Role Description:
The Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research (CHEER) at Boston Medical Center is a world-class center for maternal-child health advocacy, training, and research. Its mission is to bring about health equity by collaborating with community-based partners and providing technical assistance, training, evaluation, and inspiration.
The CHEER Graduate Student Research Assistant (Student RA) will support CHEER’s Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Practices (CHAMPS) programs:
CHAMPS National
CHAMPS National is a CDC-funded program to help hospitals increase exclusive breastfeeding rates and improve maternity care. CHEER is working with 100 hospitals across the US to safely implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.
Mississippi CHAMPS
CHEER is partnering with community doulas, hospitals, and leaders in maternal-child health equity, including Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE), to develop a model for integrating doulas into maternity care teams in Mississippi birthing hospitals. We are also working with these hospitals to sustain their Baby-Friendly designation. Previously, Mississippi CHAMPS focused on helping these hospitals to implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and achieve Baby-Friendly designation.
The Student RA’s responsibilities may include survey distribution and data collection, assisting with community health assessments, communicating with program contacts, and other research and administrative tasks. The role will also involve work supporting CHEER’s social media and communications, including its website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Qualifications:
We are looking for candidates who are strong communicators, organized, detail-oriented, and motivated. Prior professional experience is valued but not required. Applicants should have an interest/background in maternal-child health, health equity, and/or social media. Proficiency in Word and Excel is required, and experience using Facebook, Instagram, WordPress, and Qualtrics is a plus. Bilingual Spanish preferred. We encourage students from diverse backgrounds to apply.
Student RAs are typically graduate students at Boston University or Boston University Medical Campus. This position qualifies as an MPH practicum requirement, but it is not required that a student use it as a practicum experience.
The Student RAs will be expected to work 20 hours a week during the summer, with a possibility to extend through the fall 2026 semester. The pay is $25/hour.
To Apply:
Interested candidates can email their resume and a cover letter (not to exceed one page each) with the job title in the subject line to the following CHEER contact. The deadline to apply is May 15, 2026.
Mariah DeBow, Project Management Specialist
Mariah.debow@bmc.org
