The Research Assistant II (RA2) will participate in multiple clinical studies as approved by the grant(s). The RA2 will oversee the administrative aspects of the grant and interact with study subjects, clinical research coordinators, study investigators, work study students and other research staff. Duties include but are not limited to, assisting with patient recruitment, scheduling study visits, administering questionnaires, creating and filing case report forms, entering and updating data, maintaining databases, running reports, storing samples, and performing other administrative tasks in support of the clinical studies. The RA2 maintains contact with the participating sites to insure complete and timely data collection, maintains patient profiles, assists with documenting financial and budgetary needs of the grant, and supports the research team with the preparation of data and other reports. Oversees work of Research Assistants, along with training and orientation. Develops and implements patient recruitment strategies and changes to study protocols.
Position: Research Assistant II, Immigrant and Refugee Health Center
Location: Boston, MA
Schedule: 40 hours per week,
POSITION SUMMARY:
For 25 years, the mission of the Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights (BCRHHR) has been to provide holistic health care coordinated with social services and legal aid for asylum seekers, refugees, survivors of torture, and their families. BCRHHR is part of the Boston Medical Center (BMC) Immigrant and Refugee Health Center (IRHC), which extends this mission of offering a comprehensive medical home to immigrant and refugee patients at BMC.
This research position serves the common research/data collection needs of BCRHHR and the BMC IRHC. Under the supervision of the BCRHHR Principal Investigator and IRHC Program Director, the Research Assistant II (RA2) will provide research support to multiple clinical studies undertaken by both programs. The RA2 will oversee the administrative aspects of a federal Office of Refugee
Resettlement (ORR) grant and its data oversight management in addition as necessary interact with study subjects, clinical research coordinators, study investigators, work study or MPH students and other research and clinical staff. Duties include but are not limited to entering and updating data, maintaining databases, running reports, storing samples, and performing other administrative tasks in support of the clinical studies in addition to potential assisting with patient recruitment, scheduling study visits, administering questionnaires, creating and filing case report forms. The RA2 maintains contact with the participating sites to insure complete and timely data collection, oversee client measures/wellbeing plans, maintains patient profiles, assists with documenting financial and budgetary needs of the grant, and supports the research team with the preparation of data and other reports. Oversees work of Research Assistants, along with training and orientation. Develops and implements patient recruitment strategies and changes to study protocols.
The RA2 will serve as primary contact between Principal Investigators, internal Boston Medical Center Departments and external contacts including project sites, regulatory agencies and project sponsors. Assists with documenting financial and budgetary needs of the grant, and preparing grant applications and contributing to writing reports to funders. Performs literature searches. Contributes to manuscript preparation and submission, as well as dissemination of research findings to scientific and non-scientific audiences include via advocacy and policy work. Assists Principal Investigator in the planning of study design and methods, teaching tools, enrollment guides, patient handbooks, case reports, summary reports, and prepares manuscripts and presentations. Assists with training and provides guidance to research assistants, interns, students and support staff. Finally, the RA2 will collaborate with the IRHC’s administrative/operational core team to support data and metric collection needs of the IRHC to inform operational decision-making, quality improvement (QI) initiatives and ensure alignment with grant requirements.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Responsible for the administrative aspects of the research study, including: managing program records and handling communication needs of the program.
- Provides assistance in the development of reports, presentations, and data analysis. Assists in data collection and provides feedback on study’s progress.
- Recruits subjects to participate in the study by using approved methodologies, such as, reaching to healthcare providers for referrals, visiting clinics, sending mailouts, using approved advertisements, etc.
- Conducts the enrollment of study participants, including explaining research procedures, and obtaining informed consent of subjects and/or their families.
- Schedules appointments of study participants; conducts reminder phone calls and/or sends mailouts.
- Reviews the data collection forms for each enrollee for completion and quality; checks work of junior staff performing data entry to ensure timely and accurate entry.
- Provides technical guidance to junior staff.
- Obtains and distributes payment vouchers for participant reimbursements/participation.
- Perform administrative duties associated with the study’s Data Monitoring and Safety Board, tracking and reporting adverse events and collecting data specified by the DSMB.
- Responsible for all other administrative duties related to research activities.
- Prepares and maintains Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals and correspondence, including amendments and renewals as necessary.
- Conducts literature searches.
- Assists Investigators with manuscript and presentation preparation and research.
- Participates in staff meetings/initiatives including appropriate quality improvement and education activities, or if unable to attend non-mandatory activities, accepts responsibility to review meeting minutes and becomes knowledgeable of issues discussed.
- Makes independent judgements of suitability of potential participants for clinical trials.
- Develops and implements patent recruitment strategies. Recommends changes to protocols and evaluates data.
- Oversees work of research assistants.
- Conforms to hospital standards of performance and conduct, including those pertaining to patient rights, so that the best possible customer service and patient care may be provided.
- Utilizes hospital's behavioral standards as the basis for decision making and to facilitate the hospital’s goals and mission.
- Follows established hospital infection control and safety procedures.
OTHER DUTIES:
Training and orienting new research assistants and other staff
May serve as team leader or supervisor in a smaller lab
Perform other duties as needed.
(The above statements in this job description are intended to depict the general nature and level of work assigned to the employee(s) in this job. The above is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of accountable duties and responsibilities required).
JOB REQUIREMENTS
EDUCATION:
- Bachelor’s degree is required. Major in a field related to the research highly preferred.
- Master’s Degree is preferred. With a Master's Degree, no work experience is required.
EXPERIENCE:
- 2-5 years of experience and have demonstrated sound independent judgement and competencies in research methodologies.
- Experience with recruiting subjects, with an understanding of the ethical and technical conduct of research.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
- Excellent English communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills .
- Bilingual or multi-lingual skills (beyond that of English) appropriate to the patient population served is a plus.
- Cultural sensitivity and comfort with a wide range of social, racial and ethnic populations
- Works very independently with limited supervision.
- Knowledge of management programs.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, and Access and PowerPoint. Experience with statistical analysis tools a plus. Ability to perform basic data management tasks (coding, data entry, data cleaning, retrieval). Experience using quantitative data analysis software helpful (e.g., SPSS, SAS, Minitab).
- Ability to perform basic data analysis and reporting (in words, numbers and graphics). Able to resolve technical problems and interpret acceptability of data results.
SPECIAL WORKING CONDITIONS:
May require flexibility to work weekends and evenings
JOB BENEFITS:
- Competitive pay
- Tuition reimbursement and tuition remission programs
- Highly subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance options
- Career Advancement/Professional Development: Access a wealth of ongoing training and development opportunities that will not only enhance your skills but also expand your knowledge base especially for individuals pursuing careers in medicine or biomedical research.
- Pioneering Research: Engage in groundbreaking research projects that are driving the forefront of biomedical science.
ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT:
As the primary teaching hospital for Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and BU schools of public health and dentistry, intellectual