Clinical Trials Research Coordinator I - 100% On Site

Vanderbilt University Medical Center•Nashville, TN

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology division is a multidisciplinary research team dedicated to improving the lives of those with neurodegenerative disorders and their families. This division focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and scientific study of neurodegeneration, with a focus on cognitive, movement, and behavioral disorders. The team integrates clinical neurology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, neuroimaging, and translational research to advance clinical care and treatment options. The division is seeking a Clinical Translational Research Coordinator I (CTRC 1) to manage approval processes and conduct of research protocols, ensuring integrity and quality in accordance with all policies. The CTRC 1 will support pharmaceutical-sponsored clinical trials, foundation-funded observational studies, and NIH-funded research, working closely with investigators, clinicians, patients, caregivers, and other team members. The Darby Lab specifically uses MRI and behavioral testing to understand neurological disorders involving cognitive impairment, psychosis, and abnormal social behavior, coordinating studies in patients with frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD), Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson disease. Research studies range from longitudinal natural history studies to clinical trials (Phase 1-3, including gene therapies). The division is committed to training the next generation of research professionals and offers extensive education and professional development opportunities, including weekly meetings, seminars, protocol trainings, journal clubs, observation of clinical evaluations, and hands-on experience in good clinical practice (GCP), human subjects protections, regulatory processes, biospecimen handling, cognitive testing, and clinical data collection. Mentorship opportunities are also available. This role is ideal for candidates interested in neurology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, or medicine seeking hands-on clinical research experience in a collaborative academic environment. Skills in organization, problem-solving, effective communication, motivation, empathy, and comfort working with individuals with cognitive and movement symptoms are highly desired.

Requirements

Strong interpersonal skills in empathy and comfort working with individuals with cognitive and movement symptoms is required.
Bachelor's degree
Relevant Work Experience
Less than 1 year of experience

Nice To Haves

Skills in organization, problem solving, effective communication, and motivation are highly desired.

Responsibilities

Understanding and capability to accurately and compliantly perform the procedures required of each study protocol, working collaboratively with study participants, other staff and departments, in safely and accurately performing study procedures such as assessing participant eligibility and recruitment, arranging necessary schedules and procedures, administering neuropsychological assessments, conducting interviews regarding mental health and quality of life, tracking medication usage, etc.
Basic knowledge and understanding of the implementation, coordination, management and reporting of clinical/translational research operations.
Ability to identify and troubleshoot problems.
Records data from participant interaction onto case report forms (either paper or electronic) with awareness and attention to the requirements for accuracy, completeness and timeliness. Attends to query resolution in a timely manner.
Assures research information is collected and stored in a manner that is compliant with regulations/policies and good clinical practice.
Participates in the ongoing informed consent process, ensuring that human subjects, their families, and other health care providers clearly understand what is expected of and from them in the course of participating in a clinical/translational trial.
Engages in open communication with participants by providing them with contact information and being available to answer, address or refer their calls.
Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of policies, procedures, and regulations governing human subject's research and incorporates them in the conduct of research.
Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the Federal regulations and guidelines governing the protection of human subjects, e.g., FDA, OHRP, GCP/ICH , and HIPAA regulations.
Proficiently prepares and processes new IRB research proposals, amendments, continuing review applications and adverse event reports according to institutional and departmental policies and procedures and federal regulations.
Accurately and compliantly prepares and maintains documents required to be maintained internally and available for regulatory authorities and/or the sponsor prior to, during and after the conduct of a clinical/translational trial. Participates in periodic site visits from sponsor, regulatory authorities and others to review research, source documentation, and research procedures.
Participates in the determination of eligible candidates for study participation, assuring participants fulfill eligibility requirements. Strives to ensure studies are completed in a timely manner through implementing effective screening and recruitment strategies and completing required documentation.
Knowledgeable of the safety reporting requirements of the study protocol, IRB, FDA and other regulatory bodies. In a timely fashion, monitors, detects and reports adverse events meeting requirements of regulatory bodies.
Coordinates activities and gathers information from a variety of sources to achieve stated outcomes.
Serves as an advocate for human subjects by establishing and maintaining communication with Investigators, research staff, Sponsors, participants and representatives of professional organizations, participant advocates, and the public responsible for, or concerned about, protections for human participants of research and through ongoing monitoring of trial processes and participants.
Performs or instructs others in performing procedures for research as they are described in the protocol, deviating from the protocol only when a subject's safety is at risk and reporting as required by policy, regulations or protocol, to the sponsor and regulatory agencies.
Actively identifies and participates in training, education, and development activities to improve own knowledge and performance to sustain and enhance professional development. Pursues avenues to ensure awareness of the latest information available to coordinators conducting clinical/translational research (i.e., literature searchers, research seminars, in-services, etc.).
Demonstrates initiative for continuous learning, both self-directed and as evidenced by attendance of educational and professional development opportunities. Actively seeks new learning opportunities, seeing learning as part of work.
Participates in research related programs, such as the Clinical/translational Research Staff Council and its activities by submitting issues or suggesting solutions, and reviewing Council information, by attending meetings open to research staff and by sharing information with other research personnel.
Actively seeks new learning opportunities, seeing learning as a part of work. Develops and achieves personal and professional goals.
Attends and actively participates in weekly meetings. Attends meetings well prepared to give a summary of the operations of their ongoing studies.