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The Work: ICF is looking for multiple Research Specialists to support a multi-year, large-scale systematic literature review project on physical activity for a federal client. Candidates will report to the Project Manager and/or Research Methodologist and will be primarily responsible for supporting literature screening and data extraction processes. They may also participate in various aspects of reporting results. The successful candidate will possess a strong understanding of exercise science concepts, the impacts of physical activity on health outcomes, the ability to critically evaluate scientific literature, familiarity with the systematic literature review approach, and strong attention to detail.

Job Location: This is a remote position however, the job must be performed in the United States. If you accept this position, you should note that ICF does monitor employee work locations and blocks access from foreign locations/foreign IP addresses, and also prohibits personal VPN connections.

As an on-call/freelancer, you might work zero to 30 hours per week, depending on our workload.

• Work volume will fluctuate across the lifespan of the project. The weekly number of hours assigned to each Research Specialist will be dependent on project needs and Research Specialist's availability.
• Research Specialists should be available to provide at least 5-10 hours of support per week; however, some weeks may have 0 hours assigned.
• Our core work hours are 10am- 4pm Eastern Time with the option to start earlier or work later depending on your time zone.
• Research Specialists may work outside of core work hours but must be able to attend and participate in regularly scheduled team meetings during ICF core work hours. Work schedules will be coordinated with the project leaders.

What You Will Do:

Research Specialists will support the project through the following activities

• Screening literature for inclusion/exclusion in reviews
• Extracting data from the included literature
• Assessing the quality of included studies using standardized assessment tools
• Supporting report development

What You Will Bring With You:

• Master's degree plus 1-2 years of experience conducting research related to physical activity, exercise, or public health.
• Educational background in a physical activity-related field such as exercise science, kinesiology, physical education, health science, or public health.
• Ability to read, interpret, and critically evaluate scientific literature related to physical activity, public health, and health behavior and outcomes.
• Experience conducting systematic literature reviews.

What We Would Like You To Bring With You:

• Familiarity with the 2nd Edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
• Experience with systematic literature review management platforms (e.g., DistillerSR, Covidence, Rayyan, etc.)
• Basic understanding of the meta-analysis approach as demonstrated through past job experience, coursework, and/or publication history
• Basic understanding of umbrella reviews (review of reviews) as demonstrated through coursework or publication history

Professional Skills:

• Strong attention to detail
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams
• Ability to prioritize and work on multiple projects under strict deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Working at ICF

ICF is a global advisory and technology services provider, but we're not your typical consultants. We combine unmatched expertise with cutting-edge technology to help clients solve their most complex challenges, navigate change, and shape the future.

We can only solve the world's toughest challenges by building a workplace that allows everyone to thrive. We are an equal opportunity employer. Together, our employees are empowered to share their expertise and collaborate with others to achieve personal and professional goals. For more information, please read our EEO policy.

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Reasonable Accommodations are available, including, but not limited to, for disabled veterans, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, in all phases of the application and employment process. To request an accommodation, please email Candidateaccommodation@icf.com and we will be happy to assist. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations.

Read more about workplace discrimination rights or our benefit offerings which are included in the Transparency in (Benefits) Coverage Act.

Candidate AI Usage Policy

At ICF, we are committed to ensuring a fair interview process for all candidates based on their own skills and knowledge. As part of this commitment, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to generate or assist with responses during interviews (whether in-person or virtual) is not permitted. This policy is in place to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the interview process.

However, we understand that some candidates may require accommodation that involves the use of AI. If such an accommodation is needed, candidates are instructed to contact us in advance at candidateaccommodation@icf.com. We are dedicated to providing the necessary support to ensure that all candidates have an equal opportunity to succeed.

Pay Range- There are multiple factors that are considered in determining final pay for a position, including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills, certifications and competencies that align to the specified role, geographic location, education and certifications as well as contract provisions regarding labor categories that are specific to the position.

The pay range for this position based on full-time employment is:

$74,090.00 - $125,954.00

Nationwide Remote Office (US99)