Research Associate

Heluna Health•San Francisco, CA

19h•$31 - $34•Onsite

About The Position

Heluna Health invites applications for the position of Research Associate in the Center on Substance Use and Health (CSUH) of Population Health Division of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. This is a temporary, in-person, full time, grant funded, benefitted position with non-standard work hours (may require work during evening hours). Employment is provided by Heluna Health. Pay Range: $31.25-$34.45 per hour Under the supervision of the Program Manager, the Research Associate will be responsible for a wide variety of duties and projects related to behavioral and pharmacologic studies in the fields of HIV prevention and substance use. The research associate will primarily work on the RENEW study. This study is a phase 2, randomized control trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of a GLP-1/GIP in addition to buprenorphine as a possible new treatment to help people reduce or stop using opioids. Participants will be assigned to receive placebo or one of 3 doses of the medication over 24 weeks, then assigned to an open-label extension for about a year.

Requirements

BA/BS in related field, or a combination of relevant experience and education
Interest and ability to learn a wide array of techniques and technologies and to cross-train to support the duties of other staff members
Knowledge of and sensitivity to diverse communities, particularly communities of color, gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender community, and substance using populations
Excellent writing and interpersonal communication skills
High level of attention to detail and ability to handle a variety of tasks with a high degree of accuracy

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in health/mental health or related field
Certified phlebotomist
Certified HIV test counselor
Familiarity with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access
Experience with clinical trials research and/or healthcare settings
Counseling experience with substance users and/or counseling experience in reducing the risk of HIV acquisition or transmission
Experience working with challenging participants, or participants with multiple diagnoses
Knowledge of regulations, policies and procedures related to the protection of human subjects and confidentiality
Any other knowledge and skills useful to this research group is considered a plus (software skills, presentation experience, database knowledge, basic website maintenance, etc.)

Responsibilities

Support the investigators of this close-knit research team in the conduct of research protocols within the guidelines of Good Clinical Practice.
Responsible for screening potential participants over the phone or in-office, obtaining informed consent.
Proactively manage participant schedules and retain participants through phone calls, emails/texts, and in-person follow-ups over the course of the study.
Conduct study visits with participants following the procedures of the study protocol.
Under the guidance of the study clinicians, conduct laboratory activities, which may include urine drug testing, rapid HIV and HCV testing, phlebotomy, blood processing, and sending blood and urine samples for laboratory tests.
May provide HIV/STI risk reduction counseling, overdose prevention, or medication management counseling using a manualized cognitive behavioral model and the principles of harm reduction.
Other administrative tasks including accurately completing case report forms, setting participants up with surveys, performing quality assurance checks of study documents, entering study data into REDCap or Excel databases, etc.
Assist with other unit studies as needed, including conducting in-depth interviews and surveys.
Support the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in close collaboration with Program Manager.
Other duties as assigned, including coverage for other staff and discrete projects related to ongoing studies within CSUH.