Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies

Graduate Assistant Position Description: Research Assistant Dr. Jason Lynch, Higher Education Program

Housed within the newly formed Department of Counseling, Family Therapy, & Higher Education (CTH), the mission of the Higher Education Program at Appalachian State University is to prepare individuals to be informed, thoughtful, creative, and effective leaders in community colleges and universities. Students in the program prepare for or advance their careers in adult or higher education through active scholarship, professional discourse within a community of diverse learners, the development of caring relationships, reflective learning and practice, and the integration of research, theory, and practice.

THE POSITION

This position will primarily serve as a research assistant for Dr. Jason Lynch, Assistant Professor of Higher Education. His scholarship seeks to explore issues related to trauma and traumatic stress in education, workplace
wellbeing in education, and career sustainability in education. While his research spans P-20 education contexts, he primarily centers his work within two- and four-year colleges and universities. This position will support the
following projects (note, this list may evolve or expand):

• A Mixed Methods Exploration of Workplace Thriving in College Housing Departments
• Trauma Exposure's Impact on Leadership Perspectives in Postsecondary Education
• Climate Change Induced Trauma in Racially and Economically Disadvantaged College Students
• A Multiple Case Analysis of Organizational Trauma & Healing
• Trauma-Informed Teaching & Learning in Postsecondary Education
• Support administrative functions of the Journal of Trauma Studies in Education

YOU'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR

Administration & Communication

• Meet weekly with supervisor via Zoom.
• Check email at least once per day on weekdays.

Journal of Trauma Studies in Education (Administrative Editor)

• Attend monthly leadership team meetings and bi-annual editorial board meetings
• Assign articles to associate editors within the digital journal management system
• Assign articles to copy editors and supervise copy editing process
• Update journal website as needed
• Assist with journal communications, as well as assessment and evaluation efforts

Research & Writing

• Assist in drafting Institutional Review Board applications for Ethics in Human Research
• Support grant writing efforts
• Assist in drafting proposals for conference papers
• Engage in exhaustive academic literature searches for research projects
• Draft well-written literature reviews
• Support data collection and analysis efforts across research projects
• Provide copy editing for writing projects

Professional Development

• Complete and maintain CITI certification requirements.
• Complete academic database search training with Belk Library.
• Complete training related to APA 7 formatting conventions.
• Other training requirements may be necessary on level of experience and project needs.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Full-time graduate student at Appalachian State University
• Enrolled in an on-campus (in-person) graduate program.
• Ability to work 20 hours per week to fulfill position responsibilities.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS & CHARACTERISTICS

Note: These are preferred qualifications. Please still consider applying even if you do not feel like you meet 100% of these qualifications.

• Undergraduate or graduate degree in social sciences (ex: education, psychology, social work, sociology, economics)
• Familiarity with academic research (quantitative, qualitative, and/or mixed methods)
• Familiarity with American Psychological Association (APA) formatting conventions
• Ability to navigate library resources and academic databases (Google Scholar, ERIC, PubMed, Web of Science, etc.)
• Proactive communicator and strong written communication skills
• Attention to detail with particular regard to writing mechanics
• Ability to take initiative and work independently on assigned projects (ex: does not consistently need explicit examples or extensive project details to start a project)
• Highly organized and ability to effectively manage time
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and personal growth

POSITION DETAILS AND BENEFITS

• Start Date: August 21st, 2023
• 20 hours per week during academic year (August-May) excluding winter and spring breaks.
• Opportunity for renewal dependent upon department funding allocations.

TO APPLY

• Application materials
  • 1 Page Resume
  • 1-2 Page Letter of interest addressing the following questions:
    • Why are you interested in this position?
    • What are your academic interests?
    • When was a time where you were successful in working proactively and independently?
  • A writing sample
    • This could include course assignments, personal writing, etc.
• Email your materials to Dr. Jason Lynch, Assistant Professor of Higher Education, by 5:00pm May 12th, 2023.
• Email: lynchrj@appstate.edu
• Phone: 910-840-7112
• Candidates will be notified of their status by Friday May 19th, 2023