Research Assistant

Description

Job Summary

As a Research Assistant reporting to the Project Director, you will play a pivotal role in the Center for AIDS Research Network of Integrated Systems (CNICS). This dynamic project is a leader in HIV disease management research, capturing a wealth of data that informs clinical decisions and management strategies in HIV care. CNICS stands out for its capacity to provide peer-reviewed, open access to evolving clinical research platforms, collecting validated outcomes, longitudinal resistance data, detailed Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs), and biological specimens.

Your key responsibilities will include recruiting study participants for CNICS, obtaining informed consent, and processing, storing, shipping, and maintaining blood specimens. You will also be responsible for the administration of PRO surveys. Collaborating closely with patients, providers, and our research team, you will contribute significantly to the successful implementation and conduct of CNICS and its sub-studies, both within Fenway Community Health / The Fenway Institute and in partnership with external co-investigators.

This role demands a high level of attention to detail, organizational + communication skills, and a commitment to ethical research practices. If you are passionate about leveraging large-scale data sets to advance the field of HIV disease management and patient care, this position offers an excellent opportunity for growth and impact.

Essential Functions

Study Participation and Protocol Adherence Responsibilities

• Participant Outreach: Proactively contact potentially eligible study participants, employing effective communication strategies to engage them in the research process.
• Conduct Research Activities: Conduct research interviews, surveys, and study visits, demonstrating a keen attention to detail and unwavering adherence to specific research protocols.
• Survey Administration: Administer participant surveys, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of data collection processes.
• Specimen Handling and Management: Process, store, and maintain blood specimens according to established protocols and safety guidelines. Ensure specimens are properly labeled and stored to preserve their quality for analysis.
• Shipping and Documentation: Coordinate the shipment of specimens to collaborators, adhering to safety and transport regulations. Maintain detailed documentation of specimen handling, storage, and shipping to ensure traceability and compliance with research standards.
• Confidentiality and Ethics: Maintain strict confidentiality and uphold the highest standards of ethical accountability in all interactions with study participants, fostering a trustworthy research environment.
• Study Design Assistance: Collaborate in the study design and protocol development process, taking into account funders' guidelines and federal HIPAA requirements to ensure compliance and relevance.
• Communication of Results: Efficiently relay lab results and other pertinent information to primary care providers as authorized by participants, ensuring all communication aligns with department policy and participant consent.
  
  

Data Management And Analysis Responsibilities

• Data Entry and Quality Assurance: Assist in the data entry process and rigorously check the quality of data. Proactively identify and resolve inconsistencies in data and data collection methods, and design effective systems and structures for file management.
• Statistical Analysis: Routinely generate descriptive statistics, forecast future trends in follow-up, retention, and compliance, and conduct additional data analyses as required, adhering to the highest standards of precision.
• Supervise Data Quality: Oversee the integrity and quality of data, ensuring accuracy and reliability.
• Confidentiality and Record Maintenance: Maintain strictly confidential records of interested candidates and study participants, ensuring data security and privacy.
• Demographic Data Management: Ensure that demographic information on research clients is not only complete but also regularly updated to reflect current data.
• Foster Open Communication: Actively promote open communication and discussion among team members about any changes in protocol procedures and other information crucial to the department's and study's goals and objectives.
• Standard Operating Procedures: Develop and regularly update standard operating procedures, aligning them with study protocols and laboratory safety regulations.
• Site Visit Coordination: Efficiently coordinate site visits with study monitors or collaborators, ensuring availability during these visits, and organize responses to site visit reports.
• Interagency Collaboration: Maintain necessary contact with external agencies involved in the study, such as laboratories, data centers, and contractors, facilitating smooth collaboration.
• Coordination with Stakeholders: Work closely with funders and other project staff to ensure that project data collection is on track and aligned with the study protocol and established timelines.
  
  

Communication and Collaboration

• Relationship Management: Establish and maintain relationships with medical providers, collaborating with them to identify and recruit eligible patients for research studies. Act as a liaison between the research department and healthcare professionals to facilitate participant recruitment.
• Protocol Development: Engage in the development and revision of research protocols and questionnaire formats, providing insights and suggestions to enhance the research process.
• Project Communication: Regularly communicate initiatives, progress, and updates to the Project Director and Principal Investigator, ensuring transparency and alignment on the status of projects.
• Regulatory Compliance: Assist with all Institutional Review Board (IRB) submissions concerning protocol changes and annual reviews. Prepare and submit these documents to the IRB with the approval and assistance of the site Principal Investigator or research scientist, ensuring adherence to ethical and regulatory standards.
• Meeting Participation: Attend all regularly scheduled research meetings, trainings, forums, and pertinent Fenway Community Health staff meetings, ensuring active and meaningful participation.
  
  

Agency Participatory Expectations

• Policy Adherence: Consistently adhere to all agency and departmental policies and procedures, demonstrating a commitment to organizational standards and ethical practices.
• Quality Improvement Participation: Actively participate in quality assessment and improvement activities as requested, contributing to the continuous enhancement of research processes and outcomes.
• Confidentiality Compliance: Uphold the highest principles of patient and client confidentiality, ensuring the trust and privacy of all individuals involved in the research.
• Safety Vigilance: Strictly adhere to established safety policies, procedures, and precautions. Proactively identify potential or actual unsafe situations in the research environment and take prompt measures to rectify them, ensuring a safe and secure working environment.
• Professional Development: Attend all required meetings, in-services, and professional trainings, demonstrating a commitment to ongoing learning and professional growth.
• Competence Maintenance: Maintain the professional competence necessary to perform job responsibilities, ensuring the highest standards of research conduct and expertise.
• Committee Participation: Serve on agency committees and participate in professional organizations when requested, demonstrating a willingness to engage in broader organizational and professional initiatives.
  
  

Perform Related Duties as Assigned

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a related field (e.g., public health, biology, psychology, social sciences) or equivalent experience.
• Experience with research concepts and techniques
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated strong administrative skills and a strong attention to detail.
• Strong computer skills and familiarity with data entry, management, and analysis.
• Ability to function autonomously in a collaborative interdisciplinary team involving research, medical, and behavioral health care.
• Ability to work harmoniously with diverse groups of individuals.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• One to two years’ experience working with human subjects.
• Work experience in a biological or health science-related field.
• Experience in a wet lab environment, including specimen processing and adherence to laboratory safety protocols.
• Familiarity with working with HIV-infected or at-risk individuals.
• Clinical research experience.
• Experience with Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) or Electronic Health Records (EHRs).
• Experience working in an ethnically, culturally, and racially diverse environment.
  
  

Proficiency in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Brazilian Portuguese, and/or Arabic

Supervisory Responsibility

None

This is a union position in a Fenway Health bargaining unit represented by 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.

We offer competitive salaries, and for those who qualify, an excellent benefits package; including comprehensive medical and dental insurance plans, and a retirement plan with employer match. We also provide 11 paid holidays, paid vacation, and more.LGBTQIA+ identified persons, Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC), and individuals from other historically underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply.