Part-Time Research Assistant

Job Title: Research Assistant

Team: Product

Location: Remote from one of our current Braven operating states: GA, IL, DE, MA, NY, NJ, DC, OH

Employment Type: Temporary Part-time

Start Date: January 13, 2025

Duration: June 30, 2025

Hours: ~20-25 hrs/week

Hourly Rate: $25/hr

About Braven

Braven is a national nonprofit that prepares promising young people—many of whom are people of color, from low-income backgrounds, and the first in their families to attend college—to secure a strong first opportunity after college graduation through a career-accelerating program.

We work with higher education and employer partners to offer a life-changing experience that begins with a semester-long course for college students followed by support that lasts through graduation.  

Together, we are helping to open up access to the American Promise, empowering a generation of leaders who mirror the diversity of our country.

To learn more, take a look at Braven’s Impact Report and Jobs Report.

About the Role

In order to achieve its ambition of serving 80,000-100,000 Fellows over the next decade, Braven is hiring a part-time Research Assistant who will support the organization in establishing a Research Base and Logic Model that acts as a foundation for the Braven experience. As a member of the Research team within the broader Product team at Braven, you will help Braven conduct a literature review to summarize how core components of the Braven Model are grounded in the best research available at the time. This work will also support refining the Braven Logic Model and surface “gaps in the literature” that highlight future research opportunities. You will also use data to empirically test hypotheses about the Braven model. 

This role is on the Research team and reports directly to the Managing Director, Research.

What You’ll Do

Proof read and edit Braven’s Research Base (25%)

• Review the current draft of the Research Base and ensure it is properly edited as well as is aligned with APA formatting. 

Conduct a literature review to surface relevant research that underpins the Braven Model (45%)

• Review relevant literature in the college-to-career space 
• Summarize literature review 
• Identify components of the Braven model where there is not currently supported by research as well as highlight best practices that Braven may consider adopting

Analyze data to test hypotheses (20%)

• Examine trends in data to test current hypotheses embedded in the Braven model 
• Synthesize insights into clear and compelling presentations for internal and external audiences

Support communication  (10%)

• Support drafting communication and engagements  to share this work with the organization
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

Minimum Requirements 

• Bachelor’s degree in quantitative field or work experience that demonstrates expertise in quantitative analysis
• 1-2 years of research experience, preferred in the college-to-career space 
• Advanced spreadsheet-based analysis and at least one of the following: Stata, R, or another statistical package

Preferred Qualifications 

• Master’s Degree 
• You have a demonstrated interest and expertise in the college-to-career research space.
• You have a researcher’s mindset and have fun digging into the literature.
• You enjoy writing, including academic writing such as literature reviews.
• You love collaboration and are good at it.
• You can wrangle messy data and surface trends and actionable insights from those data. 
• You understand why research is important to an organization and how it is in service of a shared mission.
• You excel at daily operations, paying close attention to detail and communicating well with stakeholders.
• You have the following technical skills and knowledge:
• Proficiency in Google Suite, Slack, Confluence
• Proficiency in a statistical package (e.g., Stata, R)
• Proficiency in APA formatting/citations
• Demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion.
• Exemplification of Braven’s core values.
• Experience that has informed your belief in Braven’s mission and have prepared you to work with, or for, Braven’s student Fellow population.

Please know that no one ever meets 100% of the preferred qualifications. If much of this describes you, we encourage you to apply.

Work Demands

• Work remotely from one of our current Braven operating states: GA, IL, DE, MA, NY, NJ, DC, OH

Additional Requirements

• Authorized to work in the U.S.

Application & Interview Process

While the interview process may vary slightly, the general process will be:

• Video screen with Talent Team member
• Performance Task & Interview with Hiring Manager
• Reference Checks

Location

This is a remote position and the person must live in one of our current Braven operating states: GA, IL, DE, MA, NY, NJ, DC, OH

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

At Braven, we are committed to attracting, engaging, developing, and retaining a diverse team. Braven operates in the context of our American culture, against the backdrop of systemic racism and oppression of marginalized people since our country’s founding. We are committed to assembling leaders at our organization who have emerged from everywhere, with a particular emphasis on those who share the racial and income backgrounds of our Fellows, and creating an inclusive culture that allows all teammates, of all experiences and identities, to thrive.  

Braven is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor.  We encourage talented individuals of all backgrounds to apply.