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Graduate Student Assistantships

Community Nutrition Graduate Student Research Assistantship

The Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science at Utah State University is looking to hire a PhD, MS, or MPH student with a focus in community nutrition. This student would be employed for two years through a USDA Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program grant, titled Connecting low-income/at-risk and ethnic/minority populations to Utah direct market farmers and farmers. Year two is contingent upon satisfactory job performance in year one. Further funding for additional years of study may be available through other jobs or teaching assistantships.

Start Date: January 2019

Salary:

  • $15,000/year for a 12-month appointment; (0.5 FTE)
  • Full graduate tuition ($14,000+ value for in-state, the student would be responsible for any class/student fees)
  • Subsidized health insurance

Primary job duties:

  • Conducting a needs assessment to guide the design of a statewide marketing and outreach campaign targeted to low‑income/at-risk and ethnic minority populations across the state regarding where to find farmers markets/direct market farmers that accept
  • Writing a best-practices guide for marketing to the lower-income consumer and at risk and ethnic minority populations
  • Developing evaluation procedures and tools
  • Collecting data in person, online, and over the telephone
  • Analyzing data
  • Developing reports
  • Other duties as assigned

 

Required Qualifications:

 

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in nutrition, dietetics, public health, or a related field.
  • Previous experience with (or knowledge of) conducting a community needs assessment.
  • Previous experience with (or knowledge of) conducting quantitative survey research.
  • Previous experience with (or knowledge of) conducting qualitative data collection and/or analysis.
  • Drivers license and insurance.

Percent of Time or Hours per Week: 20 hours per week (in addition to time needed for your academics, including your thesis, dissertation, or final project).

Required Documents:

  • Cover Letter (please include:
    • Information about how you meet the minimum requirements
    • Information about how you meet the preferred qualifications (if you do, don’t worry if you don’t meet all or any of these)
    • Information about any relevant previous job or academic experience (see Primary job duties above, and don’t worry if you don’t have previous experience, you will be trained and work as part of a team).
    • Why you want to get a graduate degree
    • Why you are interested in Community Nutrition
    • What you want to do when you are done with your degree
  • Resume/CV
  • Names and contact information of 3 references
  • Writing sample

Please email Dr. Mateja Savoie Roskos (mateja.savoie@usu.edu) and Carrie Durward (carrie.durward@usu.edu) with the required documentation and/or if you have any questions about this position.

Additional Information

Often Functional Requirements (25-75% time):

  • Both hands required or compensated by the use of acceptable prostheses
  • Routine visual requirements (e.g. reading with attention to details; seeing activities near and far)

Continuous Environmental Factors (75%+ time):

  • ADA Cognitive Requirements:
    • Apply principles of rational systems to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
    • Interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form.
  • ADA Math Requirements:
    • Perform ordinary arithmetic, algebraic, and geometric procedures in standard, practical applications.
  • ADA Communication Requirements - Speech:
    • Expression of a level to communicate fluently with clients/customers and others to obtain and provide complex information.
    • Vocalize and explain detail and problem-solve, both in-person and by telephone.
    • Capable of interpretation of technical materials, oral presentation of reports and able to adapt vocabulary, tone and content for listener.
  • ADA Communication Requirements - Comprehension:
    • Comprehension and expression of a level to record fairly uncomplicated information frequently such as filling in report forms, logging entries and taking telephone messages.
  • ADA Travel Requirements: Substantial travel may be required for data collection.