Research Assistant, Advocacy, Dublin

Location: Dublin

Contract: Part-Time, 2 Year Fixed-Term Contract

Focus Ireland works with people who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes across Ireland. We are driven by our core values of empowerment, social justice, quality and dignity and the fundamental belief that homelessness is wrong. The organisation has a recognised track record of producing high quality research into the causes, impacts and solutions to homelessness. This work informs much of the work within the Advocacy department.

The purpose of this job is to work as part of the Research Team, providing support to the Research Manager and Research Officer. The Research Assistant is an individual with a self-identified lived experience and journey in receiving services and supports from housing/homeless service providers. This experience is essential for key aspects of the role such as supporting a programme of services monitoring and evaluation and the development of the peer research programme.

What you will do:

• Support research activities as directed by Research Manager and Research Officer.
• Work closely with Research Officer and staff across the organisation in undertaking service monitoring and evaluation.
• Support the supervision of a small team of peer researchers through research projects and activities and provide peer researchers support in development of research skills and related professional competencies.
• Using your lived experience, share your knowledge to enhance the research strategy.
• Attend team meetings, supervision, and any training or professional development organised by the coordinator which has been identified as beneficial for your progression in the role.
• Support event planning and organisational activities.
• Provide administrative support for research and the wider advocacy team.
• Presenting findings or research at different conferences or events.

What you will need:

• Have a lived experience of homelessness.
• Have achieved stability in relation to your housing situation.
• Experience in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies including peer research or co-production methodologies.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation data collection and analysis.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, particularly with people considered to be vulnerable.
• Comfortable working with Microsoft tools: Excel, word, PowerPoint.
• Good working knowledge of ethical protocols and standards in conducting research to a high standard.
• Relevant experience of working in a team which shares a common goal. (Desirable)
• An interest in building research skills. (Desirable)
• Experience of presenting findings from research to different audiences. (Desirable)
• Good knowledge of issues affecting people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. (Desirable)
• Research-specific qualification. (Desirable)

Focus Ireland is an equal opportunities employer