Visiting EmPwR Project Specialist, School of Social Work

Visiting EmPwR Project Specialist

Children and Family Research Center (CFRC) was established in 1996 in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to identify and monitor child welfare service outcomes, conduct program evaluations of key interventions and complete research on critical issues that impact the success of these efforts. The CFRC conducts child welfare program evaluations and promotes evidence‑based practices that advance the public mission of ensuring the safety, permanence, and well‑being of children in or at risk of substitute care.

The CFRC also conducts research in related fields of research such as sexual assault, children's mental health services, implementation science, and predictive analytics. Contributes to the intellectual and scientific development of research studies including the development of proposals, study design, and methods. Collaborates with other researchers to conduct data collection and analysis and assists in the preparation of research reports, presentations, and academic articles.

Serve as a research professional responsible for participant-facing and applied research activities for the Empower Parenting with Resources (EmPwR) study. EmPwR is a mixed‑methods research initiative examining unconditional cash assistance for families involved in Illinois Intact Family Services. Exercises independent judgment in managing research workflows, implementation of human subjects protocols, and contributing to data‑driven research products. Applies professional expertise in research implementation, participant engagement, and analysis to ensure the integrity, compliance, and quality of a large‑scale research study.

• Serve as the primary professional interface between research participants and the study, applying judgment to respond to participant needs, address barriers to participation, and addressing retention efforts.
• Independently implement IRB‑approved human subjects research protocols, including conducting informed consent processes and ensuring participant understanding of study procedures and protections.
• Execute participant‑facing research activities, including interviews and survey administration, in accordance with approved methodologies.
• Monitor participant engagement and data collection progress and determine appropriate follow‑up actions consistent with study protocols.
• Maintain accurate participant records and documentation in accordance with confidentiality and data security requirements.
• Manage research operations related to study execution, including maintaining research records, documentation systems, and compliance materials.
• Oversee research workflows to ensure timely execution of study activities and adherence to institutional and regulatory requirements.
• Exercise professional responsibility for IRB regulatory compliance, including interpreting approved protocols, preparing regulatory submissions and amendments, and maintaining study documentation in accordance with institutional and federal requirements.
• Develop and maintain research materials used for participant engagement and study implementation.
• Prepare, clean, and manage quantitative and qualitative research data for analysis and interpretation.
• Identify emerging patterns, data quality concerns, and implementation challenges and communicate observations to the research team.
• Contribute to research products, including presentations, briefs, and reports through data synthesis and interpretation.
• Lead analytic discussions related to study design, implementation challenges, and preliminary findings.

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Communications, Psychology, Human Development, Public Health, or another related social or behavioral science field completed by the start date of the position.
• Experience engaging with individuals from varied socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds in professional settings, especially in participant or client‑facing communication.
• Demonstrated ability to manage communication, scheduling, and logistics in an organized and reliable manner.

• Spanis…