Payments and Research Revenue Specialist

University of Chicago • Hyde Park, VT

11d • $70,000 - $95,000

About The Position

The Office of Clinical Research (OCR) is the nucleus of the clinical research enterprise, providing services, training, tools and compliance oversight to support the conduct of clinical research across the entire Biological Sciences Division and University of Chicago Medicine human subject research portfolio. The mission of the Office of Clinical Research is to catalyze clinical research by providing expertise, resources, infrastructure, and systems that facilitate clinical research operations and enable collaboration across the enterprise while promoting compliance and human subject protection on behalf of our diverse community of patients and volunteers. Together, we elevate the human experience with knowledge and health care.

The job provides professional support and solves straightforward problems in projects related to revenue cycle operations, including activities related to charging, billing, and collecting. Coordinates the management of successful billing and compliance activities with department managerial and executive staff. The Payments and Research Revenue Specialist is an integral part of the Office of Clinical Research, responsible for overseeing the accurate processing and allocation of clinical research revenue, including remittances from grants and clinical trial payments in the Electronic Medical Record (Epic EMR). This role ensures clinical research funds are reconciled according to sponsor agreements and internal budgets, manages denied or exceptional payments, and investigates account discrepancies such as unapplied cash and unidentified deposits related to clinical research. The specialist generates reports, maintains thorough documentation for compliance and audits, responds to inquiries from clinical departments, investigators, and sponsors, and collaborates with cross-functional teams such as hospital revenue cycle, grants administration, and finance. The position supports continuous improvement initiatives, monitors and resolves outstanding items in EMR work queues for clinical research accounts, and ensures adherence to institutional, federal, and sponsor policies governing clinical research payment processing and revenue documentation.

Requirements

• Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
• Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Nice To Haves

• 2-4 years’ experience with healthcare clinical research billing preferably in academic medical setting, clinical research management, health system operations.
• Experience with Epic Research Billing functions.
• Experience with a Clinical Trial Management system (CTMS) preferably OnCore, financial software, ERP systems.
• Accounting and finance experience strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of the Medicare Clinical Trials Policy and other federal, state and institutional clinical research regulations.
• Expertise in CPT, Modifiers, ICD, and PCS codes to support billing and compliance efforts.
• Strong knowledge of clinical trial contracting, revenue recognition principles, and relevant regulatory guidelines (e.g. ICH-GCP).
• Excellent attention to detail and analytical skills, with a focus on accuracy in financial operations.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills for effective collaboration with cross-functional teams and external partners.

Responsibilities

• Remittance & Research Revenue Processing Ensuring research revenue (grants, clinical trial payments) is allocated to correct study accounts or cost centers as designated in EMR and accounting systems. Ensuring accurate adjustments are posted with payment to ensure balanced accounts.
• Reconciliation Verifying that research funds received align with sponsor agreements, budget proposals, and internal tracking systems.
• Denial and Exception Management Identifying and documenting denied payments, including underpayments or overpayments from research sponsors. Collaborating with research administration, grants management, and revenue cycle teams to resolve complex issues related to research revenue claims or payment delays.
• Account Research Investigating unapplied cash, payment variances, unidentified deposits, and unapplied research revenue. Working with internal research finance, grants management, and clinical trials offices to resolve research account discrepancies.
• Communication Responding to inquiries from clinical departments, research investigators, grants offices, and sponsors about posted payments and account statuses.
• Collaboration Interfacing with billing, coding, registration, research administration, grant management, and IT departments to ensure financial data integrity in the EMR and research management systems. Supporting audits by providing payment records, reconciliations, and research revenue documentation as needed.
• Reporting & Documentation Generating cash application and reconciliation reports for management, including distinct reporting for research revenue streams (grants, trials, contracts). Maintaining thorough documentation for clinical and research payments for compliance and audit requirements.
• Compliance Ensuring adherence to institutional, federal (e.g., HIPAA, NIH regulations), and sponsor policies regarding payment processing and research revenue documentation. Staying current on EMR upgrades and best practices relating to both healthcare and research finance.
• Continuous Improvement Participating in process improvement initiatives for more efficient cash and research revenue application. Assisting with EMR system enhancements and providing training related to research revenue cash application processes.
• EMR Workqueue (WQ) Maintenance Monitoring EMR workqueues for outstanding payment postings, denials, unapplied cash, and research revenue items. Resolving items in workqueues promptly, ensuring accurate and timely cash application for both clinical and research accounts. Updating, maintaining, and clearing workqueue tasks to prevent backlog and ensure up-to-date account status. Communicating with relevant stakeholders to resolve account issues flagged in EMR workqueues. Assisting in configuring, testing, and optimizing EMR workqueue rules and workflows for cash application and research revenue tasks. Providing reconciliation documents, statement generation, and clarification on both clinical and research revenue transactions.
• Has a moderate/solid understanding of coding procedures, workflow issues, billing infrastructure, and performance of Clinical Revenue staff. Informs department administrators, physicians, and Coder/Abstractors of regulatory changes. Participates and may lead in training sessions, performing audits, and promoting an understanding of procedures, policies, and expectations in promotion of compliance efforts.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Benefits

• The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level