Position: Research Assistant, Addiction Psychiatry

Department: Psychiatry Research

Location: Boston, MA

Schedule: 40 hours per week, On-site

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Research Assistant (RA) will support a new NIH-funded study, Ready 2 Respond: a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the efficacy of a brief universal overdose prevention intervention in pediatric primary care. Health care providers will deliver an educational intervention to adolescents and young adults ages 13 to 26 on substance use safety information, including how to recognize and respond to an overdose, during routine appointments. Youth will be recruited from clinics across several Boston-area health centers. The study aims to address youth overdose risk by increasing youth knowledge on the risks of emerging drugs, such as illicit fentanyl, and better prepare youth to protect themselves and those around them from overdose. 

Conducts patient recruitment, administers questionnaires, abstracts medical records, maintains patient databases, performs administrative tasks, assists in grant preparation, performs literature searches and participates with the research team in preparation of data and other reports. May also assist the principal investigator with translation to Spanish, interpreting experimental results, and in preparing and writing manuscripts.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• 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.  Obtains and distributes payment vouchers for participant reimbursements/participation. 

Administrative

• Responsible for the administrative aspects of the research study, including: managing program records and handling communication needs of the program.
• Prepares and maintains Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals and correspondence, including amendments and renewals as necessary.
• 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.

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:

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree is required by time of hire.

EXPERIENCE:

• Prefer experience in clinical research, public health experience or working with youth and families.

• Previous experience with recruiting subjects, with an understanding of the ethical and technical conduct of research preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES:

• Excellent English communication skills (oral and written).

• Bilingual candidate preferred, fluent in spoken and written English and Spanish.

• Cultural sensitivity and comfort with a wide range of social, racial and ethnic populations.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (i.e. MS Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook) and web browsers.  Experience with statistical software a plus.

• Must be able to maintain strict confidentiality of all personal/health sensitive information.

JOB BENEFITS:

• Competitive pay
• Tuition reimbursement and tuition remission programs
• Highly subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance options
• 6.5 weeks of paid time off
• 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 rigor shapes our inquiries. Our research is led by a belief that skin color, zip code, and financial circumstances shouldn’t dictate health.

Boston Medical Center is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. If you need accommodation for any part of the application process because of a medical condition or disability, please send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 617-638-8582 to let us know the nature of your request.

Compensation Range:

This range offers an estimate based on the minimum job qualifications. However, our approach to determining base pay is comprehensive, and a broad range of factors is considered when making an offer. This includes education, experience, skills, and certifications/licensures as they directly relate to position requirements; as well as business/organizational needs, internal equity, and market-competitiveness. In addition, BMCHS offers generous total compensation that includes, but is not limited to, benefits (medical, dental, vision, pharmacy), discretionary annual bonuses and merit increases, Flexible Spending Accounts, 403(b) savings matches, paid time off, career advancement opportunities, and resources to support employee and family well-being. 

NOTE: This range is based on Boston-area data, and is subject to modification based on geographic location.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans

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