Researcher 2 - Food Insecurity, Community-Engaged Design, and Design Research Methods

This is a 50% time role focused on an MAES-funded research project improving food insecurity through community-engaged design practices, systems thinking, and design research methods. The project examines how design-led research, interview training, co-design, and emerging technologies can support early-stage understanding of complex social challenges and inform community-centered solutions.

Responsibilities

• Qualitative Fieldwork & Interviewing (25%)
  • Conduct and support semi-structured interviews, practice interviews, field interviews, and other qualitative data collection activities with community members, stakeholders, students, and/or participants.
  • Apply expert interviewing strategies, including interview protocol development, active listening, follow-up questioning, storytelling prompts, rapport-building, and ethical engagement with participants.
• Participatory Research & Co-Design Facilitation (20%)
  • Support the planning and execution of community-engaged research activities related to food insecurity, rural and community development, and human-centered design.
  • Assist with the design, facilitation, and documentation of co-design sessions, systems-thinking workshops, and other participatory research activities.
• Qualitative Data Analysis & Synthesis (20%)
  • Contribute to qualitative data analysis, including thematic analysis, coding, memo-writing, synthesis of needs and insights, and interpretation of interview and workshop data.
  • Use qualitative analysis tools, such as NVivo or similar software, to organize, code, and analyze research data.
  • Support the development and analysis of systems-thinking and design artifacts, such as stakeholder maps, service model maps, journey maps, influence diagrams, and synthesis frameworks.
• Scholarly Research, Dissemination & Technology Exploration (15%)
  • Assist with literature reviews related to food insecurity, community-engaged design, human-centered design, design education, design interviewing, systems thinking, co-design, and technology-supported design research.
  • Contribute to peer-reviewed publications, conference papers, research reports, presentations, and grant-related materials.
  • Support research related to how technology, including AI-supported feedback or coaching tools, may be leveraged in early-stage design research and design education.
• Project Coordination & Administrative Support (10%)
  • Help coordinate research logistics, including participant communication, scheduling, consent materials, data management, meeting documentation, and project timelines.
  • Participate in regular research team meetings and contribute to the intellectual development of the project.
• Mentorship & Capacity Building (10%)
  • Support training and coaching related to design interviewing practices, including identifying strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement in novice interviewers.

Requirements

BA/BS degree plus at least two years of relevant experience or a combination of education and relevant experience totaling at least six years.

The ideal candidate will bring expertise in several of the following areas:

• Graduate-level training or equivalent experience in design, human-centered design, product design, engineering design, human factors, design education, qualitative research, public health, community development, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience with qualitative data collection, including semi-structured interviews, stakeholder interviews, field interviews, or community-based research.
• Strong knowledge of qualitative analysis methods, such as thematic analysis, content analysis, grounded theory-informed coding, abductive analysis, or mixed-methods synthesis.
• Experience developing interview protocols, conducting interviews, and using expert interviewing practices to elicit rich, detailed, and story-based participant responses.
• Experience writing literature reviews, research summaries, scholarly manuscripts, conference papers, or other peer-reviewed publications.
• Familiarity with co-design, participatory design, community-engaged research, or human-centered design practices.
• Ability to work respectfully and effectively with community partners, participants, students, and interdisciplinary research teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple research activities at different stages.
• Ability to work independently while also contributing collaboratively to a larger research team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with design education, design research methods, or teaching/training novice designers or community participants.
• Experience with community-engaged projects related to food insecurity, health equity, rural development, social innovation, public interest design, or complex social challenges.
• Experience facilitating co-design sessions, workshops, participatory activities, or design research trainings.
• Familiarity with systems-thinking approaches, including service mapping, stakeholder mapping, systems mapping, or influence diagramming.
• Experience using NVivo, Dedoose, MAXQDA, ATLAS.ti, or similar qualitative analysis software.
• Experience analyzing interview quality, coaching interviewers, or developing rubrics/metrics for evaluating qualitative interviewing practices.
• Interest in how emerging technologies, including AI-based tools, can support early-stage design research, interview training, design education, or qualitative feedback processes.
• Experience preparing research for academic dissemination through journal manuscripts, peer-reviewed conference papers, presentations, or grant proposals.
• Experience working across disciplines, especially at the intersection of design, engineering, food systems, community development, education, and/or technology.

Pay

Pay Range: $30/hour, depending on education, qualifications, and experience.

Schedule

50% appointment (part-time).

Benefits

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off.
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training.
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans.
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
• University HSA contributions.
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance.
• Employee wellbeing program.
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity.
• Financial counseling services.
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost.