidence-based culture change in organizations and online communities to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); collaborating with financial investors to reduce racial bias and increase diversity in their industry; evaluating the impact of cultural immersion experiences; and developing evidence-based tools to improve racial literacy in classrooms and workplaces. Read more about SPARQ and our work here: sparq.stanford.edu.

We are seeking candidates who love to be out in the world just as much as in the lab, are ready to roll up their sleeves to tackle complex social issues, and who thrive working as part of a collaborative team. The ideal candidate is a well-trained social scientist who wants to put this training to work in applied, real-world settings and in direct partnership with practitioners. We are looking for creative bridge builders who thrive in both academic settings and in diverse spaces beyond the university. 

Responsibilities

  • Oversee the progress of multi-year, multi-disciplinary research projects, collaborate with practitioner partners
  • Design and conduct needs assessments, experiments, surveys, field studies, interview studies, content analyses, and interventions; especially outside of the lab in real-world settings
  • Collect, analyze, and interpret quantitative and qualitative data
  • Prepare research reports, summaries, and articles for practitioner partners, peer-reviewed journals, and other outlets
  • Present research findings at researcher- and practitioner-oriented conferences and in mass media
  • Write grants and contracts to engage/retain industry partners in research endeavors; report progress to partners and funders
  • Design and evaluate compelling, accessible, and easy-to-use tools for diverse practitioners
  • Manage large, multi-disciplinary research teams to deliver results on time and on budget
  • Mentor SPARQ staff, undergraduate students, and graduate students 

Requirements

  • Ph.D. in social psychology or other experimental social science
  • 2+ years of experience in applied research, intervention science, user experience research and/or consulting preferred
  • Excellent written, visual, and oral communications skills
  • Proven ability to design and conduct randomized controlled trials, analyze and interpret data, publish results in top-tier journals, and present results at national conferences; experience with survey design, interview studies, content analysis, field experiments, MTurk, and Qualtrics is a plus
  • Strong statistical and data analysis skills are a plus; proficiency in Excel, SPSS, and R preferred; data science background is a plus
  • Experience teaching or mentoring students
  • Experience working with multidisciplinary teams preferred
  • Ability to work well and thrive in an array of complex environments, under changing conditions, and with people from a range of industries and diverse backgrounds
  • Passion for people, dedication to learning, and commitment to SPARQ’s mission

To Apply


Please submit a cover letter, CV/resume, and writing sample to Stanford_SPARQ@stanford.edu. Applications received by 10/21/19 will receive full consideration.

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