CRC Asst

University of California, Irvine•Orange, CA

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

Under general direction of the Principal Investigator(s), the incumbent coordinates and manages human clinical research studies that broadly examine the effects of maternal stress and stress-related biobehavioral processes during pregnancy on maternal, fetal, infant, and child health outcomes. While all studies are human subjects/clinical research, research activities involve wet-lab work and skills with human primary stem cell culture. Accordingly, the Clinical Research Coordinator is responsible for the day-to-day implementation, coordination, and oversight of human subjects study activities, including participant screening, recruitment and retention, informed consent, study visits, data management, regulatory compliance, and study logistics, and is additionally responsible for laboratory management including biospecimen collection and processing, and laboratory supply and equipment management. This position requires strong organizational and methodological skills and requires the incumbent to exercise judgment in planning and prioritizing study activities, identifying operational challenges, developing solutions, and ensuring compliance with study protocols and regulatory requirements. Experience in aseptic technique and cell culture is an asset. Specific responsibilities and key duties involve screening, recruitment, scheduling and retention of study participants, collection of psychological, behavioral, biological and clinical data at study visits, abstraction of data from medical records, management of research databases, isolation and culture of stem cells from newborn blood and tissues, processing and storage of biospecimens (e.g., blood, saliva, urine), conducting infant non-invasive scans/phenotyping (e.g., skinfold, anthropometric measurements, PeaPod, magnetic resonance imaging scans (MRI)), and management and ordering of research supplies for the clinical and laboratory spaces. Other responsibilities include coordination and attendance of weekly research team meetings, supervision of junior staff and students, oversight of research protocols/ procedures, preparation of regulatory documentation for IRB, and acting as the primary liaison between collaborating departments/ institutions (ICTS, CCR, UCI Labor & Delivery unit, off-site research partners). This position is primarily based out of the UCI Medical Center in Orange,CA but may require travel between UCI affiliated medical clinics and the UCI main campus in Irvine, CA. In addition to English, fluency in spoken and written Spanish is strongly preferred.

Requirements

Ability to communicate effectively with study participants (adults, infants and children) and staff.
Demonstrated organizational skills, and ability to manage competing priorities.
Ability to write clearly and succinctly.
Able to assess problems and make sound/ ethical decisions.
Ability to write protocols, manage their implementation, and develop strategies for quality control.
Knowledge of computer applications; comfortable learning and working with new programs.
Bachelors or Masters degree from accredited college/university.
Knowledge of and experience with the clinical research process, including recruitment, biospecimen collection and processing, and data management.
Must be able to provide proof of work authorization

Nice To Haves

Fluency in spoken and written Spanish is strongly desired.
Experience in aseptic technique and cell culture is an asset.
Experience with primary tissue culture or molecular biology techniques.
Experience working in a clinical research setting and in human subjects recruitments.
Experience working with pregnant women, newborns, infants, and children.
Current phlebotomy license or willingness to obtain license.
Experience with handling biological specimens and laboratory processing procedures.
Experience with collection of anthropometric measures (weight, height, circumference measures, skinfold thicknesses).
Training in effective handling practices of infants who are undergoing MRI/DTI/DXA scans.

Responsibilities

Screening, recruitment, scheduling and retention of study participants
Collection of psychological, behavioral, biological and clinical data at study visits
Abstraction of data from medical records
Management of research databases
Isolation and culture of stem cells from newborn blood and tissues
Processing and storage of biospecimens (e.g., blood, saliva, urine)
Conducting infant non-invasive scans/phenotyping (e.g., skinfold, anthropometric measurements, PeaPod, magnetic resonance imaging scans (MRI))
Management and ordering of research supplies for the clinical and laboratory spaces
Coordination and attendance of weekly research team meetings
Supervision of junior staff and students
Oversight of research protocols/ procedures
Preparation of regulatory documentation for IRB
Acting as the primary liaison between collaborating departments/ institutions (ICTS, CCR, UCI Labor & Delivery unit, off-site research partners)