The Senior Research Scientist 1 serves as a lead scholar-practitioner within the Office for Community Health (OCH), advancing community-engaged research, evaluation, and learning initiatives that address social determinants of health (SDOH) across New Mexico. This role requires exceptional writing and analytical skills, deep familiarity with mixed-methods research and evaluation, and strong abilities to translate science and health evidence bidirectionally—between communities and institutional leadership.

The incumbent will partner closely with community organizations, Tribal Nations and Pueblos, state and local agencies, and academic collaborators to document, evaluate, and amplify the impacts of community-driven efforts to improve health equity. The position emphasizes respectful relationship-building, active listening, and strengths-based documentation of community knowledge, with a strong preference for experience in Indigenous evaluation methodologies and Tribal contexts.

Key Responsibilities Community-Engaged Research & Evaluation

• Lead and contribute to the design, implementation, and dissemination of community-engaged research and evaluation projects focused on SDOH, health equity, and systems change across New Mexico.

• Apply mixed-methods approaches (qualitative, quantitative, and participatory methods) to assess community initiatives, programs, and policies.

• Utilize and, where appropriate, co-create evaluation frameworks that reflect community values, priorities, and definitions of success.

• Integrate Indigenous and culturally responsive evaluation methodologies when working with Tribal communities, ensuring alignment with Tribal sovereignty, data governance, and ethical research practices. Writing, Documentation & Dissemination

• Serve as a lead writer for peer-reviewed manuscripts, reports, policy briefs, white papers, and grant-related products.

• Translate complex research findings into accessible, compelling narratives for diverse audiences, including community members, Tribal leaders, policymakers, funders, and academic audiences.

• Document community stories, processes, and impacts with accuracy, humility, and respect, highlighting lived experience and community-defined outcomes.

• Support OCH leadership in developing strategic communications that reflect evidence, community voice, and institutional priorities. Community Engagement & Partnership Development

• Build and sustain trusting relationships with community partners across urban, rural, frontier, and Tribal settings.

• Practice active listening and facilitation to ensure community perspectives inform research questions, evaluation design, interpretation of findings, and dissemination.

• Participate in community meetings, site visits, and collaborative learning spaces, serving as a bridge between community knowledge and academic/public health systems.

• Support capacity-building for community partners related to evaluation, storytelling, and use of data for decision-making. Leadership, Collaboration & Mentorship

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams including faculty, staff, students, community partners, and government constituents.

• Provide methodological and writing mentorship to junior researchers, staff, trainees, and community partners as appropriate.

• Contribute to the strategic direction of OCH research and evaluation priorities.

See the Position Description for additional information.

• Successful candidate must submit to a post-offer, pre-employment physical examination and medical history check. Additional health screenings may be required, dependent on the nature of the research conducted, as determined by Employee Occupational Health Services.

Master's degree; at least 5 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.

Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

• Experience with Indigenous evaluation methodologies, community-based participatory research (CBPR), or culturally responsive evaluation.

• Direct experience working with Tribal Nations, Pueblos, or other Indigenous leadership and community members, including familiarity with Tribal sovereignty, data governance, and ethical review processes.

• Experience evaluating initiatives addressing social determinants of health, Indigenous determinants of health, health equity, and structural drivers of health.

• Prior experience working in New Mexico or the Southwest.

• Record of peer-reviewed publications and/or policy-relevant dissemination products.

Only applications submitted through the official UNMJobs site will be accepted. If you are viewing this job advertisement on a 3rd party site, please visit UNMJobs to submit an application.

Positions posted with a Staff Type of Regular or Term are eligible for the Veteran Preference Program. See the Veteran Preference Program webpage for additional details.

The University of New Mexico is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

The University of New Mexico requires all regular staff positions successfully pass a pre-employment background check. This may include, but is not limited to, a criminal history background check, New Mexico Department of Health fingerprint screening, New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department fingerprint screening, verification of education credentials, and/or verification of prior employment. For more information about background checks, visit https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3280.html. Refer to https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3200.html for a definition of Regular Staff.