Position: Graduate Research Assistant (OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Master’s or PhD student)
Academic Year 2026-2027: September 16-June 15 (10-15 hours/week)
Schedule: Flexible hours, with some synchronous time for (virtual) participant interview coordinated with project milestones. Remote work is fine for this role.
Compensation: Tuition remission for 1 Academic year (9 credits per term for 3 terms) + salary for 0.3FTE at $3,744 monthly rate as set by the graduate student union.
Supervisor/PI: Laura Jacobson, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Health Systems, Management, & Policy
Project Focus: Pre-testing a novel measure of menstrual changes associated with contraceptive use

About the Project

Menstrual changes are among the most common reasons people stop using contraception, which makes accurate measurement of those changes essential to improving method satisfaction, continuation, and reproductive autonomy. This global health project pre-tests a new measure designed to capture contraceptive-related menstrual changes, with the goal of strengthening how these outcomes are defined and assessed across diverse settings. This graduate research assistant position will contribute to qualitative data collection/analysis and manuscripts or other dissemination products supporting development of this novel measure.

Key Responsibilities

Under the direction of the PI, you will:

• Conduct virtual qualitative interviews (on camera) with study participants
• Provide project coordination and research support
• Contribute to qualitative analysis (coding, theme identification, interpretation)
• Provide writing support for manuscripts and summaries
• Potential to attend an in-person training session in the Dominican Republic in mid-September 2026
• Work collaboratively as part of a research team

What You’ll Get

• Hands-on training and development of qualitative interview skills
• Mentorship and feedback on qualitative analysis and research writing
• Opportunity to contribute to scholarly outputs and publications
• Experience working on a global reproductive health study

Required Qualifications (Must Haves)

• Full time OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Master’s or PhD student in AY26-27
• Interest in contraception, menstrual health, and reproductive health
• Strong communication skills and reliability
• Comfort conducting interviews on camera
• A reliable, good-quality internet connection for remote interviews and meetings
• Ability to work independently, manage tasks, and meet agreed-upon deadlines
• Ability to attend some interviews and project meetings that occur early in the morning or later in the evening

Nice to Have (Not Required)

• Experience with qualitative research methodology
• Prior interviewing or data collection experience
• Academic writing or editing experience
• Availability to attend the mid-September 2026 training in the Dominican Republic

How to Apply

Please submit:

• A resume or CV
• A brief note or cover letter (2-3 paragraphs) describing your interest in the project, relevant experience, and overall research or public health practice goals
• Your availability for the 2026-2027 academic year including the ability to travel outside of the US in September 2026.

Send materials to: Laura Jacobson, lj5@pdx.edu Subject line: “Contraceptive menstrual changes GRA applicant”.