Community Health Worker

University of Texas at Austin•Austin, TX

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Community Health Worker (CHW) serves as a trusted liaison between the healthcare system and the community, helping participants navigate medical and social systems to improve health outcomes. Under the supervision of the Department of Women’s Health Director of Research, the CHW collaborates with research coordinators, nurses, physicians, principal investigators, stakeholders, and other medical staff. The role provides ongoing support to postpartum mothers participating in a Department of Women’s Health research project and serves as a key point of contact between participants and the research team. The CHW conducts outreach, provides health education, supports care-plan adherence, and connects participants with resources such as housing, food, and transportation, contributing to improved access to care and reduced health disparities. The role also develops and standardizes resource-navigation workflows, referral tracking and follow-up procedures, and implementation guides that can help research coordinators and study teams replicate processes across multiple sites. The CHW documents participant interactions and implementation lessons, supports staff training, and contributes to quality improvement and program evaluation. This position is based in Austin, Texas, with 40 scheduled hours per week. The position is expected to continue until June 30, 2030. Work may include evenings or weekends for outreach events. The work environment includes standard office equipment, repetitive keyboard use, and possible exposure to communicable diseases, blood-borne pathogens, radiation, hazardous medications, or disoriented or combative patients.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least 1 year of experience in community outreach, health education, or social services; relevant education may substitute for experience on a year-for-year basis.
Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Certified Community Health Worker (CHW) credential, or obtain the credential within 6 months of hire.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s degree in Public Health, Social Work, or a related field.
At least 2 years of experience in a healthcare or community-based setting.
Bilingual in English and Spanish or another prevalent community language.
CPR certification.
Valid Texas driver’s license and reliable transportation.
Certification in motivational interviewing or trauma-informed care.

Responsibilities

Build trusting relationships with research participants, families, and postpartum mothers through regular communication.
Educate participants about available health and social services and provide culturally responsive support tailored to their needs.
Screen research participants for social needs and identify barriers to health and wellbeing.
Promote preventive care and wellness programs and encourage participation in chronic disease management programs.
Partner with research coordinators to model participant-engagement strategies and train study staff in relationship-centered, culturally responsive outreach and retention approaches.
Help participants access medical, behavioral, and social services, including assisting with applications for insurance, housing, and food assistance.
Coordinate with internal departments and external agencies, track referrals, and ensure services are completed.
Develop resource-navigation workflows, standardized referral tracking and follow-up procedures, and escalation pathways for participant needs beyond the research team’s scope.
Support site-specific implementation guides for replicating resource-navigation processes across study locations.
Provide health education tailored to participants’ backgrounds and needs and support behavior change through motivational interviewing.
Reinforce care-team instructions and treatment plans, and assist with medication adherence and appointment follow-ups.
Train research coordinators to provide consistent health education and reinforce study-related resources using evidence-based, culturally responsive communication techniques.
Maintain accurate and timely participant-interaction documentation in RedCap; collect and report quality and performance data.
Communicate participant progress and barriers to the research and care team, protect confidentiality, and comply with HIPAA.
Document lessons learned, implementation barriers, and successful strategies to inform replication of the intervention at future sites.
Collaborate with community partners and coalitions, identify community needs, and advocate for resources.
Assist with program evaluation and improvement efforts and promote health equity and community-informed responsiveness.
Complete required CHW continuing education; attend team meetings and in-service trainings; share best practices; and stay current on community resources and health topics.
Support continuous quality improvement by evaluating implementation processes and refining training, workflow diagrams, and operational procedures based on study findings and participant needs.