Job Title: RESEARCH ASSISTANT - Slover Linett Strategies, Chicago, IL

Deadline Date: August 1, 2009

Starting Date: September 8, 2009

Institution: Slover Linett Strategies is a Chicago-based audience research firm for cultural and educational organizations. We help museums, orchestras, universities and other mission-driven enterprises across the country take a fresh look at their relationship with their constituents—current and potential—through qualitative and quantitative research. We also help their staffs and boards turn that insight into action through facilitated planning or visioning processes designed to articulate clear, compelling principles for identity and growth. Founded in 1997, we are a small, intellectually creative consultancy that has developed long-term relationships with leading local and national nonprofit institutions. Our Chicago clients include the University of Chicago, the Art Institute, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Chicago Public Radio (WBEZ). Our national engagements include the Smithsonian Institution, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Job Duties: We are seeking an entry-level Research Assistant to support our growing team and learn the “ins and outs” of the nonprofit world and the research profession. The Research Assistant will be the primary support to our firm’s Research Analysts and will play a wide range of roles from coordinating logistics of projects to basic analysis on qualitative and quantitative audience research. The Research Assistant will be a core member of the Slover Linett team and will participate in staff meetings, brainstorming sessions, off-site retreats, etc. He or she will be trained by the Research Analysts in various aspects of the job. This is an ideal position for someone looking for an entry-level position and eager to grow in the field of research. He or she will work closely with the firm’s analysts in two areas: research administration (coordinating of projects) and research fieldwork and analysis (basic analyst responsibilities).

Research Administration:
• Formatting surveys, focus group screeners and discussion guides
• Programming and testing online survey instruments, email invitations and reminder emails prior to fielding
• Managing the schedules and workload of our freelancers and sub-contractors
• Coordinating and managing logistics for focus groups with outside facilities
• Soliciting bids from online or telephone research vendors and managing the working relationship
• Formatting open-ended survey responses
• Gathering materials and supplies for focus groups
• Updating the Research Analysts and Senior Associates on the status of all projects
• Creating data entry templates for all onsite surveys
• Checking data entry performed by sub-contractors
• Conducting data entry, as needed

Research Fieldwork and Analysis:
• Cleaning and preparing survey data for analysis
• Creating charts in PowerPoint for reports
• Conducting interviews (intercept, scheduled phone, or scheduled face-to-face)
• Observing focus groups to take notes and begin the interpretation process
• Tallying and coding open-ended survey responses

In addition, we will be hiring a candidate who demonstrates potential to grow with the firm and take on the following responsibilities:
• Drafting screeners for focus groups
• Running basic analysis using SPSS
• Setting up statistical tabulation using software such as Wincross
• Formatting and writing topline reports
• Contribute analysis and interpretation to early drafts of detailed research reports.

Qualifications: Candidates should have a excellent capabilities with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel and be able to quickly learn basic functions of a Windows-based statistical software package called SPSS. Strong abilities with numbers are a must. A Bachelor’s degree and internship experience in an office setting is required. This position is most suitable for a recent college graduate.

The ideal candidate will also:
• be a multi-tasker who can juggle and prioritize several tasks at once;
• be a detail-oriented person who has an eye for editing;
• be a fast learner who will incorporate techniques learned in training sessions;
• be a flexible person who can shift focus with ease;
• possess a positive, can-do attitude and relish new challenges;
• love the arts and/or other nonprofit sectors;
• enjoy the casual, creative, and sometimes intense atmosphere of this small business

Salary/Benefits: Salary will be commensurate with experience. In addition, we offer a competitive benefits package of vacation, holidays, sick days, health insurance, disability insurance, a 401K plan, and profit sharing.

HOURS
This is a full-time position. Although hours can be somewhat flexible, we work during regular business hours and occasionally also in the evenings or on weekends (e.g. to attend focus groups or meet project deadlines). The start date for this position is flexible but can not be later than September 8th, 2009.

To Apply: Please e-mail a brief cover note and resume to Erin Funck. On your resume, please include your SAT/ACT scores and/or your cumulative college GPA. We are not looking for writing or report samples at this time. Please, no phone calls. We look forward to hearing from you.

EEO/AA: