Company Overview

Founded in 1990, Kauffman and Associates, Inc. (KAI) is an American Indian– and woman-owned management consulting firm dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable populations and enhancing the reach and effectiveness of social sector organizations. We combine stories of lived experiences with meaningful, data-driven insights to reach underserved communities.

 We work closely with federal, tribal, state, and regional governments; associations; foundations; and private-sector partners. KAI is dedicated to uplifting American Indian and Alaska Native people, tribal and urban Indian communities, and social sector programs.

At KAI, we do work that matters!  

Values

KAI is a mission-driven organization, firmly grounded in our company values that guide our approach and prioritize the work that we pursue. KAI values are Indigeneity, Thought Leadership, Innovation, Integrity, Collaboration, and Results. 

Job Classification

Full Time Regular Professional

Fully Remote 

Job Summary

The Senior Researcher is a senior individual contributor and thought leader who plays an active, hands‑on role in conceptualizing, designing, conducting, analyzing, and interpreting mixed‑methods research and evaluation across KAI’s research portfolio. This role goes beyond project execution to shape research questions, methodological approaches, and analytic strategies that advance learning, innovation, and impact for Indigenous communities.

The Senior Researcher leads complex studies from initial framing through dissemination, applying deep expertise in qualitative, quantitative, and integrated mixed‑methods designs. This position serves as a methodological anchor for project teams, mentors junior and mid‑level staff in advanced research practice, and partners closely with Project Managers and leadership to ensure rigorous, culturally responsive, and actionable research products. The Senior Researcher demonstrates strong independent judgment, intellectual curiosity, and fluency with Indigenous and community‑based research frameworks, including tribal data sovereignty, ethical review, and data governance. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide intellectual and methodological leadership across the research portfolio, actively shaping research questions, evaluation strategies, and analytic approaches rather than solely implementing predefined designs.
• Design, conduct, and analyze qualitative, quantitative, and fully integrated mixed‑methods studies, including development of conceptual frameworks, protocols, instruments, sampling plans, and analytic models.
• Lead mixed‑methods integration, including triangulation, joint displays, and synthesis of qualitative and quantitative findings to generate deeper insights and actionable recommendations.
• Develop and oversee research protocols, sampling and recruitment strategies, data collection instruments, and analytic plans, ensuring methodological rigor and cultural responsiveness at every stage.
• Conduct and direct advanced qualitative and quantitative analyses using tools such as SPSS, SAS, R, NVivo, Tableau, and related platforms; actively engage in analysis rather than delegating analysis entirely.
• Ensure all research activities uphold Indigenous research ethics, tribal consultation and approval processes, data sovereignty principles, and appropriate data governance and dissemination practices.
• Translate complex findings into clear, compelling narratives for diverse audiences, including clients, leadership, policymakers, and community partners.
• Serve as Project Director or senior technical lead for assigned projects, contributing to study design decisions, analytic quality control, and interpretation of findings.
• Collaborate with Project Managers to ensure alignment between methodological scope, timelines, budgets, and staffing.
• Mentor and coach junior and mid‑level staff in research design thinking, mixed‑methods approaches, analysis, and interpretation, fostering internal research capacity.
• Contribute to methodological innovation and thought leadership, including development of new mixed‑methods approaches, culturally grounded measures, white papers, presentations, or other learning products.
• Stay current on emerging research methods, policy trends, and best practices relevant to Indigenous communities, evaluation, and human subjects protections. 

Collaboration & Leadership

• Lead workstreams and coordinate closely with leadership.
• Mentor junior and mid‑level researchers.
• Model ethical and culturally humble engagement. 

Key Competencies

• Demonstrated thought leadership in research and evaluation, with the ability to independently frame problems, design studies, and guide analytic decision‑making.
• Advanced expertise in mixed‑methods research, including design, analysis, and intentional integration of qualitative and quantitative data.
• Strong hands‑on analytic skills, with the ability to both conduct analyses and mentor others in methodological rigor.
• Deep knowledge of Indigenous, community‑based, and culturally responsive research frameworks, including tribal data sovereignty principles.
• Ability to synthesize complex data into meaningful insights that inform practice, policy, and program improvement.
• Collaborative leadership style that supports mentoring, learning, and cross‑disciplinary teamwork.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for technical and non‑technical audiences. 

Education & Experience

• Master’s degree in epidemiology, evaluation, public health, psychology, education or a related field required with 7–10 years of relevant experience; PhD preferred.
• Proficiency in data analysis and visualization software (SPSS, SAS, R, NVivo, Tableau, ArcGIS). 

Demands/Complexity

Manages multiple concurrent projects, ensures rigor and cultural alignment. 

Supervisory Responsibility

Moderate supervision of junior and mid‑level staff. 

Work Environment and Demands

Fully remote position with periodic travel for conferences, fieldwork, or meetings. 

Disclaimer

This job description is not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of this position. All KAI employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed, to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

Benefits Overview

• up to 100% company paid medical insurance premiums (dependent on plan choice), portion of family paid

• up to 100% company paid dental insurance premiums (dependent on plan choice), portion of family paid

• Vision insurance

• $50K life insurance

• Partial internet reimbursement

• 100% remote work

• Matching 401K

• EAP