Senior Research Assistant

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

Portland State University

Proposed

Start Date:

02/02/2026
Rank: K1 - Senior Research Assistant I

Position Title:

Senior Research Assistant I
Position Number: D97347
Representation: AU - AAUP Faculty Type
Type:
Fixed Term Research/Grant
Fixed Term End Date: 09/30/2027
FTE:
Variable between .5 and 1.0, starting at 1.0 FTE
Term of Service: 12 month

Portland State University (PSU) is Oregon's most affordable public research university, located in the heart of one of America's most dynamic cities. Our mission to "let knowledge serve the city" reflects our dedication to turning ideas into action — in Portland and around the world. The city is our campus, giving students unmatched access to career connections, a vibrant cultural scene and hands‑on learning experiences with hundreds of community partners.

More than 20,000 students from all backgrounds bring diverse perspectives to our classrooms and campus life, from the tree‑lined Park Blocks to the bustling Urban Plaza and state‑of‑the‑art science labs. We are proud of our world‑class faculty, groundbreaking research and international reputation for excellence in sustainability, community engagement and innovation.

The Institute on Aging (IOA) is a research unit at Portland State University that conducts research, provides education, and collaborates with community partners on activities that promote the well‑being of older adults.

Within the IOA, the Oregon Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health & Aging (OCEBHA) has a mission to improve care and services for older adults with behavioral health needs by educating, promoting, and maintaining the behavioral health workforce in Oregon.

The Older Adult Behavioral Health Training Program Manager will, in partnership with the OCEBHA Workforce Development Lead Coordinator and wider OCEBHA leadership team, lead the Center's mission to improve care and services for older adults with behavioral health needs by educating, promoting, and maintaining the behavioral health workforce in Oregon.

Research:
The position involves assisting with the development of training curriculum, planning training events with other trainers across the state, identifying and cataloguing existing training resources, developing and maintaining community engagement and partnerships, meeting with collaborators and potential partners, and developing and maintaining partnerships with organizations across the state.

• Graduate degree in social work, public health, psychology or related field(s) or comparable work experience.
• At least 2 years as a Research Assistant or equivalent, with demonstrated ability to perform focused research or evaluation tasks:
  • Gathering research or evaluation data using a predetermined protocol.
  • Carrying out routine procedures.
  • Gathering materials for reports.
  • Performing routine data processing or lab work.
  • Data management, and basic qualitative or quantitative data analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to develop training materials for professionals in behavioral health and aging services.
• Experience collaborating with community partners in behavioral health and aging services, including culturally‑specific services (e.g., community mental health programs, senior centers).
• Knowledge of behavioral health needs of older adults.
• Experience planning training for professionals and for students.
• Ability to travel to different locations across the state, approximately once per quarter.
• Excellent communication skills with local and national community and interdisciplinary collaborators.

• Training/experience in behavioral health topics such as substance use disorders.
• Experience planning in‑person training events (e.g., conferences, webinars).
• Knowledge of evidence‑based practices pertaining to older adult behavioral health.
• Experience working with clinical interest groups.
• Experience developing training materials such as toolkits, factsheets or newsletters using published literature and Center reports.
• Ability to work with OCEBHA staff to develop workforce‑specific deliverables for the funding agency and community…