Research Associate, Evidence Mapping

One of Switchboard’s objectives is to improve the capacity of resettlement service providers to provide evidence-based services and effectively address barriers that refugees and other ORR-eligible populations may face in accessing mainstream and specialized services, education, and employment. The lack of an existing database focused solely on research related to outcomes, interventions and populations served by resettlement service providers supports the project’s investment in an evidence database.

Switchboard will develop this online evidence database with the aim of making the best-available research evidence accessible to resettlement service providers in the U.S. It will improve providers’ ability to deliver evidence-based interventions to resettlement clients and other ORR-eligible populations. Gaps in evidence may be used to inform future research.

The database will include meta-analyses, systematic reviews, published individual impact evaluations, published literature reviews; and suggestive evidence from published studies. Case studies, unpublished suggestive research, opinion papers, descriptive studies, and unpublished literature reviews will not be included. Because practitioners are the primary intended users of this database, summaries of available evidence will be developed and included in the database, beginning in FY21.

Major Responsibilities:

• Finalize Switchboard’s existing evidence search protocol by defining identified outcomes and interventions and by developing a list of associated search terms. Develop spreadsheet for mapping and tagging studies.
• Review evidence identified through previous evidence mapping processes undertaken by IRC, identifying studies that meet Switchboard’s criteria for inclusion.

• Undertake a rapid evidence mapping process including:

  • Apply search protocol to conduct systematic searches of research databases for potentially eligible publications

  • Review the text of these publications to determine their eligibility

  • Map publications against identified outcomes to understand the relative effectiveness of various intervention options

• Collaborate with Switchboard to develop a webinar and written guide explaining how to use the evidence database for Switchboard’s audience of refugee service providers

• Demonstrated research experience.

• Previous experience carrying out systematic searches (such as evidence mapping, literature reviews, systematic reviews or similar) or interpreting systematic reviews.

  Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Ability to read and correctly interpret systematic reviews and meta-analyses

• Ability to identify policy and practice implications based on evidence

• Ability to assess the quality of a systematic review using a checklist

• Understanding of research designs used to generate causal inference

• Ability to write brief summaries of research in non-technical language

• Demonstrated ability to work to deadlines

  Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in a social science or other relevant field (health, social work, education etc.) required.

• Preferred: Graduate degree candidate, graduate degree, PhD candidate, or PhD

  Language Skills: 

• Fluent or professional proficiency in English

Working Environment:  

This role requires working remotely part time (i.e., telecommuting). Applicants must have a home or alternate workspace they can effectively complete their work from during regularly scheduled work hours.