Research Assistant, Early Childhood Classroom Observer; Jacksonville, FL Area

The Marsico Institute for Early Learning is housed in the Morgridge College of Education (MCE) at the University of Denver. We have dedicated ourselves to improving learning environments and outcomes for children, birth to age 8. We identify the best in early learning research, practice, and policy, and we deliver that information at just the point it will be useful to academics, practitioners, policymakers, and parents — the people who can create and implement changes to improve the lives of young children.

The quality of relationships and learning opportunities that young children experience can set the stage for what they will be able to accomplish throughout the rest of their lifetimes.

The Marsico Institute is accepting applications for Research Assistant Classroom Observers who will work as part of a team for an efficacy research study implementing and evaluating an early childhood curriculum, under the direct supervision of the Principal Investigators and Project Director. Observers will use standardized observation tools to collect observational data on preschool classroom instruction.

This position involves driving or commuting to sites in and around Jacksonville, Florida, collecting and entering classroom observation data and possibly conducting follow‑up teacher interviews. All candidates will be required to fully participate in multiple in‑person and/or virtual training sessions, fidelity work, inter‑rater reliability training and observation sessions, and classroom‑based in‑person observations in pre‑kindergarten classrooms.

To begin work on or after February 9, 2026 through May 28, 2026, or until all classroom observation data has been collected. Classroom Observers must be available to travel to classrooms at multiple school sites in and around Jacksonville, Florida between 7:00 am and 3:30 pm at least three days per week, Monday through Friday. Access to a vehicle and adherence to DU Driving Procedures, including the successful completion of a driving background check and online driving safety course, is required for this role.

Observers will also be required to complete and pass criminal background checks for both the University of Denver and all background checks, including fingerprinting, required by participating schools in a timely manner. Failure to complete and pass either of these components will result in an inability to carry out the project work and, therefore, will result in immediate separation.

Required training for observers will take place virtually and/or at a TBD location in the Jacksonville area at the following dates and times. Observers must fully attend all training sessions; failure to attend any sessions in their entirety may result in immediate separation.

• Required Training Sessions:
  February 18, 19, 20, 23, and 24; 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm ET;
  Virtual Zoom Training
• Required Certification Timeline:
  Initial round certification video and material due by February 27, 2026, 4:00 pm ET. Assessors cannot begin data collection until they have passed certification.

To continue in this position, following training sessions, observers will be required to pass a certification process demonstrating they are able to reliably conduct and code all observations with fidelity to the instruments. The successful candidate must demonstrate proficiency of a minimum of 85% accuracy of instrument administration and coding on all portions of the observations to achieve certification. Candidates will have two attempts to complete the certification process outlined above.

If certification is not achieved after two rounds, the candidate will not be permitted to move forward in this role, effective immediately.

This is a non‑benefited position not to exceed 1,000 hours in a calendar year.

• Conduct classroom observations following strict protocols.
• Enter and verify data collected into Excel or a similar format.
• Participate fully in all fidelity work and inter‑raters reliability training at specified dates, times, and locations, without exception.
• Travel to classrooms at multiple school sites in Duval County and observe in the…