Graduate & Teaching Assistant Vacancies

In partnership with InUnity, the Rockefeller Institute will plan, write, and distribute a policy paper on barriers to access to addiction and mental health services, including, but not limited to, insurance coverage issues, workforce recruitment and retention challenges, and others that impact on access.  The policy paper will also explore best practices and innovative approaches that have expanded access to care, both in New York and nationally.  

To assist with this project, The Rockefeller Institute of Government is seeking a graduate research assistant for up to 21 hours per week for 13 weeks.    

Duties: The research assistant will assist in conducting and facilitating research, including collecting, managing, and analyzing data. The student will also assist in the writing and presentation of papers, blogs, and other research output.  

Functional Relationship: Student will work with the research team at the Rockefeller Institute of Government.   Supervision:  Student will report to the Deputy Director for research at the Rockefeller Institute of Government.  

Minimum Qualifications:  Enrolled in a graduate degree-granting program at a SUNY school in full-time status during the summer or the upcoming fall semester.    

Preferred Qualification:  Excellent writing, organizational, interpersonal, and research skills.   The student should have a background in health services.  

Compensation:  $20 per hour for up to 21 hours per week. 

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume and writing sample to  [email protected]  

Project Title: Evaluation of Child and Adult Care Food Program SNAP-Ed Initiatives 

Background: Child care centers participating in the New York State (NYS) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) of the NYS Department of Health (DOH) provide public health and nutrition education practitioners with the ideal opportunity to reach low-income families who utilize childcare through public health initiatives aimed at improving healthy eating and physical activity. CACFP serves a large proportion of children living in low-income families in NYS and has been at the forefront of childhood obesity prevention efforts. In addition to updated nutrition standards for meals and snacks and the launch of a Breastfeeding Friendly Childcare designation, CACFP is implementing innovative Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) initiatives to further improve the nutrition environment in child care centers. 

Responsibilities: A Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) is being recruited to work with a team of research staff in the Evaluation, Research and Surveillance Unit (ERSU) of the Division of Nutrition at the NYS DOH to build evaluation capacity for CACFP. Results of studies conducted under this MOU will assist with informing public health action for DOH priorities related to improving healthy eating, increasing physical activity, and decreasing screen time among children enrolled at SNAP Ed-funded CACFP childcare centers. The GRA will assist with the conduct of tasks aimed at achieving several evaluation goals, including the following: 1) To conduct comprehensive literature reviews that will inform the design and evaluation of evidence-based nutrition-related policy, systems, and environmental change initiatives for parents and children in low-income households. 2) To support data collection, data cleaning, and qualitative and statistical analyses as part of ongoing process and outcome evaluations of SNAP-Ed initiatives in CACFP including, Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings. 3) To contribute to the interpretation and dissemination of findings using written reports and oral presentations to internal and external audiences. 

Compensation: Under the terms of a 3-year MOU between DOH and the University at Albany, the GRA will be compensated by the University for work performed at DOH at an hourly rate that conforms to the rules of the University for graduate students. The hourly rate will not exceed the approved University hourly rate for students. The GRA will not work more than 20 hours weekly during the Fall and Spring semesters or more than 25 hours weekly during the summer and winter sessions. The incumbent will also receive tuition reimbursement for up to 9 credit hours per semester. The position will start at the beginning of the 2024 Fall semester, but could also start in the Summer if available.Vouchers for all applicable expenses for the GRA will be submitted to DOH within 30 days after the end of the semester. 

To apply: Interested graduate students who 1) have experience in data collection, survey design, program evaluation, and/or data analysis using SAS or other statistical software, 2) are currently enrolled at the University at Albany, 3) are in good academic standing, and 4) have completed at least one year of graduate courses should submit resumes by email and include “CACFP Graduate Research Assistant” in the subject line. A cover letter specifying the affiliated school, Doctoral (PhD/DrPH) degree program, concentration/major and expected graduation date should also be submitted along with the names of three references who are either recent or current faculty members/administrators at the University at Albany. 

Project Title: WIC Pregnancy Nutrition Surveillance 

Background: The New York State (NYS) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides data for two statewide nutrition surveillance systems, namely, the Pregnancy Nutrition Surveillance System (PNSS) and the Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System (PedNSS). PNSS contains data from all WIC-enrolled prenatal and postpartum breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding women while PedNSS contains data from all WIC-enrolled infants and preschool children aged 5 years or younger. Data from both systems have been used to track progress toward the NYS DOH Prevention Agenda Goals and the Healthy People 2020 Objectives. The WIC Program is the nation’s premier public health nutrition program and has been shown to improve pregnancy outcomes and to support optimal growth for participating infants and preschool children. 

Responsibilities: A Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) is being recruited to work with a team of research staff in the Evaluation, Research and Surveillance Unit (ERSU) of the Division of Nutrition at the NYS DOH to build capacity for designing and producing annual nutrition surveillance reports using data from the Pregnancy Nutrition Surveillance System. The GRA will assist with the following tasks: 1) management and querying of the Pregnancy Nutrition Surveillance System database; 2) preparation and submission of timely and current surveillance data to internal and external stakeholders; 3) conduct of analyses related to specific research questions to address progress toward meeting the Department’s Prevention Agenda objectives; and 4) conduct and summary of ad hoc data analyses used to track nutrition-related outcomes as needed. 

Compensation: Under the terms of a 3-year MOU between DOH and the University at Albany, the GRA will be compensated by the University for work performed at DOH at an hourly rate that conforms to the rules of the University for graduate students. The hourly rate will not exceed the approved University hourly rate for students. The GRA will not work more than 20 hours weekly during the Fall and Spring semesters or more than 25 hours weekly during the summer. The GRA will also receive tuition reimbursement for up to 9 credit hours per semester. The position will start at the beginning of the 2024 Fall semester. Vouchers for all applicable expenses for the GRA will be submitted to DOH within 30 days after the end of the semester. 

To apply: Interested graduate students who 1) have experience in data collection, survey design, program evaluation, and/or data analysis using SAS, 2) are currently enrolled at the University at Albany, 3) are in good academic standing, and 4) have completed at least one year of graduate courses should submit resumes by email and include “PNSS Graduate Research Assistant” in the subject line. A cover letter specifying the affiliated school, Doctoral (PhD/DrPH) degree program, concentration/major and expected graduation date should also be submitted along with the names of three references who are either recent or current faculty members/administrators at the University at Albany.