Assistant Research Scientist

Position Details

The Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington invites applications for an Assistant Research Scientist position at Prevention Insights. We are seeking an Assistant Research Scientist to work with faculty and staff members at Prevention Insights on a variety of externally funded projects, with a primary appointment to support evaluation services.

The candidate who is selected will work with Prevention Insights Executive Director Jon Agley, Research Associate Cris Henderson, and other faculty and staff members at Prevention Insights along with external partners from a variety of organizations and agencies.

The term of appointment is one year, with potential for renewal on an annual basis by mutual agreement. The candidate may start as early as January 2026. Applications received by November 20, 2026, will receive full consideration. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. This is a hybrid position, meaning that work will be a combination of in-office (Bloomington, IN), remote, and on-site in nearby Indiana counties, as necessary for project success; the specific proportions thereof will largely be determined by project needs and will likely vary over time.

· Required: Doctoral degree in a subject related or adjacent to public health (e.g., health behavior, psychology, public health nursing, social work, health communication, etc.) or in a methodology commonly used in public health research and evaluation (e.g., biostatistics, qualitative analysis).

· Required: Demonstrated ability to work independently and to successfully complete multi-stage projects with limited day-to-day oversight.

· Required: Ability to work with both academic and non-academic partners, including other researchers and evaluators, representatives of healthcare organizations and businesses, funders, and community members.

· Preference Given For: At least two years of experience in a professional or academic workplace following completion of the terminal degree.

· Preference Given For: Experience with one or more software packages that can plausibly assist with research and evaluation (e.g., R, SAS, SPSS, Python).

· Preference Given For: Experience with writing grant proposals to federal, state, foundation, or other funders.

Responsibilities:

· The candidate’s primary responsibility will be to work with an evaluation team at Prevention Insights to assess and support improvement of Indiana’s rural health transformation project in multiple counties.

o The candidate will be assigned to lead specific sub-projects that align with their expertise (e.g., leaning toward more quantitative or qualitative work).

o The candidate will also be expected to support completion of other sub-projects that they are not directly leading.

o This work will involve both internal and public-facing meetings that will be held both virtually and in person (meetings held outside of Bloomington, IN will be eligible for mileage reimbursement at the approved state rate if the candidate transports themself).

o The work will be expected to be conducted with a high level of rigor, including an emphasis on accuracy, reproducibility, and transparency.

· The candidate will be expected to adhere to standard Prevention Insights- and Indiana University-specific requirements, such as attending staff meetings, completing required annual reporting (e.g., through the university’s performance management tool, currently “Elements”), and maintaining up-to-date training (e.g., CITI, data security).

· Since Prevention Insights is a grant- and revenue-funded center, the candidate will be asked to participate in other center-supporting activities from time to time. This may include grant writing, light service on a taskforce (e.g., to accomplish a specific goal at the center), or other work.

· The candidate will be expected to develop a degree of independence when it comes to project-specific decision making. They will be expected to proactively identify problems and seek and administer solutions.

About Us: Originally founded in 1987 as the Indiana Prevention Resource Center (IPRC), Prevention Insights works to help agencies and organizational partners adapt research into practice to deliver robust, evidence-based services in Indiana and beyond. Our work has been supported by local, state, and federal governmental agencies, nonprofit foundations, healthcare organizations, schools, and other organizations.

Prevention Insights is a center in the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington at Indiana University (IU) in Bloomington, Indiana. IU is classified as an R1-Highest Research Activity university, is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU) and boasts numerous resources.

Salary: Baseline starting at $70,000, with a higher starting amount negotiable commensurate with experience.

Questions pertaining to the PeopleAdmin application procedure may be directed to dwarcher@iu.edu or via postal mail at APHS Postdoc Search & Screen Committee, School Public Health-Bloomington, Indiana University, 1025 East 7th Street, Room 115A, Bloomington, IN 47405-4801. Questions regarding the positions may be directed to Jon Agley (jagley@iu.edu).

Other Notes About the Position: While the successful candidate will have the opportunity to pursue more “traditional” academic products such as peer-reviewed manuscripts and conference presentations, the majority of work output anticipated from this position will be evaluation reports (both internally directed and public-facing) and quality improvement work. Applicants should carefully consider whether this aligns with their desired career trajectory before applying.

Application Procedure: Provide a CV, a cover letter summarizing your fit for the position, up to two examples of your work products that you believe highlight skills related to the position, and a list of three references. Interested candidates should submit applications at: https://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/34925.