Research Assistant, Psychiatry (part time 20 hours/wk)

BMC Software • Boston, MA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Research Assistant will participate in multiple clinical studies under Dr. Sarah Valentine in the Department of Psychiatry. The main NIMH-funded project focuses on the development and implementation of a stepped care treatment model for posttraumatic stress disorder (Stepped Care for PTSD Study [STEPPS]). The RA will oversee the administrative aspects of the grant and interact with study subjects, clinical research coordinators, study investigators, work study students and other research staff. Duties include assisting with patient recruitment, scheduling study visits, administering questionnaires, creating and filing case report forms, entering and updating data, maintaining databases, running reports, storing samples, maintains contact with the participating clinics to insure complete and timely data collection, maintains patient profiles, assists with documenting financial and budgetary needs of the grant, and supports the research team with the preparation of data and reports.

Requirements

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree is required.
• Excellent English communication skills (oral and written).
• Cultural sensitivity and comfort with a wide range of social, racial and ethnic populations.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (i.e. MS Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook) and web browsers.
• Must be able to maintain strict confidentiality of all personal/health sensitive information.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in clinical research, public health experience or working with children and families.
• Previous experience with recruiting subjects, with an understanding of the ethical and technical conduct of research preferred.
• Bilingual candidate preferred, not required, fluent in spoken and written English, Spanish, and/or Haitian Creole.
• Experience with statistical software a plus.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the administrative aspects of the research study, including: Managing program records and handling communication needs of the program.
• Provides assistance in the development of reports, presentations, and data analysis.
• Assists in data collection and provides feedback on study’s progress.
• Recruits subjects to participate in the study by using approved methodologies.
• Develops and implements patent recruitment strategies.
• Conducts the enrollment of study participants, including explaining research procedures, and obtaining informed consent of subjects and/or their families.
• Schedules appointments of study participants; conducts reminder phone calls and/or sends mailouts.
• Provides technical guidance to junior staff.
• Obtains and distributes payment vouchers for participant reimbursements/participation.
• Perform administrative duties associated with the study’s Data Monitoring and Safety Board, tracking and reporting adverse events and collecting data specified by the DSMB.
• Prepares and maintains Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals and correspondence, including amendments and renewals as necessary.
• Assists Investigators with manuscript and presentation preparation and research.
• Conducts literature searches.
• Participates in staff meetings/initiatives including appropriate quality improvement and education activities, or if unable to attend non-mandatory activities, accepts responsibility to review meeting minutes and becomes knowledgeable of issues discussed.
• Makes independent judgements of suitability of potential participants for clinical trials.
• Recommends changes to protocols and evaluates data.
• Oversees work of research assistants.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Tuition reimbursement and tuition remission programs
• Highly subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance options
• Career Advancement/Professional Development: Access a wealth of ongoing training and development opportunities that will not only enhance your skills but also expand your knowledge base especially for individuals pursuing careers in medicine or biomedical research.
• Pioneering Research: Engage in groundbreaking research projects that are driving the forefront of biomedical science.

What This Job Offers

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