Employment

Working at CCRC

CCRC studies community colleges because they provide critical access to postsecondary education and are uniquely positioned to promote equity and social mobility in the United States. Our mission is to conduct research that helps these institutions strengthen opportunities and improve outcomes for their students.

Join our team of researchers and dedicated support staff as we work to address some of the most pressing problems facing community colleges and their students.

For an overview of employee benefits, visit the Teachers College Human Resources website.

Equal Employment Opportunity

CCRC at Teachers College is committed to fostering an inclusive academic community and to providing equal opportunity in employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration regardless of race, color, sex, religion, creed, national origin, age, citizenship, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other category protected by applicable law.

If you would like to discuss any disability-related accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, or a similar law, related to applying for employment at Teachers College, Columbia University, please email the Office of Access and Services for Individuals with Disabilities: oasid@tc.columbia.edu

Current Openings

There are no job openings at this time.

Research Assistant

Job Summary:

CCRC is seeking a full-time Research Assistant to support several research projects in postsecondary education. Candidates should have coursework or experience related to education and/or social science research and have a well-articulated interest in improving access to and success in community colleges and postsecondary education. The position responsibilities include project planning and coordination, data collection and analysis, and writing and dissemination. Strong written and oral communication skills and the ability to work as part of a team and to balance multiple project tasks are essential. This grant-funded position may begin immediately and is based in New York City and involves some travel. Please include a cover letter and resume in your application. Completion of a short task may be required as part of the hiring process.

Responsibilities:

Project Planning & Management

Assist research teams with scheduling, notetaking and coordination of fieldwork activities, including scheduling participant interviews and site visits.
Coordinate with external research partners and research sites to schedule and plan meetings, visits, and dissemination activities.
Critically review relevant research.
Participate in drafting and revising research-related documents, such as data collection instruments and Institutional Review Board (IRB) materials.
Participate in project team meetings (e.g., take notes, ask questions).

Data Collection & Analysis

Assist with collecting and organizing research data and information.
Conduct interviews and classroom observations under the supervision of senior project staff.
Communicate with research site personnel regarding fieldwork and other project-related activities under the supervision of senior project staff.
Assist senior staff in analyzing and managing research data and information.
Adhere to guidelines on data documentation, organization, and security.

Writing and Dissemination

Contribute to the writing of project publications and reports.
Write social media and blog posts.
As requested, assist senior staff in proposal preparation, including writing literature reviews, and preparation for conference presentations and dissemination activities.

CCRC Service

Participate in Center events and professional development activities.
As requested, serve on working groups to support CCRC’s equity mission.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree.
Coursework or experience related to education or social science research.
Outstanding oral and written communication skills.
Track record of delivering high-quality work product under deadline.
Good judgment, reliability, ability to work effectively independently and as part of a team.
Proficiency in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Complete hiring exercise/task.

Preferred Qualifications:

Direct experience with community colleges and/or broad access postsecondary institutions (either as a student or employee).

Experience using Dedoose or other qualitative coding software.

Experience working in a research center or as a member of a research team.
Coursework or experience in quantitative methods.

We encourage you to apply even if you meet some, but not all, of the requirements listed.

The Community College Research Center (CCRC) at Teachers College, Columbia University, studies community colleges because they provide critical access to postsecondary education and are uniquely positioned to promote social mobility in the United States. Our mission is to conduct research that helps these institutions strengthen opportunities and improve outcomes for students from all backgrounds.

Senior Editor

Position Summary

CCRC is seeking a full-time Senior Editor who will support the center’s editorial and communications efforts. Reporting to the center’s Communications Director, the Senior Editor will:

Develop & edit: As the center’s primary editor, review, edit, proofread, and format research-based reports and briefs aimed at practitioners and policymakers, as well as academic/technical papers written for researchers.
Create content: Write and edit a variety of material for print and web (including research summaries, press releases, blog posts, website content, and email newsletters), describing complex research findings in an accessible way.
Improve engagement: Look for opportunities to improve audience engagement through high-quality messaging, digital storytelling, and compelling graphs or visuals.
Facilitate dissemination: Post and curate online content, participate in broader communications activities, and collaborate directly with researchers to strengthen the reach and impact of their work.

The position may begin immediately and is based in New York City. With your application, please include a cover letter, resume, a writing sample, and 2–3 editing samples (ideally anonymized before-and-after documents, such as Word files with tracked changes).

Responsibilities

Edit, proofread, and format CCRC papers, reports, briefs, proposals, and other material.
Provide feedback and guidance for writers during manuscript development.
Liaise with authors, reviewers, and designers to coordinate all phases of publication production.
Write and edit research summaries, press releases, blog posts, website content, email newsletters, and other material.
Review publication layouts for errors, style inconsistencies, and adherence to brand standards.
Post and curate content on the center’s websites and help maintain social media accounts.
Collaborate with research and communications staff on project-related tasks.
Participate in CCRC events and professional development activities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
5+ years of experience in editorial or social science research roles, with a proven track record of editing and refining publications that shape complex qualitative and quantitative findings into compelling narratives with actionable recommendations for practice.
Superior understanding of grammar, spelling, and standard style conventions.
Strong writing skills, critical thinking, and creativity.
Ability to understand complex academic prose, edit text discussing statistical methods/results, and distill research findings and implications for broader audiences.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Ability to work autonomously and in a team environment.
Ability to track and prioritize multiple projects and to anticipate and meet deadlines.
Experience editing in Microsoft Word, including using “track changes” and formatting tools.

Preferred Qualifications

7+ years of relevant experience.
Prior experience editing applied research or academic papers, preferably in social sciences such as sociology and economics.
Familiarity with APA style.
Experience writing and editing content for the web and for nonacademic venues.
An eye for design and an interest in digital storytelling.
Familiarity with AI-assisted editing/proofreading tools.

Note: A proofreading test and editing/writing assignment will be included in the interview process.