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Employment

Center for Child and Family Policy Mission:
The mission of the Center for Child and Family Policy is to contribute to solutions to important problems affecting today’s children and families, through an integrated system of scientific research, debate and dissemination, public service, and teaching. The center emphasizes the bridge from basic research to policy and practice.

Current openings: ESL Teacher/Trainer, Senior Research Aide, Health Education Specialist

Working Title:          ESL Teacher Trainer
Duke Title:                Family School Program Specialist, Job Code 1080
Requisition #:            400716509

This position is part-time (20 hours/week) and through May 31, 2014. There is the possibility of renewal through March 31, 2015.

Project Description:
The Center has received funding from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) for a three-year study to develop a comprehensive teacher professional development program aimed at increasing classroom teachers’ skills in working with Latino English Learner (EL) students and their families. The professional development program will feature ESL teachers consulting and collaborating with classroom teachers, enhancing the teachers’ capacity to improve the students’ language and literacy skills, and strengthening school-home connections.

During the first phase of the project, the research team will develop the professional development program and solicit feedback on the training design from principals, K-2 teachers, ESL teachers, and parents of Latino EL students. Working with a small group of teachers in year two, the research team will test the program in a pre-pilot phase. During year three of the project, the research team will implement a full pilot test with classroom teachers and ESL teachers from ten schools to monitor both teacher and student outcomes.

Position Description:
This position is part-time (20 hours/week) and through May 31, 2014. There is the possibility of renewal through March 31, 2015.

Responsibilities:
This position will collaborate with the principal investigators and the research team to implement and test the teacher professional development program and work closely with pre-pilot teachers. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Deliver professional development coaching to teacher participants, including:

content support on strategies related to language and literacy development for ELs and family outreach;
coaching sessions with ESL teachers; and
school-based collaboration and consultation group sessions with ESL and classroom teachers.

Administer and interpret individual student achievement assessments, such as the Woodcock-Johnson III Diagnostic Reading Battery and the Woodcock-Muñoz Language Survey, in Spanish and English for students within several North Carolina elementary schools.
Conduct initial training for teachers on the professional development curriculum in conjunction with principal investigators during intensive week-long trainings.
Refine program strategies based on feedback collected during pilot phases.
Manage the workflow of an undergraduate research assistant.
Attend project-specific meetings. This includes travel to various sites to conduct trainings and collect data.
Perform other related duties incidental to work described herein.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required of personnel so classified.

Minimum Qualifications
Education/Training: Work requires a bachelor's degree in education, psychology, sociology, or related field.

Experience: Work requires two years experience in teaching, counseling, social work, or a related field. A master's degree in education, psychology, social work, counseling or a related field may be substituted for the required experience OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE.

Additional Qualifications:
English as a Second Language (ESL) certification (or equivalent) is required.
Fluency in Spanish is required.
Experience teaching or working directly with Latino English learners is strongly preferred.
Experience training teachers and in collaboration and/or consultation is preferred.
A master's degree in education is preferred.

All applicants must apply directly on line at http://www.hr.duke.edu/jobs/

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Title:                         Senior Research Aide (bilingual - Spanish and English)
Job Code:                 0563
Grant Funded:         Position Scheduled to end 06/30/2014 with possibility of re-appointment
Requisition #:           400716519

Project Description:
The Prospective Study of Infant Development (PSID) is a research project that is being conducted by the Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke University. Funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH), the purpose of the PSID project is to further evaluate the long-term effects of the Durham Connects community-wide nurse home visiting program on a variety of family outcomes, including community service receipt, family functioning, and child health and well-being. Durham Connects provides universal visits to families of newborns in Durham County in order to support parenting skills and overall health. Approximately 550 families whose 6-month-old infants were born in Durham County were enrolled in this research study to examine child and family outcomes and service receipt as a function of previous service participation (e.g., Durham Connects, other services). PSID will also be starting an extension of the original project which includes contacting, consenting, and interviewing additional families for another wave of data collection. This position will be full time (40 hours per week).

Responsibilities:
Coordinate and participate in a variety of duties to assist investigators in the implementation of a research study with families and children.

Work Performed:

Assist with recruitment of families via letter, phone, and door-to-door recruiting. This will require time in the field, finding and recruiting participants, as well as interviewing them.
Assist in organizing and conducting telephone and in-home family interviews. Duties will include assisting in the process of scheduling home visits, obtaining consents to participate, conducting interviews, and recording responses.
Maintain data entry via laptop computer and appropriately manage data transfer.
Prepare and maintain files of research materials.
Prepare and type related correspondence; operate office machines as required.
Attend and contribute to project meetings and other meetings held at the Center for Child and Family Policy as appropriate.
Assist in the compilation and distribution of reports related to research findings.
Perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein.

Requirements:

Local travel and reliable transportation required.
Must be available to work some nights and weekends.
Must be willing to collaborate with other staff members and be readily accessible to communicate with other teams members both during and outside of regular work hours.

Overall:
It is the expectation that all Center staff members will demonstrate exceptional workplace behavior in the execution of their specific position responsibilities. These behaviors are customer focus, collaboration, creative problem solving, continuous learning, and a commitment to diversity.

Education/Experience:

Education/Training:

Work requires knowledge of basic mathematical, data collection and research principles normally acquired through two years post-secondary education.

Experience:

Work requires one year research or clerical experience to be familiar with the basic techniques and forms used to compile and store information in a manual or computerized research data file OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE.

* An optional typing speed of 40 correct words per minute may be required.

Bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related discipline preferred. Must demonstrate strong organizational skills.

Application Process: All applicants must apply directly on line at http://www.hr.duke.edu/jobs/. See Req #400716519.

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Working Title:             Curriculum Developer
Duke Title:                 Health Education Specialist
Job Code:                   1122
Requisition #:            400720696
Part-time, .5 FTE

Project Description:
In 2012, the Center received funding from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) for a three-year study to develop and test a new healthful living curriculum that will be brain oriented and will also be aligned with the National Health Education Standards. The unique focus of this curriculum is on the impact of behaviors on the brain, leading students to understand the importance of the brain, how to improve its functions, and the immediate benefits to academic, athletic, and life success.

During the first phase of the project, the research team is developing the neuroscience-based healthful living curriculum and soliciting feedback on the curriculum from key stakeholders such as principals, healthful living teachers, parents, and students. Working with a small group of teachers in year two, the research team will test the curriculum during a pre-pilot phase and revise the curriculum as needed. During year three of the project, the research team will implement a full pilot test with 12 healthful living teachers from six schools to monitor the teacher and student outcomes.

Position Description:
This position is part-time (.5 FTE) and is funded for one year. The position may be extended beyond the first year pending funding and performance.

Responsibilities:
This position will collaborate with the primary investigators and the research team in developing and refining the health education curriculum and work closely with pre-pilot teachers. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Co-design a brain-based 9th grade health curriculum that meets the required NC Essential Standards as well as the National Health Education Standards and also teaches students the:
- role of the brain in supporting academic, social and physical performance;
- basic neuroscience of motivation and learning;
- importance of brain health to brain function; and
- health behaviors that enhance and damage brain performance.
Develop or identify interactive course activities to incorporate in the curriculum that engage students in the material.
Produce differentiated course materials and assessments based on student academic levels.
Create lesson plans, teacher notes, and other materials to aid teachers during instruction.
Conduct initial training for pre-pilot teachers on the new curriculum and develop the teacher training materials in conjunction with principal investigators and education consultant.
Deliver professional development support to pre-pilot teachers to identify teacher challenges, advise teachers on implementation, and adapt the curriculum based on teacher feedback.
Collaborate with principal investigator(s), research staff, and/or other staff in developing and conducting program activities, guidelines/protocols, and measurement tools.
Attend project-specific meetings. This includes travel to various school sites.
Perform other related duties incidental to work described herein.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Work requires a bachelor's degree in public health, psychology, nursing, sociology or related health field.

Experience: Work requires three years of experience in community or industrial health-related work. A master's degree in psychology, social work, counseling or related field may substitute for the required experience on a 1:1 basis; that is, a two-year master's degree in lieu of two years of experience
OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE.

Preferences:
Master’s degree in a related field.
Strong background and/or degree(s) in neuroscience and/or education.
Experience teaching at the high school level (especially in the field of science and/or healthful living).
Experience in high school curriculum development.

To see apply, please visit the Duke Human Resources site: http://www.hr.duke.edu/jobs/main.html. See Req # 400720696.

For information about employment elsewhere at Duke University, please visit Human Resources.

Duke is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.