Job Opening: Green Carts Research Assistant

The Project

Green Carts was implemented in 2008 by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) to supply fresh fruits and vegetables to communities throughout NYC that have been found to have insufficient access to produce. The program has also been a vehicle for supporting entrepreneurship for those looking for a flexible business opportunity with a low barrier to entry. The CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute is collaborating with NYC DOHMH in an evaluation of the program to identify different ways to strengthen and scale the program to ensure its impact and long-term viability, as well as to inform efforts to increase the effectiveness of using mobile food vending to improve access to and the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Position

We are looking to hire a team of Research Assistants (RAs) who will be responsible for conducting quantitative street intercept surveys with Green Carts customers. They will also contribute to transcription, coding, and analysis of qualitative data collected through a series of interviews with key stakeholders.

Applicant Qualifications 

The successful candidate will have a combination of several of the following skills:

• An advanced degree in public health, nutrition, or a related field (or be near completion)
• Experience collecting quantitative data, such as recruiting for and conducting field surveys
• Experience transcribing, coding, and analyzing qualitative data from interviews/focus groups
• Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong written communication and organizational skills
• Bilingual (speaking, reading and writing) in English/Spanish (preferred), English/Chinese (preferred) or another language
• Experience with Qualtrics, Dedoose, and Microsoft Excel
• Preference will be given to candidates who are CUNY students, and to those who have already completed CITI Human Subjects Training (Human Subjects Research-Social Behavioral and Responsible Conduct of Research courses.)

Project Commitment and Compensation

This is a grant-funded position managed through the CUNY Research Foundation for 10-12 hrs/wk at a rate between $22-25 per hour (depending on experience) between October 2023-February 2024. This is a field based position and research assistants will visit Green Cart locations in NYC to collect data. While some remote work is possible, successful candidates will be expected to work periodically in the project office at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, as well as regularly conduct in-person surveys at Green Cart locations throughout the five boroughs. Weekly travel to Green Cart sites throughout NYC will be required.  

All Research Assistants will be required to complete CITI Human Subjects Training. Individuals hired for this position must be able to provide documentation of permission to work in the US in person at CUNY SPH campus the week of October 2, 2023. The preferred start date for this position is October 10, 2023.

To Apply

Interested individuals who meet a majority of the qualifications listed above are encouraged to apply by sending an email to Julia Greene julia.greene70@sphmail.cuny.edu with the following:

1. Detailed cover letter summarizing applicable background/experience
2. Resume / CV
3. Information regarding availability for a 30-minute video (Zoom) interview beginning the week of September 18, 2023.

Our fellowship programs provide funding for CUNY faculty and students to spend one or two semesters at the Institute, during which senior faculty will assist them in developing research projects and proposals, or they can contribute to existing work of Institute faculty and staff.

Doctoral Student Fellowship Program

Our Doctoral Student Fellowship Program launched in Fall 2016. Students are invited to apply to receive a stipend to participate in Institute research projects or to develop a dissertation research project of their own, with the support of Institute faculty and staff.

We welcome graduate students who wish to pursue fieldwork placements, capstone projects, Masters essays, or dissertation projects in food policy or food justice. Our institute can provide a home for food policy research conducted by CUNY students as well as students from institutions across the city and the world. Stipends are often available.

If you would like to learn more about conducting research with us, write to us at urbanfoodpolicy@sph.cuny.edu.

Please submit all relevant information, LOIs, and supporting documents using the link below.

https://forms.gle/5KTtvw1vumbUnrds6

If you have any questions please email craig.willingham@sph.cuny.edu

The CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute is a research and action center at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy. The Institute provides evidence to inform urban and municipal food policies that make equitable access to healthy, affordable food a priority and promote intersectoral perspectives that link nutrition, health, racial equity, democratic engagement, sustainable communities and a valued workforce.

The Institute is now accepting letters of interest (LOI) for students interested in internships for spring, summer and fall of 2023. The LOI should focus on one of the Institute’s current research areas listed below. If there is a food policy topic not explicitly mentioned, and in which you have strong interest and the desire to further develop through this internship, please include it in your LOI. The deadline for applications is February 28th 2023. We will review applications in early March and contacting selected applicants by March 31st 2023.

INTERNSHIP TOPIC AREAS

Food Policy Monitor/Regional Food Equity Planning

Our work in this area is focused on emerging trends in food policy at the city, state, and federal levels and regional food planning. You can read more about our work in this area here.

Food Labor and Workforce Development

Issues impacting food workers related to compensation and working conditions are currently being researched by the Institute. You can read more about our work in this area here.

Unhealthy Food/Predatory Marketing/Ultra-processed food

Our Institute is taking a close look at the marketing, promotion, formulation and impact of unhealthy food. You can read more about our work in this area here.

Food Security

Analysis of Pandemic EBT, campus food security, and the expansion of SNAP, WIC, etc. are all part of our research portfolio. You can read more about our work in this area here.

Food Advocacy

Our Institute conducts research to help advance participatory practices, from food plans to accessible food data in order to enable ordinary people to engage in food planning and policymaking. You can read more about our work in this area here.

Food Policy Communications

We provide information about food policy through our newsletter, forums, and social media so that advocates have the most up-to-date information to help them influence food policy change. You can read more about our work in this area here.

Other

If you have an idea for a topic not mentioned here, feel free to describe that in your LOI.

How to apply

Please fill out the submission form using the link here. You will also be able to upload your LOI and resume using the same link.

LOI REQUIREMENTS

Your LOI should be no longer than 500 words and include the following:

• Why you want to intern with the Institute

• Why you are interested in your chosen topic area

• Your vision for how this internship will support your academic and professional goals