The Sacred Spectrum Project Graduate research Assistant

Application Instructions:

Active Student Employees: If you are a current Student Employee or have previously worked in a student position, you must apply from your existing Workday account. Do not apply from the external careers website . Log in to Workday and type Find Jobs in the search . Locate the position and click Apply .

External Applicants: Please upload your resume on the Apply screen. Your application will automatically populate your resume details, and you may verify and update data on the My Information page.

IMPORTANT: Please review the job posting and fully complete all sections of the application. You will not be able to modify your application after you submit it.

Job Family:
Student Regular Wage, Student Work Study

Department:
Instruction, School of Music

Supervisor:
Nathan Myrick

Job Title:
The Sacred Spectrum Project Graduate research Assistant

Job Description:

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with participant observation and qualitative interviews in congregational settings (with IRB-approved protocols).

• Maintain accurate field notes and upload recordings to secure data systems.

• Support Qualtrics survey distribution, monitor response rates, and troubleshoot participant access issues.

• Perform initial data cleaning and coding for quantitative and qualitative datasets.

• Conduct thematic coding of interviews and focus groups using NVivo or similar software.

• Generate descriptive statistics and visualizations for survey data.

• Draft sections of internal progress reports and contribute to sponsor reporting narratives.

• Collaborate on curriculum and worship guide prototypes based on research findings.

• Assist in preparing tutorial video scripts and supporting materials for dissemination.

• Follow all IRB-approved procedures for consent/assent, privacy, and data security.

• Complete required research ethics training (CITI or equivalent).

Required Qualifications

• Current PhD student in Music, Theology, Psychology, Education, or related field.

• Demonstrated experience in qualitative research methods (interviews, coding) and familiarity with survey tools.

• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks under deadlines.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in neurodiversity, child development, or congregational studies.

• Proficiency with NVivo, Qualtrics, and basic statistical analysis (SPSS, R, or Python).

• Experience producing educational or worship resources.

Compensation & Time Commitment

Start Date: Fall 2026. Annual stipend: $20,000. Hours: ~15-20 hours/week during academic terms (some nights and weekends, depending on the needs of partner congregations - requires travel); flexible summer schedule. Benefits: Professional development opportunities; co-authorship on publications where contributions meet criteria.

Deliverables & Timeline

• Weekly: Field notes and data uploads.

• Monthly: Coding progress and survey status updates.

• Quarterly: Draft contributions to evaluation and sponsor reports.

• Annually: Assist in curriculum/resource development and dissemination activities.

Application Instructions

Submit CV, cover letter highlighting research experience and interest in worship and/or neurodiversity, one writing sample, and a letter of recommendation from a doctoral program supervisor. Review begins immediately; position open until filled.

Scheduled Hours:
20

Start Date:
08/10/2026

End Date:
05/16/2027