Research Associate - Temporary

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks that include numerous retail and restaurant discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates for performing arts events.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

The School of Information and Library Science (SILS) seeks to advance the profession and practice of librarianship and information science, to prepare students for careers in the field of information and library science, and to make significant contributions to the study of information. We educate innovative and responsible thinkers who will lead the information professions. These future leaders will be equipped to discover principles and impacts of information, create systems, techniques, and policies to advance information processes and services, and advance information creation, access, use, management and stewardship to improve the quality of life for local, national, and global communities.

The School's programs are among the top ranked by the US News and World Report, and the School is internationally known for its outstanding research, teaching, and service. We offer multiple Bachelor, Masters, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees as well as a variety of dual degree, professional, certificate and online programs for personal enrichment at any stage of a students' academic career ( ). We are a proud interdisciplinary campus partner leading the Carolina Health Informatics Program (CHIP); Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life (CITAP); and The Knowledge Trust. We have proudly staffed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Library since 1975.

The Carolina Health Informatics Program (CHIP) is an interdisciplinary research and training program that plays a key role in fulfilling UNC-Chapel Hill's commitment to improving human health through health informatics research, data sharing, development, and education. We draw faculty, health care professionals, and students from across the UNC campus to conduct basic and translational research and to offer graduate training in health informatics for scientists across the disciplines and for clinicians in medicine, nursing, public health, dentistry, and pharmacy.

The Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life (CITAP) is a research center dedicated to understanding the growing impact of the internet, social media, and other forms of digital information sharing in the context of the people who design, use, and govern them. CITAP conducts original research that illuminates how people, technology, and power intersect. Our topics of study include: how inequalities are coded into new technology systems, networked communities and how people come together online, platform governance, and identity and disinformation. We take a holistic approach grounded in history, society, culture, and politics to the study of technology platforms and information systems.

Located in Research Triangle Park (RTP), SILS provides professional library services to the EPA's largest research facility, where investigators focus on air pollution and its effects on human health and the ecosystem. The Library's collections and services provide exposure to and experience with a wide range of materials, including biomedical, toxicological, and chemical information; engineering literature; government documents; and basic management and computer information. The EPA-RTP Library internship has been a cornerstone of the library's service model since 1975. The library is staffed by a mixture of full-time professional librarians and up to eight graduate student interns.

Position Summary

This position is a 100% remote work arrangement, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside in North Carolina, within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.

The Research Associate will support a range of interdisciplinary research projects led by Dr. Fei Yu at the UNC School of Information and Library Science. This temporary position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge studies at the intersection of artificial intelligence, health information, and user-centered design. The successful candidate will assist in data collection, analysis, and reporting for projects related to:

• Research evaluation using large language models (LLMs): Exploring the application of LLMs such as ChatGPT for assessing scholarly alignment with funding priorities and research impact.
• Health literacy assessment: Evaluating the quality and readability of patient education materials and public health messaging using validated instruments (e.g., PEMAT, DISCERN, FKGL).
• AI literacy programming: Supporting the development, implementation, and evaluation of AI literacy education programs for library and information science (LIS) students and the broader research community.
• Systematic reviews and bibliometric studies: Contributing to structured literature searches, screening, coding, and synthesis using tools like PRISMA, MMAT, Covidence, research databases, and citation analysis platforms.
• Health Information Technology evaluation: Assisting in designing and usability testing AI-enhanced research tools and public-facing health information interfaces.

The Research Associate will work under the supervision of Dr. Fei Yu and collaborate with students, faculty, and external partners. Responsibilities may include conducting literature reviews, organizing and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data, setting up an LLM environment and running experiments, co-developing posters and manuscripts, managing project documentation, and assisting with conference presentations and stakeholder engagement.

The position will provide mentorship opportunities and professional development in research methods, project management, and interdisciplinary collaboration. This is a temporary position with the possibility of extension based on funding availability and project needs.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Bachelor's degree; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

• Demonstrated experience with research methods, including literature review, qualitative and/or quantitative data collection and analysis, and research documentation.
• Bibliometric or citation analysis tools (e.g., Scopus, Web of Science, Dimensions, VOSviewer, Bibliometrix)
• Systematic review methods and software (e.g., Covidence, Rayyan, Zotero, PRISMA guidelines)
• Health literacy assessment tools (e.g., PEMAT, DISCERN, GQS, readability formulas)
• Data analysis software (e.g., Excel, R, Python, NVivo, SPSS, or Tableau)
• Basic experience with AI tools, LLMs (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude), or natural language processing techniques
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to synthesize academic literature, draft research summaries or weekly meeting notes, and contribute to manuscript preparation, data visualization, and presentation development.
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team-based research environment. The candidate is expected to be detail-oriented, organized, and able to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Strong work ethnics in terms of observing institutional regulations in executing projects, delivering results in a timely manner, and following through on each assigned task.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

• Prior involvement in projects using generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Bard, LLaMA) via API for research, content evaluation, or application development. Familiarity with prompt engineering, fine-tuning models, or evaluating AI outputs for accuracy, bias, or usability is highly desirable.
• Experience with secondary data sources for bibliometric or scientometric analyses, including data extraction from sources such as PubMed, Scopus, or Dimensions, and using tools like VOSviewer, Bibliometrix, or Excel for trend and network visualization. Familiarity with research impact frameworks or academic evaluation systems is a plus.
• Understanding of evidence synthesis methodologies, including PRISMA, JBI, or MMAT guidelines. Experience in search strategy development, citation screening, data extraction and analysis using tools such as Rayyan, Covidence, or EndNote/Zotero is preferred
• Competence in analyzing qualitative or quantitative data using tools such as R, Python, NVivo, SPSS, or Tableau. Familiarity with creating clean, interpretable graphics and dashboards for reporting research findings is advantageous.
• Experience contributing to academic manuscripts, research posters, or grant proposals. Familiarity with citation management tools (e.g., Zotero, EndNote) and ability to synthesize and clearly communicate research findings to academic and general audiences.

Special Physical/Mental Requirements Campus Security Authority Responsibilities

Not Applicable.

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