Student Research Assistant

Position Overview

The School of Journalism and Mass Communications is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Student Research Assistant to support qualitative research examining women's health topics at the intersection of media, technology, and ethics. The ideal candidate is eager to contribute to an upcoming project investigating pregnant women and AI, alongside ongoing work in health communication, political communication, and digital media. All work will assist in development of conference presentations and research papers. The person in this role should be a creative self-starter with a willingness to learn, grow, and ask questions. An interest or background in health communication, digital health, reproductive justice, or the cultural implications of emerging technologies (such as AI, algorithmic bias, or reproductive tech like NIPT) is preferred.

Job Description

• 35% - Qualitative Data Analysis & Coding: Conducting thematic analysis and coding interview transcripts, digital media artifacts, and promotional materials using software like ATLAS.ti or Delve
• 25% - Literature Reviews & Writing Support: Conducting literature searches, synthesizing sources, and assisting with drafting manuscripts and reports
• 25% - Participant Interviews & Recruitment: Assisting with participant recruitment, scheduling, and conducting semi-structured qualitative interviews
• 15% - Administrative & Other Duties: Managing project files, organizing reference libraries, transcription tasks, and other research-related duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Experience completing projects and duties on deadline as evidenced by application materials
• Experience working independently and collaboratively as evidenced by application materials
• During the semester term of the appointment, the student hourly must be enrolled in no fewer than 6 credit hours. For summer periods the student hourly must: (1) have been enrolled in no less than 6 hours in the past spring semester or (2) be pre-enrolled in the upcoming fall semester in no less than 6 hours or (3) be enrolled in summer session or (4) be admitted to study in the upcoming fall semester. Student Hourlies may be undergraduate or graduate students. (Exceptions granted for GRA/GTA/GA appointments DO NOT apply to Student Hourly appointments).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience identifying and summarizing academic articles or books on related topics as evidenced by application materials
• Experience collecting and analyzing interview data as evidenced by application materials
• Excellent communication skills as evidenced by application materials
• Strong academic writing skills, experience synthesizing literature reviews, and excellent attention to detail as evidenced by application materials

Employment Conditions

(1) Student employees are not eligible for remote work arrangements unless an exception is approved by the unit leadership and HR. (2) This is an hourly/non-exempt position. A student employee cannot hold an hourly/non-exempt position and a salaried/exempt graduate or undergraduate position (GRA/GTA/GA/RUA/RGA) concurrently.

Additional Candidate Instructions

Application review begins October 30, 2026, and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants has been identified. In addition to the online application, the following are required to be considered for this position:

• Resume
• Cover letter addressing how the required and preferred qualifications are met

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Contact Information to Applicants

Megan Denneny, mdenneny@ku.edu