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Student Opportunity SU24 – Stress & Disaster Research Assistant

Post

Published on March 27, 2024

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Job ID: 67137

Job Title: Stress & Disaster Research Assistant

Application Deadline: Thursday, April 18, 2024 @ 11:59 p.m. ET

Applications are only accepted through the Career Centre. Go to the Experience York portal through Passport York and search for the posting with the Job ID listed above. Note: applicants must be eligible to participate in the Research @ York (RAY) program, see eligibility criteria.


Hourly wage: $23 per hour

Hours per week: 10 hours per week

Start date: April 30, 2024

End date: August 30, 2024


Job description

Under the supervision of Professor Jennifer Spinney, the Stress & Disaster Research Assistant (for up to 10 hours per week) will qualitatively code and analyze interview data from a complex landfalling tropical cyclone (Hurricane Harvey, 2017) with a specific focus on occupational stress and stressors during high risk-high impact disasters. The RA will compile and evaluate literature on occupational stress, interpret interview research results and mobilize findings by:

  1. Delivering a presentation to interview participants and
  2. Aiding in the preparation of a manuscript for publication. This project aims to investigate the various ways that National Weather Service operational forecasters experience stress during complex landfalling tropical cyclones (LTC), to make a case that forecasting and warning of complex LTC is stressful in a variety of ways and for a variety of reasons, and to show how operational forecasters navigate those situations in a variety of ways (emphasizing in our analysis the positive and the pragmatically-oriented). The goal of the work is to raise awareness of the similar but also unique types of stressors and coping methods utilized by operational forecasters during stress situations (such as complex LTC like Harvey), and in so doing, elevate forecasters’ role in disaster management as first predictors, distinct from – but equally important as – other practitioners in this space.
Specific research activities the student(s) will be engaged in:
  • Creating and maintaining a productio

In this position the successful applicant will qualitatively code and analyze interview data (17 semi-structured interview transcripts) from a complex landfalling tropical cyclone (Hurricane Harvey, 2017) with a specific focus on occupational stress and stressors during a high risk-high impact disaster. The RA will compile and evaluate literature on occupational stress, interpret interview research results and mobilize findings by

  1. Delivering a presentation to interview participants and
  2. Aiding in the preparation of a manuscript for publication.

Qualifications

  • Current undergraduate York student. Applicants from diverse programs of study are encouraged. The Dahdaleh Institute welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, including, but not limited to women, persons with disabilities, visible minorities (racialized), Indigenous Peoples and persons of any gender identity and sexual orientation. York University is committed to a positive, supportive, and inclusive environment.
  • The ability to search for, locate, organize, and evaluate literature
  • The ability to pay attention to detail
  • The ability to work with the faculty lead as well as independently to achieve project objectives
  • Experience in qualitative data analysis, including coding, analyzing and synthesizing data
  • Strong analytical skills
  • Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills

Application materials

  • Cover letter
  • Resume

If you have any questions, please email Jennifer Spinney

Themes

Planetary Health

Status

Concluded

Related Work

N/A

Updates

N/A

People

Jennifer Spinney, Faculty Fellow, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies - Active


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