Student-Evaluator Careers

Evaluation Assistant I is the foundation of our team, enthusiastically participating in essential program evaluation tasks. In this dynamic learning role, you will be immersed in comprehensive training and constructive feedback. This is your launchpad, igniting your passion for evaluation as a lever for social change as you gain the expertise needed to excel in your responsibilities.

As an Evaluation Assistant II, you'll dive deeper into the world of program evaluations, contributing to a range of vital tasks. With growing autonomy, you'll handle assignments that test your skills while benefiting from ongoing training and feedback. Your evolving capabilities will empower you to explore new horizons and broaden your influence.

Stepping into the role of an Evaluation Associate I, you're ready to own a variety of responsibilities. Here, you'll exercise your independence, conducting program evaluation tasks with finesse and sharing insights and feedback with peers. With guidance and constructive input, you'll delve deeper into your expertise, conquering challenges and expanding your skill set.

Elevate your impact as an Evaluation Associate II, where you'll navigate complex program evaluations with confidence and provide guidance to fellow team members. Empowered by advanced training and feedback, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping evaluation strategies and engaging with organizations and their constituents.

Evaluation Assistant I is the default position assignment for students with no related experience or who are just beginning to develop their employment track records.

Minimum criteria for hiring into this position include the following:

• Excited to cultivate skills pertaining to program evaluation.
• Exhibits high potential for rapid learning and professional growth (e.g., attentive to detail, responsive to application directions, show evidence of readiness to contribute meaningfully to the Lab’s services and to diverse communities).
• Academic program and interests, career and educational goals, background, and past work or volunteer experience, align with the Lab’s purpose and staffing needs.

Student-evaluators may be promoted to the Evaluation Assistant II position after demonstrating they:

• are able to carry out a least one type of fundamental program evaluation task independently, such as conducting interviews, administering surveys, conducting basic qualitative or quantitative analysis, creating charts or infographics, or writing portions of evaluation reports.
• perform at the “Developing” (or higher) competence level on most of WMU’s Student Employment Competencies.

Student-evaluators may be promoted to the Evaluation Associate I position after demonstrating they are:

• able to carry out multiple fundamental tasks competently and independently, such as conducting interviews, administering surveys, conducting basic qualitative or quantitative analysis, creating charts or infographics, or writing portions of evaluation reports. 
• increasing their proficiency in executing one or more complex evaluation tasks such as developing surveys, conducting literature reviews, developing logic models, leading focus groups, performing complex qualitative or qualitative analyses, engaging with organizations and their constituents, and contributing to evaluation design.
• perform at the “Competent” (or higher) competence level on most of WMU’s Student Employment Competencies.

Student-evaluators may be promoted to the Evaluation Associate II position after demonstrating they are:

• able to skillfully perform multiple complex program evaluation tasks such as developing surveys, conducting literature reviews, developing logic models, leading focus groups, performing complex qualitative or qualitative analyses, engaging with organizations and their constituents, and contributing to evaluation design.
• Perform at the “Advanced” (or higher) competence level on most all of WMU’s Student Employment Competencies.