Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Vocational Research Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Vocational Research Coordinator leads research and evaluation efforts that measure and improve employment outcomes for individuals with barriers to work. This role coordinates study design, data collection, analysis, and dissemination; ensures compliance with ethical and regulatory requirements; supports grant proposals and reporting; and translates findings into actionable recommendations for program managers, policymakers, and community stakeholders. The coordinator serves as the technical liaison between frontline vocational services and research teams, driving evidence-based decision making to improve placement, retention, and job development strategies.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Research Assistant / Project Assistant in social services or workforce programs
Case Manager or Employment Specialist with experience in vocational services
Data Analyst or Program Coordinator in nonprofit or government workforce initiatives

Advancement To:

Senior Researcher / Research Manager (Vocational Services)
Program Evaluation Manager or Director of Research & Evaluation
Policy Advisor or Director of Workforce Programs

Lateral Moves:

Grants & Development Coordinator (with focus on research-supported proposals)
Workforce Development Program Manager
Quality Improvement Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead the design, implementation, and management of mixed-methods research and program evaluation projects focused on vocational rehabilitation, competitive integrated employment, and supported employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities or other employment barriers.
Develop detailed research protocols, logic models, and evaluation plans that include clear research questions, hypotheses, sampling strategies, measurement instruments, and data collection timelines aligned to organizational and funder objectives.
Manage all aspects of data collection including survey administration, interview and focus group facilitation, observational site visits, and extraction of administrative program and employment outcome data from case management systems.
Clean, merge, and maintain longitudinal datasets; develop reproducible data pipelines and documentation to ensure data integrity, security, and accessibility for analysis and reporting.
Conduct advanced quantitative analyses (e.g., regression modeling, propensity score matching, survival analysis) and qualitative analyses (e.g., thematic coding, framework analysis) to evaluate program effectiveness and identify factors associated with employment outcomes.
Design, validate, and implement outcome measures and performance indicators (e.g., job placement rates, earnings, retention, job quality, benefits utilization) tailored to vocational program goals and funder requirements.
Produce high-quality written deliverables including technical reports, executive summaries, grant progress reports, policy briefs, and peer-reviewed manuscripts that translate findings into practical recommendations for program improvement and policy change.
Present research findings and performance dashboards to internal leadership, funders, community stakeholders, and advisory groups in clear, non-technical language, using data visualizations and impact stories to inform decision-making.
Coordinate Institutional Review Board (IRB) submissions and manage human subjects protections, informed consent processes, and data confidentiality requirements in compliance with institutional and funder regulations.
Collaborate with program staff and employment specialists to integrate research insights into service delivery protocols, training curricula, and job development strategies to improve participant outcomes.
Serve as primary point of contact for external partners, including academic collaborators, state vocational rehabilitation agencies, workforce boards, employers, and community organizations to align research activities and data-sharing agreements.
Oversee contractor and vendor relationships for survey vendors, transcription services, or independent evaluators; manage scopes of work, deliverables, and budgets to ensure timely completion of contracted tasks.
Support grant writing and competitive funding applications by developing study designs, budgets, evaluation methodologies, and letters of support that demonstrate organizational capacity and evidence-based impact.
Develop and maintain interactive dashboards and routine monitoring reports (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) to track program KPIs and to enable real-time performance monitoring for program managers and leadership.
Train and supervise research assistants, interns, and frontline staff in data collection protocols, survey administration, participant engagement techniques, and quality assurance procedures.
Conduct economic and labor market analyses to contextualize program results, including wage analysis, occupational demand mapping, and employer engagement assessments that inform job placement strategies.
Monitor project budgets, timeline milestones, and deliverables; proactively identify and mitigate risks that could affect project fidelity or data quality.
Facilitate stakeholder workgroups and co-design sessions with participants, employers, and service providers to ensure research questions and program changes reflect lived experience and practical feasibility.
Ensure cultural competency and accessibility in research design and communication, adapting instruments and outreach strategies for diverse populations including persons with disabilities, limited English proficiency, and varying literacy levels.
Implement continuous quality improvement cycles by translating evaluation findings into iterative changes, piloting interventions, and measuring the impact of program modifications on employment outcomes.
Draft and negotiate data use agreements, memoranda of understanding, and information sharing protocols to allow secure linkage of administrative, employment, and health datasets when appropriate.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of best practices in vocational rehabilitation, evidence-based employment supports, and workforce policy trends to inform study design and stakeholder recommendations.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests from program teams and funders and perform exploratory and advanced analyses to answer time-sensitive operational questions.
Contribute to the organization’s research and data strategy by identifying opportunities for longitudinal studies, experimental pilots, and cross-site comparative analyses.
Collaborate with IT and database administrators to translate analytic needs into data architecture, improve data capture workflows, and implement automated reporting solutions.
Participate in grant management activities, including budgeting for evaluation components, tracking deliverables, and preparing interim and final evaluation reports for sponsors.
Assist in public dissemination activities including preparing conference presentations, posters, webinars, and social media summaries to share program impact and lessons learned.
Maintain an organized repository of research instruments, datasets, analysis scripts, and documentation to support reproducibility and institutional memory.
Provide technical assistance and coaching to community partners on outcome measurement, data collection best practices, and interpretation of evaluation findings.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proven ability to design and execute mixed-methods research and program evaluations in vocational rehabilitation, workforce development, or related social service contexts.
Advanced quantitative analysis skills using statistical software such as R, Stata, SAS, or SPSS; experience with modeling techniques commonly used in program evaluation (e.g., multivariate regression, propensity scores, hierarchical models).
Qualitative research skills including interview/focus group facilitation, coding, and thematic analysis using tools like NVivo, Dedoose, or MAXQDA.
Proficiency building reproducible data pipelines and analytical workflows using scripting languages (R, Python) and version control (Git).
Experience with survey design, distribution platforms (Qualtrics, REDCap), and survey weighting/adjustment techniques.
Competence with data visualization and dashboard tools such as Tableau, Power BI, or high-quality ggplot/plotly visualizations for stakeholder reporting.
Familiarity with administrative and case management databases used by vocational programs (e.g., Salesforce, Efforts to Outcomes, state VR data systems) and techniques for data extraction and linkage.
Knowledge of human subjects protection, IRB processes, and data privacy regulations (HIPAA, FERPA as applicable) including secure data storage and de-identification methods.
Experience conducting labor market analyses, occupational research, and wage/earnings trend assessments to connect program outcomes to employer demand.
Technical writing skills for grant applications, technical reports, peer-reviewed manuscripts, and policy briefs that convey complex findings to diverse audiences.
Ability to construct and manage evaluation budgets, scopes of work, and vendor contracts.

Soft Skills

Strong project management skills: ability to manage multiple concurrent studies, meet deadlines, and coordinate cross-functional teams.
Clear and compelling communication skills, both written and verbal, tailored for academic, funder, practitioner, and participant audiences.
High emotional intelligence and cultural humility to engage respectfully with participants, employers, and partners from diverse backgrounds and with varying abilities.
Collaborative mindset: experience building partnerships, facilitating stakeholder engagement, and leading interdisciplinary teams.
Critical thinking and problem-solving orientation with attention to methodological rigor and practical relevance.
Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills and a commitment to data quality and ethical research practices.
Adaptability and initiative to refine study designs based on emerging findings and changing program needs.
Training and mentorship ability to build capacity among staff and community partners in evaluation methods and data use.
Negotiation and diplomacy when working with external agencies on data sharing, access, and alignment of evaluation goals.
Results-driven focus on translating analysis into actionable recommendations that improve participant employment outcomes.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as Rehabilitation Counseling, Public Health, Sociology, Psychology, Social Work, Human Services, Economics, Public Policy, or Statistics.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree or higher in Vocational Rehabilitation, Public Health, Social Work, Program Evaluation, Applied Economics, Public Policy, or a related research-focused discipline.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Vocational Rehabilitation / Rehabilitation Counseling
Public Health / Epidemiology
Program Evaluation / Research Methods
Social Work / Human Services
Sociology / Psychology
Statistics / Data Science / Applied Economics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–5 years of progressive experience in applied research, program evaluation, or data analysis within vocational services, workforce development, nonprofit, academic, or government settings.

Preferred:

3–7+ years of direct experience in vocational rehabilitation research or evaluation, including leading studies, managing data systems, and partnering with state VR agencies, workforce boards, or employer networks. Experience with grant-funded projects and demonstrated success translating research into program or policy change is highly desirable.