Department Description: 

This position will be based within the Health Equity Research Lab and the Psychiatry Research Office at Cambridge Health Alliance. These groups advance the organization’s mission by supporting applied services and clinical research that promote health equity and improve delivery of mental health services to adults, youth and children, and the broader community. These departments collaborate with a wide range of partners, including other research labs at CHA, other academic partners, including other Harvard Psychiatry Departments, community organizations, health systems, and public agencies. With multidisciplinary expertise, the individuals in these research departments assist in the design, implementation and administration of rigorous, community-informed projects that generate actionable insights and drive positive, data-informed change.

Summary:

Working under the general direction of one or more Principal Investigators at an innovative health disparities research center, the RC will provide overall coordination of significant multi-funded and/or multi-site research project(s). Participate in developing research designs, data collection methods and strategies for data management. Coordinate multiple data collection efforts which may include other collaborating agencies or institutions. Will recruit or oversee recruitment of human subjects, write and edit reports and manuscripts, develop and monitor reports and work with funding agencies.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with study personnel in the strategic planning of future external funding grants; 
• Integrate information from multiple sources to ensure that research proposals meet the necessary requirements of funding agencies; 
• Develops research protocols that clearly describe research objectives and procedures necessary to test the hypotheses of the research project;
• Develop research designs, data collection methods and strategies for data management;
• Design, create and revise research instruments as necessary to ensure quality data that correlates with research objectives;
• Coordinate multiple data collection efforts for one or more research projects which may include other collaborating agencies or institutions;
• Consult with co-investigators on appropriate management of participant problems and concerns;
• Develop and manage interim reports for principal investigators, industry sponsors and institutional review board to ensure that each project is moving toward timely completion;
• Liaison between the project team and funding agencies or significant parties;
• Ensure that projects are executed successfully and completed within time frames to meet research objectives;
• Write and edit technical reports and manuscripts for publication or presentation;
• Contribute to the grant writing and planning process;
• Assist in the recruitment, training and supervision of research staff;
• Assist with project IRB applications, continuing reviews and tracking documents;
• Assist with recruitment and safety monitoring of research participants.

Other Information:

• Organizing and completing time sensitive tasks;
• Willingness and ability to work in a busy environment with shifting and competing priorities;
• Ability to work well with all levels of Lab personnel;
• Must live in the Greater Boston area or be willing to relocate.

Competencies:

• Familiarity with EHR data structures;
• Desire for Spanish, Portuguese or Haitian Creole proficiency (but not required);
• Interest in suicide prevention and/or AI/Machine Learning;
• Interest in gaining direct clinical research experience;
• Experience working on simultaneous projects;
• Ability to work independently with minimal oversight;
• Comfortable with upward coordination and interfacing across different institutions;
• Familiarity with grant writing and/or planning process;
• Comfortable working with youth, young adults, and vulnerable populations;
• Competence in preparing and submitting IRB applications and amendments.
• Skilled in creating and maintaining timelines within a collaborative team environment.

Skills:

• Must have prior human subjects recruitment experience;
• Must have prior experience conducting research in clinical settings.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field of study, with a minimum of 2 years of experience conducting research in a clinical setting.

Working Conditions
Nonessential:

• Air Systems: Air condition or temp controlled space
• Flooring Tile, Carpet or Hardwood. Potential for wet surface
• High Activity - Constantly Changing
• Lighting Fluorescent, Incandescent or Natural
• Noise from office equipment and activity
• Work Spaces - Narrow or Small
• Workspace Open Cubicle Areas
• Bending, Squatting and Crouching
• Respond adequately-appropriately to situations
• Hand - Eye Coordination
• Ability to sit for long periods of time
• Ability to stretch in front, below, above and side to side
• Visual-Auditory Read & Respond