Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment:
Chico State is a diverse community of individuals who represent many perspectives, beliefs, and identities, committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and intellectually vibrant environment. We cultivate a culture of open dialogue, mutual respect, and belonging to support educational excellence and student success. Through academic programs, student organizations and activities, faculty initiatives, and community partnerships, we encourage meaningful engagement with diverse perspectives. As a higher education institution, we are dedicated to advancing knowledge and empowering individuals to reach their full potential by prioritizing inclusive curriculum development, faculty and staff training, student mentorship, and comprehensive support programs. At California State University, Chico, excellence is built on merit, talent, diversity, accessibility, and equal opportunity for all. The ideal candidate will embrace our values predicated on the primacy of student success and equitable learning and working environments.
Position Title: FOCUS Student Research Assistant (Instructional Student Assistant)
College/Unit: College of Communication and Education
Department/School: Kinesiology Department / Autism Clinic
Application Deadline: 9/18/2026
Seasonal Role Working Dates: 9/14/26 to 12/31/26 with the possibility of reappointment in the spring
Pay Range: $17.86 – 23.84/hr
Location Type: On-site (Chico State campus), with remote participation available for fully online students
Role Description:
The Kinesiology Department in the College of Communication and Education is collecting application materials for student research assistants to support FOCUS (Foundations for Organization, Care, and University Success), a pilot program for neurodivergent and disabled students at California State University, Chico. FOCUS is the first program of its kind in the CSU system.
FOCUS is built on the premise that the gaps neurodivergent students encounter in college are located in institutional systems — curricula, assessment practices, campus spaces, advising structures, housing, and support services — rather than in students themselves. Student research assistants in this role are co-designers of the program. They contribute their own experience of navigating campus systems, help identify where those systems break down, and shape the supports FOCUS builds in collaboration with the Accessibility Resource Center, academic advising, University Housing, health and wellness services, and other campus partners.
This is a paid, grant-funded position within the Autism Clinic. Students in this role are not subjects being studied; they are compensated members of the design team whose perspective directs the work. Findings from this pilot will inform the campus-wide launch of FOCUS in Fall 2027.
Description of Duties:
Approximately 2-5 hours per week across the academic year, including the following:
- Meet weekly (approximately 30–60 minutes) with an assigned FOCUS program coach to review how the semester is going and where campus systems are or are not working.
- Attend one mandatory in-person group meeting in September 2026. Alternative arrangements are available for students enrolled fully online.
- Participate in cohort meetings and stakeholder focus groups convening students, faculty, the Accessibility Resource Center, advising, housing, and health services.
- Document experiences navigating campus systems using methods the cohort helps select — written reflection, voice memo, interview, or another format that works for the student.
- Review draft program materials, resources, and student-facing communications and provide feedback before they are used.
- Help identify leverage points where campus policies, practices, or spaces could be changed to better serve neurodivergent students.
- Contribute to summarizing pilot findings and recommendations for the Fall 2027 campus-wide launch.
Accommodations, flexible meeting formats, and adjustments to how work is completed are available and expected. Students do not need to disclose a diagnosis or register with the Accessibility Resource Center to request them, and requesting an adjustment will not affect standing in the program.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Currently enrolled, matriculated Chico State undergraduate or graduate student in good academic standing.
- Self-identifies as neurodivergent and/or disabled. A formal diagnosis, documentation, or registration with the Accessibility Resource Center is not required and will not be requested.
- Willing to share perspectives on their own campus experience in a small-group setting and to work collaboratively with other students and campus staff.
- Available for weekly check-in meetings and the September 2026 in-person group meeting.
No prior research experience is required. Training and onboarding are provided. Students of any major and class standing are encouraged to apply.
Exceptions to the minimum eligibility qualifications may be granted at the sole discretion of the University.
Additional information may be requested at a later time. All applicants must apply online, applications submitted via email or in-person to the department will not be considered.
Notification Procedure:
Applicants will be notified by email at their Chico State address at each stage of the process. Interviews are scheduled through SignUp Genius and held over Zoom, with in-person or alternative formats available on request.
Every applicant will receive a direct response about the outcome of their application. Silence will not be used to communicate a decision.
Job-related questions should be directed to:
Dr. Josie Blagrave, Principal Investigator
Professor, Associate Department Chair, and Autism Clinic Director
Kinesiology Department, Yolo Hall 266
California State University, Chico, 400 West First Street, Chico, CA 95929-0330
530-898-4314
ablagrave@csuchico.edu
Additional Information:
All work must be performed within the State of California.
Compliance training completion (approximately 4 hours of work time) is required of this position within the first 30 days of work.
Education Code 89521 Requirements: Applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant’s current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.
For disability-related accommodations, please call the ADA Coordinator at (530) 898-5959.
All positions are contingent on funding.
Chico State is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, or protected veteran status and only employ individuals authorized to work in the U.S.
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, California State University, Chico 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. California State University, Chico 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 Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or on any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.
Chico State’s Annual Security Report includes summaries of institutional policy relating to campus safety, drug and alcohol use, sexual assault, and other matters. The report is published in compliance with the Clery Act and includes three years of certain crime statistics that occurred in Clery Act defined geography. A paper copy of the report may be requested in person at the Chico State Police Department or by calling 530-898-5555. It is also available on the web at Annual Security & Fire Safety Report.
