Outreach Lab Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Position Summary

The Collective Lab Technician plays an important role in supporting innovative behavioral and mental health research within Dr. Vargas's research program. This position provides hands-on technical and operational support for multiple research studies, assisting with participant recruitment, IRB coordination, data management, and day-to-day research operations. Working closely with faculty and research staff, the role helps ensure studies are conducted efficiently, ethically, and in compliance with university and human subjects research standards. This is an excellent opportunity for a detail-oriented professional interested in psychology, public health, digital health, or general research focused on youth mental health and related areas.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate all aspects of research projects, including overseeing and tracking project progress, completing multiple tasks, complete and track project institutional administrative processes including purchasing, reimbursement, and approvals.
• Coordinate participant recruitment and study logistics using research participant pools, online platforms, and campus outreach methods. 
• Support IRB processes, including protocol submissions, amendments, continuing reviews, and compliance documentation. 
• Organize and maintain research datasets, participant records, and study documentation in accordance with confidentiality and data security standards. 
• Coordinate and assist with data collection, entry, verification, and management using research and survey tools such as Excel, Google Sheets, and Qualtrics. 
• Prepare and maintain research materials, equipment, and study supplies to support ongoing behavioral and social science research projects. 
• Plan and execute logistics for in-person and virtual workshops for research studies.
• Coordinate visits to or outreach events for community partner sites.

Why Join Us?

• Contribute to meaningful research focused on behavioral health, youth mental health, and related areas. 
• Gain hands-on experience with research operations, IRB processes, and data management in an academic research setting. 
• Work collaboratively with faculty, research staff, and students on impactful projects. 
• Develop skills using research technologies and participant management systems. 
• Join a research environment committed to ethical, data-driven, and community-focused scholarship.

As part of the California State University (CSU) system, San Diego State University helps power one of the largest and most impactful public university systems in the nation. See what it's like to work at the CSU-watch our video and imagine your future here: Working at the CSU.

Position Information

• This is a full-time (1.0 time-base), benefits eligible, temporary position with an anticipated end date of six months and a day of start date, with the possibility of reappointment. 
• This position is designated non-exempt under FLSA and is eligible for overtime compensation.
• Standard SDSU work hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but may vary based on operational needs.
• The individual hired into this role will work on campus at SDSU in San Diego.

Department Summary

The Department of Psychology at San Diego State University (SDSU) is one of the largest academic departments on campus and plays a central role in supporting undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral education in the behavioral sciences. Among the joint doctoral programs in which SDSU participates, the SDSU-UC San Diego (UCSD) Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology (JDP) is the largest and most established. The JDP is a collaborative program between SDSU and UCSD that provides advanced training in clinical psychology through integrated instruction, research, and clinical practice.

The program includes active participation from more than 170 faculty members across the SDSU Department of Psychology, the SDSU School of Public Health, and the UCSD Department of Psychiatry within the School of Medicine. The program has produced more than 360 alumni and currently enrolls approximately 77 doctoral students. Each year, the program receives approximately 700 applications for approximately 12 available admission slots. Students are admitted into one of three specialized training tracks, and both faculty and students are affiliated with these tracks as part of the program's training structure.

The employing unit provides the administrative, operational, and programmatic support necessary to ensure the effective functioning of the Joint Doctoral Program. This includes coordinating program administration, maintaining student and alumni records, supporting accreditation and compliance activities, managing program communications, and facilitating collaboration between SDSU and UCSD program partners. The unit also supports faculty, students, and program leadership by maintaining program databases, coordinating meetings and events, assisting with reporting and documentation requirements, and serving as a liaison with university offices, including the Graduate Division, departmental administration, and clinical training partners.

Through these activities, the employing unit supports the program's mission to provide high-quality doctoral education and training in clinical psychology while maintaining compliance with institutional and national accreditation standards.
The Collective Lab at San Diego State University, directed by Dr. Sylvanna Vargas, is a community-engaged mental health research lab focused on understanding and reducing disparities in depression, suicide risk, and help-seeking among underserved youth. Using intersectional and sociocultural frameworks, the lab examines how structural inequities, discrimination, social relationships, and cultural context shape mental health outcomes, particularly among racial/ethnic minority and sexual minority populations. The lab conducts interdisciplinary, mixed-methods and implementation-focused research to adapt and expand evidence-based interventions within real-world service settings that reach underserved youth. 

Current research includes projects focused on youth suicide prevention, mental health support and crisis helplines, peer and naturalistic social support, school-based mental health, and technology-supported implementation strategies. 

The lab is currently composed of PhD, Masters, post baccalaureate, and undergraduate trainees. The primary responsibility of the Research Coordinator will be to serve as Lab Manager and coordinate activities for an NIMH-funded K23 project examining teen-to-teen mental health crisis and support helplines, while also supporting broader lab operations and ongoing research initiatives. 

For more information regarding the Collective Lab at San Diego State University, click here.

Education and Experience

Equivalent to two years of experience providing instructional support services for a unit or discipline, acting as a student assistant, or in producing materials or supplies related to the discipline.

OR

Equivalent to two years of college with 16 semester units in courses involving extensive use of materials, supplies, or equipment and in a discipline related to the area to which assigned may be substituted for one year of the required experience.

OR

Equivalent to four years of college with 16 semester units in courses involving extensive use of materials, supplies, or equipment and in a related discipline may be substituted for the experience.

Key Qualifications

• Ability to work in a fast paced and deeply impactful project with a lot of moving parts; requiring a high level of organization, communication and task tracking and completion. 
• A collaborative and team-oriented attitude 
• Experience with planning in-person workshops and events, including managing logistics, agendas, procuring vendors and clear communications with workshop participants. 
• Ability to navigate complex administrative systems required at SDSU for processing purchases and reimbursements, setting up lab technology, etc. 
• Exceptional interpersonal skills demonstrated through experience with building community partner relationships, client-facing activities (e.g., in healthcare, research, or service industries) or other similar experience. 
• Working knowledge of Institutional Review Board (IRB) submission processes, protocol amendments, continuing reviews, and documentation requirements for human subjects research.
• Experience coordinating participant recruitment using research participant pools, online recruitment platforms (e.g., SONA Systems), and campus outreach methods.
• Experience organizing and maintaining research datasets and study documentation in compliance with confidentiality and data security standards.
• Ability to perform accurate data entry, verification, and data file organization using spreadsheet or database software.
• Proficiency with common research data tools such as Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, Qualtrics, or similar survey and data collection platforms.
• Ability to prepare and maintain research materials, equipment, and study supplies used in behavioral or social science research studies.
• Ability to maintain organized electronic and physical research files, including IRB documentation, study materials, and participant records.
• Experience working in a psychology, behavioral science, or social science research laboratory or research program is preferred.
• Master's degree desired in psychology, public health, social work, or a related field.
• Background or interest in youth mental health, suicide prevention, crisis services, or related areas is preferred.
• Bilingual Spanish-English proficiency preferred.

Licenses/Certifications Required

Valid California Driver's License or the ability to obtain one within 30 days of hire.

Compensation and Benefits

San Diego State University offers competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being and professional growth.

Compensation:
Step placement will be determined based on relevant qualifications and professional experience, in alignment with the department's budget and equity guidelines.

• Initial step placement is not expected to exceed Step 2 ($4,268) for highly qualified candidates.
• Salary step placement for internal applicants will follow the CSUEU Collective Bargaining Agreement.
• CSU Classification Salary Range: $4,184 - $6,096 per month (Step 1 - Step 20).
• Future increases, including step advancements, are subject to contract negotiations.

Full Benefits Package Includes:

• Generous Time Off: 15 paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave.
• Retirement: CalPERS pension plan with retiree healthcare, and reciprocal agreements with other California public retirement systems, including the UC.
• Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision options at low or no cost.
• Education Support: CSU tuition fee waiver for employees and eligible dependents.
• Optional Offerings: FlexCash, life and disability insurance, legal and pet plans.
• Campus & Community: Access to the library, campus events, employee groups, and volunteer and social activities.

Our benefits are a significant part of total compensation. Learn more at the SDSU Benefits Overview.

SDSU Values

At SDSU, our diversity gives us power and benefits every single member of our community.  Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU provides equal opportunity for all in education and employment.  We encourage all members of our community to purposefully learn from one another through open and respectful dialogue and responsible engagement. We strongly preserve the right to free expression and encourage difficult conversations that help lead to improved individual and community learning and cohesion.

Principles of Community

At San Diego State University, we are a community of diverse individuals who have and represent many perspectives, beliefs, and identities. This diversity lends our community strength, and we commit to creating and sustaining an inclusive and intellectually vibrant environment that benefits all members of our university. 

SDSU's Principles of Community is an aspirational statement that is intended to evolve over time. The statement reflects the ideals we are encouraged to uphold in our interactions with one another. 

Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment

All university programs and activities are open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, San Diego State University (SDSU) provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. SDSU complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Eq...