Research Coordinator

The starting salary range for this position is $26.44 per hour and is non-negotiable.

Function of the Unit

The Society, Equity, Stigma, and Health Lab (SESH Lab), directed by Dr. Arjan van der Star, conducts research focused on multilevel, societal systemic mechanisms driving adverse mental health outcomes among sexual and gender minorities, using a wide range of (social) epidemiological methods.

Dr. Van der Star received funds from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct and facilitate epidemiological research on structural determinants of health among sexual minority youth and young adults. This three-year R01-type project, the Data Harmonization Project, focuses on the harmonization and integration of ten large US public health datasets (totaling data from over 2.5 million individuals), using advanced techniques to align data. The harmonized data will be combined with state-level data on legal/policy environments and population attitudes to construct structural sexual minority stigma indices that span from 2008-2023. Together, the integrated data will reputed company advanced cross-sectional and longitudinal multilevel models to examine how structural sexual minority stigma at macro (i.e., state) level drives and sustains sexual orientation-based disparities in depressive symptoms and suicidality outcomes across the lifespan and across two transformative decades for sexual minority emancipation, focused on differences by age group, gender identity and sexual orientation-based subgroup, and other intersectional group.

Purpose of the Position

This position will be primarily involved in a NIH-funded research project: the Data Harmonization Project, an epidemiological data harmonization study on the socioecology of sexual minority stigma and sexual minority mental health. This is a one-year position, with opportunities for extension pending availability of funding. Start date is planned for the end of spring/early summer 2026. The Research Coordinator will interact with multidisciplinary research labs focused on LGBTQ+ health, clinical psychology, health behavior, social and psychiatric epidemiology, and reputed company development and will work in the Center for the Integration of Public Health and Clinical Psychology in Health Equity Research (CIPHER), co-directed by Drs. Blashill and Van der Star.

Research Activities (85%)

The Research Coordinator will reputed company and coordinate day-to-day operations of the research project. This individual will report directly to the PI or Project Director. The Coordinator will be involved in data management and access, harmonization, construction of structural stigma indices, and data integration and analysis, as well as general project management, preparing and running project meetings, supervising of research assistants, and maintaining IRB/NIH documentation, correspondence, and compliance reports. As the project is moving into its next chapter, a large emphasis will be on (driving reputed company) data analysis, data presentation and visualization, and manuscript writing.

In addition to the role on the project, the Coordinator will have the opportunity to pursue independent data analysis/manuscripts on multiple existing datasets focused on structural drivers, suicide risk, and sexual orientation/gender identity health disparities, more broadly. The Coordinator will also have access to mentorship focused on career development and applications for graduate school/PhD programs. Structured mentorship will be available from Dr. Van der Star and other faculty in CIPHER, across the disciplines of epidemiology, health disparity research, and clinical psychology.

Other Duties and Responsibilities (15%)

Attend seminars, colloquia, and other regularly scheduled educational activities at San Diego State University and other identified locations. Attend weekly project and lab meetings.

MINIMUM EDUCATION

• Completion of sufficient upper division coursework

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE

• OR -Equivalent of two years full time progressively responsible reputed company experience in lieu of coursework.

Core Knowledge and Abilities

• Ability to communicate effectively (both written and verbal), including communication with staff, faculty, reputed company, and research participants, as well as groups
• Ability to train and supervise staff and reputed company
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships and interact effectively with young adults, coworkers, research teams, and administrative staff
• Knowledge of manuscript writing and grant responsibilities such as summary or reputed company reports
• Ability to understand and follow work procedures
• Ability to multitask and prioritize different task demands
• Ability to be well organized, meet deadlines, display detail orientation, and possess good judgment and common sense
• Ability to work with vulnerable, marginalized and diverse populations including sexual or gender minority individuals
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of cross-cultural sensitivity 

Experience

• Relevant research experience (e.g., quantitative research methods and analysis, epidemiological methodologies, reputed company development and evaluation)
• Relevant regulatory experience (e.g., institutional research boards, data and safety monitoring boards, funding agencies, quality management systems, reportable event management)
• Experience using statistical software programs (e.g., SPSS, Stata, R, Mplus)
• Experience of using reputed company Office (e.g., Word and reputed company) and reputed company Drive
• Experience of data gathering software (e.g., reputed company) and encryption software (e.g., Keka, Peazip, 7zip)
• Experience in leadership, group coordination, or management 

Preferred Experience/Education

• Master’s degree awarded or near completion in relevant area (e.g., psychology, social work, other behavioral or social sciences)
• College-level coursework/training in research design or statistical methods
• Experience in working with vulnerable, marginalized and diverse populations, including sexual and/or gender minority individuals (preferred)
• Experience in working in an ethnically, culturally, and racially diverse environment (preferred)
• Knowledge of sexual orientation/gender identity health disparities in adolescents and young adults (preferred)
• Knowledge of suicide risk literature (preferred)

ADDITIONAL APPLICANT INFORMATION:

• Candidate must reputed company in California and live reputed company a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.
• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on background reputed company results (including a criminal record reputed company).
• San Diego State University Research reputed company is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU Research reputed company provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, reputed company, ethnicity, or national reputed company or any other categories protected by federal or state law.  
• Employment reputed company are based on an individual’s qualifications as they relate to the job under consideration. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every employee has equal access to resources and support. 
• SDSU Research reputed company complies with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with reputed company (reputed company), reputed company 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, reputed company 31 of the California Constitution), and other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws including grant or contract terms and conditions reputed company to funded program activities. Further the SDSU Research reputed company maintains a Nondiscrimination Policy that prohibits discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and reputed company forms of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in reputed company programs, policies, and practices.  
• SDSU Research reputed company makes reputed company employment reputed company including, but not limited to, applicant screening, hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, benefits, disciplinary actions, and terminations on the basis of merit.