Research Associate

Title: Research Associate

Reports to: Director of Research & Strategy

Location: Open to applicants in Oregon; options available to work at Children’s Institute offices in downtown Portland (Hybrid)

Travel: 10-15%

Job Classification: Exempt, l FTE (40 hours per week)

Salary: $67,000

Closing:  Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on October 18, 2024

At Children’s Institute (CI), our mission is to shift systems toward justice for families so that all children in Oregon, prenatal to grade five, have access to opportunity. We advocate for and secure public investments in early childhood programs and services and work directly with school communities to improve the learning experience for children.

We are keenly focused on children who experience barriers to opportunity due to race, poverty, disability, language, and geographic location. We strive to connect research, lived experience, and community voice as we work to ensure that more children succeed in kindergarten, meet third-grade benchmarks, and thrive in their early childhood experiences.

CI prioritizes an integrated, team-based work approach and a flexible, collegial work environment grounded in our values of honor, equity, learning, connectedness, and innovation.

Position Description

CI develops and implements innovative approaches to support children’s healthy development, kindergarten readiness, and academic success. We use what we learn from our school-based and health initiatives to inform legislative priorities and support public investments in early childhood. This ensures that we advocate for programs and services—like preschool, childcare, and home visiting—that meet the needs of diverse communities across Oregon and address longstanding racial and economic inequities.

CI engages with research in three ways: we translate large-scale research and population census data in ways that illuminate gaps and needs in funding and services for young children that can then identify, and influence needed improvements to policy and programs, we evaluate our programs and initiatives, and we apply research practices to shape advocacy, program design, and implementation efforts. We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Research Associate to join our team to support the quality and expansion of our research efforts.

To Apply

Submit your cover letter, and resume by visiting our full job posting. The cover letter should include why you are applying to Children’s Institute as the Research Associate and how your experience aligns with the role.