Employment Opportunities

Student Employment Opportunities

Enrollment for 2025 spring/summer internships at PolicyLab is now closed. 

Student Research Assistant, School-Based Aggression and Bullying Prevention Team

The School-Based Aggression & Bullying Prevention Team in the Center for Violence Prevention at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is seeking Student Research Assistants for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Eligible candidates must:

  • Be undergraduate (junior or senior) OR graduate level students in psychology, public health, education, health sciences, or related fields in social/behavioral sciences

  • Commit to volunteering approximately 2 days a week (~16 hours) minimum, during data collection

    • Data collection periods: October - December, January - March, April - early June

    • Schedule changes between fall and spring semesters will be accommodated

  • Secure own transportation to/from participating Philadelphia public schools and the Roberts Center for Pediatric Research (travel cost will be partially reimbursed).

Job Summary

Student Research Assistants will support several clinical trials, federally-funded by the National Institute of Health: The Bullying Classroom Check Up (BCCU) Project and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Preventing Aggression in Schools Everyday (PRAISE).

BCCU is a teacher-consultation program that coaches teachers to leverage evidence-based classroom management strategies, trauma-informed instructional practice, and PBIS approaches to detect, prevent, and respond to bullying and aggression in the classroom. Coaching helps teachers meet specific data-based goals that foster a safe and robust Social and Emotional Learning environment. Over four years, 16 schools will be randomized to participate in the intervention condition & the control condition. In all schools, classroom observations will be conducted, and teachers and students complete surveys 2x in year 1, and 1x in year 2. This position will occur during the final year of the trial.

PRAISE is a classroom-based problem-solving and bullying prevention program consisting of 14, 20-minute lessons. New modifications shifted PRAISE from research staff run to a training and coaching model so that teachers or other social-emotional champion can run PRAISE. The aim of the study is to rigorously test PRAISE with coaching and its effect on students behaviors and teacher implementation. This will be an 8 school study in 3rd-5th grade classrooms.

Student Research Assistant Responsibilities

  • Work collaboratively with a dynamic team of Coordinators, Coaches and Research Assistants

  • Consent participants (students, counselors, teachers)

  • Administer electronic surveys to students in School District of Philadelphia elementary schools

  • Assist with data collection from counselors, teachers and parents

  • Conduct classroom observations and monitor fidelity of small group and classroom interventions

  • Participate in documentation & tracking procedures, data entry, verification, cleaning and/or scoring

  • Learn database management systems, including Excel, REDcap and SPSS

  • Prepare and organize assessment packets, intervention materials and supplies

Successful candidates will: 

  • Have a minimum GPA of 3.5

  • Have prior school-based and/or research experience (preferred)

  • Be a highly reliable team player, with excellent time management skills and a strong work ethic

  • Pass a criminal background check, child abuse clearance, FBI fingerprinting, per CHOP’s requirements

  • Have up to date immunization records & complete a 2-step PPD tuberculosis skin test

Please Note: This is an unpaid/volunteer position. Supervisors will work with students to fulfill requirements for internship coursework, if needed.

To apply for this position: 

Email: Brittany Chamberlin, Clinical Research Coordinator II (chamberlib@chop.edu)

Include: 1) Current resume or CV 2) Cover Letter 3) Transcript, unofficial version is acceptable

 

At PolicyLab, recruiting and retaining a diverse group of team members who bring fresh insights from all backgrounds to the research, administrative, communications and policy work that we do is fundamental to our mission. We are committed to creating an environment that is reflective of the diverse communities we serve. As such, we welcome innovative minds from individuals across race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and marital status, victim of domestic or sexual violence status, covered veteran status or other protected classifications.

PolicyLab aims to provide every team member with opportunities that allow their voices to be heard as this exemplifies our core belief in the power of diverse thinking to influence the policies, protocols and practices that define our workplace and improve the lives of children and families. We strive for a productive, fulfilling workplace and personal growth opportunities for all staff and believe an inclusive environment is central to this goal.