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Duties and Responsibilities

• The graduate assistant will work with Dr. Bazo Vienrich to interview high school counselors in Massachusetts, analyze survey data using R statistical analysis software, and conduct literature reviews on school counseling, counselors’ racial and gender identities, policies around immigrant students’ experiences in high school and access to college, and Massachusetts’ legislative history on immigrant students. 
• The graduate assistant will be responsible for maintaining organization systems that keep track of interviews conducted, surveys completed, and participant incentives delivered. 
• The graduate assistant will also assist in the development of professional development materials for high school counselors. 
• The graduate assistant should be available in-person and in a hybrid modality. Interstate travel may be necessary to conduct interviews or attend conferences.

Qualifications

Minimum

A bachelor’s degree. Must also have at least 1 semester of research experience and/or have taken a research methods class. Preferred background is social sciences, education, and/or counseling.

Preferred

Some graduate coursework, preferably 8 credits or more. Previous academic or personal knowledge of immigration, education, and race as it pertains to high school counselors. The candidate for graduate assistant will preferably have in-depth knowledge of the Massachusetts high school counseling landscape, including the difference between schools with a high proportion of students who are English Language Learners and all others. The graduate assistant candidate will preferably have a background in quantitative and qualitative research, excellent organization skills, and familiarity with remote and hybrid work modalities. Lastly, the candidate will preferably have knowledge of the college application process for immigrant students, including those with precarious legal statuses.

Learning Outcomes

The Graduate Assistant will participate in high-caliber research through this mixed-methods study of high school counselors’ interactions with immigrant students. Through this work the graduate assistant will learn to conduct qualitative interviews, analyze data using Dedoose and R. Additionally, the graduate assistant will learn project management skills as they keep track of various project milestones through Asana. The graduate assistant will be given the opportunity to participate in conference presentations, scholarly publications, and will be supported as they explore areas of the project that align with their academic and research interests. In sum, the graduate assistant’s learning outcomes will include acquiring writing, methodological, and software skills to a high level of expertise.

Professional Development Outcomes

The graduate assistant will have the opportunity to interact with various professional associations like the Eastern Sociological Society, the American Sociological Association, and the Massachusetts School Counselor Association. Through their role as Graduate Assistant for this externally-funded research project they will also have the opportunity to attend webinars and trainings on pursuing external grants, particularly for graduate or doctoral students. Furthermore, the graduate assistant will be able to lead conference presentations and publications, and through this elevate their standing should they choose to pursue doctoral programs in Sociology. After the completion of the graduate assistantship the student will have acquired knowledge of the higher education landscape as it pertains to research, grant funding, and scholarly publishing.

How to Apply

Please email application, CV and cover letter to Dr. Alessandra Bazo Vienrich.