Research Assistant

Overview

The Research Assistant will support a project that monitors electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use among youth and young adults in the United States (US). The multi-state initiative aims to complement existing surveillance activities that monitor tobacco product use with innovative rapid response data collection strategies that allow for greater nimbleness, representativeness and evaluation capacity. Activities include obtaining real-time data for select states to enable the evaluation of the real-time impact of flavored tobacco policies on e-cigarette sales volume, market share and product or brand consumption, as well as implementing a national longitudinal survey of youth and young adults. This Research Assistant will primarily support the retail sales data activity but may be asked to assist with other project tasks as needed.

The Research Assistant will support the regular categorization and validation of a broad range of tobacco products by flavor and sub-product type across various data sources, as well as conduct associated literature reviews to address identified research gaps and support project activities. In cooperation with the team’s Research Analyst, they will also coordinate with contracted coders to maintain analysis timelines, data quality and documentation. The ideal candidate will be detail-oriented and demonstrate scientific inquisitiveness.

This position is eligible for 100% remote work for US-based candidates; however, candidates in the Atlanta, Georgia, Boston, Massachusetts or Houston, Texas areas are preferred. Relocation expenses are not included.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist with categorizing features of tobacco and nicotine products (e.g., e-cigarettes, cigarettes) such as categorizing flavors and subtypes of products, to prepare for analysis
• Create and maintain technical documentation for standard procedures for coding and analysis
• Support the maintenance of a database of tobacco and nicotine product features (including product type, subtype and flavor) by Universal Product Code (UPC)
• Calculate percent change and other descriptive statistics to be used in data reports and presentations
• Compare categorizations of multiple contract data coders to identify and resolve discrepancies, using logical comparison operators in Microsoft Excel
• Provide iterative feedback to contract data coders to ensure consistent and high-quality work outputs
• Conduct investigative research activities, such as literature reviews or internet explorations, to ensure tobacco product feature categorizations align with evolving public health needs
• Support development of comprehensive reports that include findings from the analysis and evaluation of project activities
• Other duties and project responsibilities as assigned
• Travel up to 10 percent domestically

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in public health, statistics, epidemiology, biostatistics, public policy, economics or related field required
• At least one year of related work experience, including paid internships or part-time positions within public health, health administration or social sciences
• Prior experience with or interest in tobacco control research, retail sales data and/or artificial intelligence initiatives strongly preferred
• Self-starter with ability to work independently and efficiently while consistently delivering high-quality work under time constraints
• Strong attention to detail and scientific inquisitiveness, as demonstrated by prior experience supporting fundamental components of research projects or tasks
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the preparation and presentation of reports
• Strong technical skills, including word processing and spreadsheet management
• Strong organizational, time management, interpersonal and collaboration skills

Position Highlights

Location: Remote, within the United States. Relocation expenses are not provided.

Salary Range: $55,000-$65,000, based on education, experience and qualifications

Position Type: Grant funded, limited-term opportunity contingent upon funding

Position End Date: December 31, 2026

The CDC Foundation is a smoke-free environment.

Relocation expenses are not included.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical disabilities, veteran status, and all other characteristics protected by law. We comply with all applicable laws including E.O. 11246 and the Vietnam Era Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 governing employment practices and do not discriminate on the basis of any unlawful criteria in accordance with 41 C.F.R. 60-300.5(a)(12) and 60-741.5(a)(7). As a federal government contractor, we take affirmative action on behalf of protected veterans.

About the CDC Foundation

The CDC Foundation helps CDC save and improve lives by unleashing the power of collaboration between CDC, philanthropies, corporations, organizations and individuals to protect the health, safety and security of America and the world. The CDC Foundation is the go-to nonprofit authorized by Congress to mobilize philanthropic partners and private-sector resources to support CDC’s critical health protection mission. The CDC Foundation manages hundreds of programs each year impacting a variety of health threats from chronic disease conditions including cardiovascular disease and cancer, to infectious diseases like rotavirus and HIV, to emergency responses, including COVID-19 and Ebola. Visit www.cdcfoundation.org for more information.