Community Health Worker / Clinical Research Assistant - Family Medicine
About The Position
The University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) Department of Family Medicine and Community Health seeks a part-time Community Health Worker (CHW)/Clinical Research Assistant (CRA) to support the Securing American Indian Futures through E-Health (SAFE) study. SAFE is a community-engaged research study designed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a culturally responsive, technology-supported prenatal health intervention for American Indian and Alaska Native pregnant individuals. The CHW/CRA will serve as the primary CHW delivering the SAFE intervention and will support intervention development, participant recruitment, retention, data collection, and day-to-day study implementation. The position will work closely with the Principal Investigator (PI), Christina Pacheco, JD, MPH, the research team, clinical and community partners, and study advisory boards to ensure SAFE is implemented respectfully, consistently, and in accordance with the approved research protocol. This is a benefits-eligible, 0.50 FTE position requiring approximately 20 hours per week. The position is supported by the KUMC Center of Biomedical Research and Excellence (COBRE).
Requirements
- Certification: Community Health Worker in Kansas or eligible to obtain.
- 2 years of experience in public health, social work, education, community health, behavioral health, early childhood, health sciences, or related field. Relevant education may substitute on a year for year basis.
- Experience coordinating project activities and maintaining accurate records.
- Experience with video conferencing and electronic data-entry applications.
Nice To Haves
- Bachelor’s degree in public health, social work, community health, behavioral health, nursing, health sciences, or a related field.
- Three or more years of experience as a CHW, doula, certified lactation consultant, patient navigator, research coordinator, or in a related role.
- Experience coordinating human-subjects research or community-engaged health projects, including use of REDCap or a similar data-management system.
- Experience supporting pregnant or postpartum individuals or working in maternal and child health.
- Experience working with AI/AN communities, tribal nations, urban Indian organizations, or Indian Health Service-affiliated organizations, preferably in Kansas.
- Experience delivering structured health education or behavioral interventions, supporting digital health technologies, applying trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, mental health first aid, or related approaches.
- Experience with tribal and data sovereignty, community-engaged research, and culturally responsive practices.
Responsibilities
- Recruit, screen, enroll, and support retention of study participants; schedule study activities; and deliver structured virtual SAFE CHW sessions using approved study materials and culturally responsive, strengths-based approaches.
- Build trusting relationships with participants and provide individualized CHW support, including health education, resource navigation, goal setting, and assistance identifying and addressing health-related social needs and barriers to care.
- Promote participant self-advocacy and engagement in healthcare by helping participants identify and communicate questions, concerns, and priorities; prepare for healthcare visits; navigate healthcare and community systems; and connect with appropriate services and resources.
- Support participants in using the Journey Pregnancy application and study-provided health-monitoring devices, including helping participants understand how study-generated information can be used to support communication with their healthcare team.
- Support SAFE study activities, including participant tracking, data collection, scheduling and coordination of intervention activities.
- Administer study surveys and maintain accurate participant and study records in accordance with the approved protocol.
- Monitor recruitment, retention, intervention delivery, and data quality; identify and communicate implementation barriers, participant concerns, or other issues requiring PI or research team attention.
- Protect participant privacy and confidentiality and follow applicable research, clinical, organizational, and Tribal requirements, including established safety and referral procedures.
- Participate in regular check-ins with the PI and research team to review study progress, priorities, participant needs, and implementation challenges. Exercise appropriate judgment within assigned responsibilities and seek PI guidance before making decisions or external communications outside established study procedures or the scope of the position.
- Assist with progress reports, presentations, dissemination activities, and other related community-engaged research activities as assigned and as workload permits.
Benefits
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Health expense accounts with generous employer contributions
- Employer-paid life insurance
- Long-term disability insurance
- Various additional voluntary insurance plans
- Paid time off, including vacation and sick
- Ten paid holidays
- One paid discretionary day after six months of employment
- Paid time off for bereavement, jury duty, military service, and parental leave after 12 months of employment
- Retirement program with a generous employer contribution
- Additional voluntary retirement programs (457 or 403b)
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
Associate degree
