Research Assistant 2

Case Western Reserve University•Cleveland, OH

42d•$19

About The Position

Working under general supervision, the Research Assistant 2 will plan, carry out, and provide project support, community and participant engagement, and technical support within an applied nutrition research lab in accordance with general plans. The lab explores behavioral design strategies to enhance diet quality and reduce environmental impact, including food waste. Objectives of current research projects include improving human and planetary health through food as medicine interventions that influence food literacy and behaviors (e.g., cooking frequency, dietary quality, reduced food waste) to promote improved health outcomes. The Nourish study evaluates a hands-on culinary and food skills intervention that aims to improve diet quality, reduce household food waste, and reduce stress by improving food and cooking skills, with a focus on improvisational cooking and creating flavor. The research assistant will help coordinate this complex study involving participants from the Cleveland community and approximately 15 undergraduate research assistants. MealSim examines school nutrition program characteristics that impact child fruit and vegetable consumption and waste during school lunch. The research assistant will coordinate communication and collaboration with school nutrition program staff that participate in MealSim and contribute to data management. Future projects will involve collaborating with K-12 schools, hospitals, food banks, and community partners to improve health through food and nutrition.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Nutrition, Food Science/Systems, Public Health, Psychology, Sociology or other behavior-related field and 1 to 3 years of research experience or Associate's degree in an approved biotechnology program and 2 to 4 years of research experience required.
Previous experience working with human participants in research.
Strong computer skills including proficiency with Microsoft Office Products, Google Calendars and Zoom platforms.
Professional and effective oral and written communication skills; customer service orientation and excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work and communicate with various individuals within and external to the university.
Effective problem-solving skills; must demonstrate sound judgment and good decision-making.
Strong organization skills: ability to multi-task, prioritize and meet deadlines. Must demonstrate attention to detail and accuracy, time management skills, and follow-through.
Maintain lab and departmental quality standards by proofreading and performing quality assurance checks of all outgoing written communications, documentation, and data tasks.
Ability to work effectively independently and collaboratively within a team.
Must demonstrate flexibility and ability to work under pressure; must be able and willing to work in a fast-paced, changing environment, and conform to shifting priorities, demands and timeline.
Must demonstrate willingness to learn and apply new techniques, procedures, processes, and software/applications/online tools as needed.
Demonstrated history of successful support, education, and advocacy for all students, aligned with the values, mission, and messaging of the university, while adhering to the staff policy on conflict of commitment and interest.
Ability to meet consistent attendance.
Ability to interact with colleagues, supervisors, and participants face to face, using the telephone, zoom, and/or emails/apps.
Must demonstrate compliance with department and university human research policies and the regulations of the Institutional Review Board.

Nice To Haves

Experience in community-led or community-based initiatives and interventions preferred.
Knowledge of nutrition, food, and/or culinary education a plus.
Experience using Canva, REDCap, SPSS, and/or R is a plus.

Responsibilities

Oversee inventory, scheduling, and accurately update and maintain the Team Google Calendar. Track and coordinate participant incentives and other lab purchases using Excel. Order office supplies, schedule staff, students, and space reservations for interventions, participant consent and data collection meetings at multiple on and off campus locations using campus space reservation systems. Coordinate participant payments and maintain accurate bookkeeping. (20%)
Lead Participant Recruitment efforts. Recruit, engage, and retain research participants using telephone, e-mails, and GroupMe communication in accordance with regulatory and research protocols. (20%)
Internal Communications. Maintain daily communication with the principal investigator and other leadership staff and students regarding updates to scheduling, lab flow, and any updates or deviations from study protocols or data collection. Facilitate lab meetings in person and/or online, take minutes and share updates. (20%)
Coordinate research interventions: operationalize weekly culinary education classes for the Nourish intervention. Participate in and oversee students during lesson kitchen prep, clean up, and evening Nourish classes each week in accordance to food safety, research, and department protocols. This may also include local grocery store pick up of pre-ordered food supplies. (15%)
Train and guide new staff; support the work of students. Provide technical assistance and support for 10 to 15 student research assistants. Train new staff and student research assistants on research study protocols, laboratory policies, as well as basic human research ethics and study designs. Utilize understanding of research design and methods, as well as public health nutrition, food systems, and/or human behavior knowledge to answer student questions about the intervention and troubleshoot issues that arise. (10%)
Data and records management. Contribute to entering, maintaining, cleaning, organizing, and analyzing data and participant outreach files under supervision. Follow laboratory protocols to assist with data entry, cleaning, and compiling data to evaluate behavioral outcomes in human research with data such as food waste, dietary behaviors, and Nourish intervention outcomes. Additionally, work under supervision to validate MealSim, an Agent-Based Model designed to predict student eating and waste behaviors in school cafeterias. (10%)
Attend relevant meetings and training courses, adhere to deadlines, and participate as a vital member of the research team. Serve as a preceptor to interns, as needed. (5%)
Perform other duties as assigned. (<1%)

Benefits

University employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare, retirement plans, tuition assistance, paid time off, and a winter recess.

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