Research Associate for Policy Development

Little Rock, Arkansas

SUMMARY

The Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI) is a nonpartisan, independent health policy center whose vision is to be a trusted health policy leader committed to innovations that improve the health of Arkansans. ACHI at UAMS in partnership with PolicyLink (Oakland, CA) has established the new Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Center to Prevent Childhood Obesity. The RWJF Center will provide expertise and support to organizations, policy-makers and communities. It aims to help shape and coordinate these groups’ efforts and build a nationwide movement to solve this critical health issue.

Under the leadership of ACHI and PolicyLink, the RWJF Center will focus its efforts in five distinct teams. One team is to design and implement national, state, regional, and local policy agendas for reducing childhood obesity with an emphasis on the needs of low-income communities and communities disproportionately burdened by the obesity epidemic.

The Research Associate for Policy Development will primarily provide support to the RWJF Center Team Leader.

TYPICAL FUNCTIONS

The Research Associate will:
•Report directly to and provide support to the Team Leader for Policy Development.
•Support a broad range of activities related to strategic goals and projects of the center.
•Be resourceful, entrepreneurial, and proactive in supporting the work of the Team Leader.
•Assist the Team Leader in tracking obesity-relevant changes at the local, state, and federal governmental levels and within industry practice and policies.
•Assist the Team Leader in gathering and synthesizing information necessary to create a policy strategy map.
•Support the Team Leader in actively engaging others to develop policy targets and goals that contribute to the movement to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic.
•Maintain information and databases necessary to coordinate work with multiple stakeholders in the work arena.

KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES, and SKILLS

•Understand factors that may influence childhood obesity prevalence and policies that prevent or contribute to the childhood obesity epidemic.
•Ability to interact with individuals from multiple, diverse programs and settings.
•Ability to work well independently and in a team environment.
•Ability to collect and organize information from multiple sources.
•Ability to track legislation and policies through the development, review, revision, and approval processes.
•Ability to assist in communicating information by creating presentations and/or writing products for dissemination in conjunction with other team members.
•Good interpersonal and communication skills.
•Manage and prioritize multiple tasks/projects.
•Work efficiently and meet deadlines.

MINIMUM EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

•Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences or related field plus 3 years of related professional research experience OR Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences or related field plus 5 years of related professional research experience.

To apply go to University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences – Office of Human Resources – UAMS Jobs Welcome

Deadline: