Summer Research Assistant at CLF
The Center recruits a limited number of student Summer Research Assistants positions to work during the summer. This year these positions are only open to current JHU students. The positions provide programmatic, research, and administrative assistance to CLF staff members. Responsibilities for each position include a range of duties and activities, such as conducting web-based research, report writing, data cleaning and data entry, data analysis, literature review, and event planning. Performing administrative support activities is part of each CLF Research Assistant’s scope of work, but will generally involve no more than 20 percent of work hours. Research Assistants are encouraged to attend CLF-sponsored seminars, lectures and other activities scheduled throughout the summer.
Students applying for 2025 Summer Research Assistant positions at CLF must be active in a degree-seeking, full-time or part-time status at JHU, must be physically in the United States, and must hold and maintain current work authorization during payment/work dates (i.e., foreign national students must be valid, unexpired J-1 and F-1 visa holders).
There are two openings at the Center.
1. Mutual Aid and Public Health: the role of mutual aid in filling food systems gaps
Scope of work: The Research Assistant will support the Community-Driven Food Policy focus area on the Mutual aid and Public Health project, a people-driven or community-rooted approach to ensure people have the material support they need, outside of reliance on charity and social services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, mutual aid networks played important roles in food access, including supporting community and regional food production. Because of the drastic changes in federal funding and governance of local and regional food systems and social services programs, food policy councils and other community-based organizations have a renewed interest in learning from the approaches and experiences of mutual aid groups. This project will involve the creation of a resource for food policy councils and allied organizations on the role of mutual aid in addressing food and agriculture support needs, the approaches they take to attract resources to address needs, and the challenges they encounter. This project will involve a literature review of peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed literature on mutual aid, as well as interviews with mutual aid groups and examples or case studies in the resource.
Skills required: Excellent writing and analysis skills and ability to work independently and in teams; experience conducting literature reviews and qualitative interviews. Desired but not required is a familiarity with food policy councils and/or mutual aid.
Hours/Week: 37.5
Level of education: DrPH or Masters
2. Meatless Monday and Sustainable Diets
Scope of work: The Research Assistant will assist CLF by providing research support, such as research, data collection and literature reviews for research projects related to the Meatless Monday (MM) Campaign and the launch of a new online resource center. Duties may include writing, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, research summaries, and report generation. May also include administrative duties as needed to assist the MM team or other CLF projects. Potential projects include cataloging current reports and research (by CLF and partners), drafting research summaries on identified topics relevant to Meatless Monday implementation, conducting outreach at JHU dining facilities as needed, and data analysis and summaries.
Skills required: Experience and/or training related to nutrition and sustainability and knowledge of food systems, public health, and preferably the Meatless Monday initiative; good communication, writing and organizational skills; experience with literature searches and data collection, recognizing the value of rigorous analysis and careful work; an independent worker who can also work effectively in a collaborative team-oriented environment.
Special Requirements: Proficiency in MS Office Suite, working knowledge of EndNote or RefWorks preferred, and ability to conduct simple data analysis using Excel, R, or Stata preferred.
Hours/Week: 15-20
Level of education: Masters or DrPH
Start date: o/a June 16, 2025
End date: o/a August 22, 2025
Hours: between 15 - 37.5 (depending on position filled)
Salary range: Commensurate with educational level
Applications for CLF student summer Research Assistants must be received by 9:00 a.m. on Monday, April 21, 2025. Process and additional information will be provided to selected shortlisted applicants only o/a Friday, April 25, 2025.
Instructions for applying to be a 2025 CLF Student Research Assistant
Please submit the following to clf@jhu.edu:
- Completed CLF RA Application Form
- An updated CV or resume describing your work experience, academic background, specific skills and expertise.
- Two or three references and contact information, to include both academic and work setting references.
- A writing sample of a paper you have developed from start to finish and that involved a review of literature.
- A cover-letter outlining the following:
- why you are interested in working with CLF
- what you hope to gain through a CLF Research Assistant’s experience