Research Project Coordinator

Mountain Area Health Education Center - MAHEC • Biltmore, TN

1d • $58,000 • Onsite

About The Position

As an active member of the UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC Department of Program Evaluation and Research (PEaR), the Research Project Coordinator is responsible for a wide variety of tasks related to coordinating research and evaluation projects, including assisting in research project development and design; data collection and management; and research project management, coordination, and tracking. Research Project Coordinators typically work on multiple research projects simultaneously alongside individuals working on specific projects.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field (e.g., biology, psychology, public health, engineering, data science, physical science)
• Experience in evaluation and/or research
• Communication Skills Effectively and respectably communicate with other individuals, whether it be a colleague, patient, or patient’s family member and appropriately enumerate information in a manner easily understood by all parties. We do this to foster a culture of understanding between all parties, especially in complex and difficult situations, to ultimately provide the best care possible to our patients and their families.
• Decision Making Ability to make the most appropriate decision in a given situation and then taking the next steps to ensure appropriate and timely completion. This requires conflict resolution skills, critical thinking skills, confidence in your ability to make the right decision in most situations. This also includes ability to prioritize your workday appropriately to ensure the most important tasks are completed on time.
• HealthCare Knowledge Having the drive to keep yourself abreast and up to date on the new breakthroughs in your area of expertise and communicating them to the rest of the team, as appropriate. This also includes keeping up with your licensure and yearly training requirements within your area expertise along with MAHEC’s organizational training. Finally, the ability to apply the depth of knowledge maintained and gained through this process in real life scenarios as appropriate.
• Interpersonal Skills Showing the ability to meet difficult situations with grace, professionalism, and understanding. Within your area of expertise, showing respect and showing empathy where appropriate with your colleagues, patients, and their family at all times, even when its most difficult to do so. This is done, in part, by effective listening, being your authentic self, showing responsibility and dependability, and being patient with others.
• Organizational Values Adherence to MAHEC’s founding principles and incorporating them every day. This includes, among others, having integrity and accountability, reverence for other cultures and equitable practices, ability to manage change, and displaying a clear understanding of organizational dynamics. Doing these things creates a culture where people want to do the best for each other and gives personal ownership towards the goal of helping people in their time of need.
• Problem Solving Having an analytical mind and ability to work autonomously to solve complex problems that may arise. The wherewithal to think logically through a difficult problem and come to an appropriate resolution for a given issue. This helps to drive continuous improvement by thinking through where we can improve in a novel way. Measures success by understanding where we are currently and where we want to go and then applying those new ideas to affect positive change.
• Familiarity with research methodologies, study design, and scientific terminology.
• Understanding of compliance frameworks (IRB, HIPAA, Good Clinical Practice, etc.).
• Computer Expertise with Microsoft Office (Windows, Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint) and database management.
• Experience with data management systems such as Excel, Smartsheet, or REDCap
• Comfort with project management tools like Asana, Azure DevOps, Trello, Agile, Scrum, Notion, or MS Project.
• Sedentary - Very light energy level: Lift 10 lbs box overhead, Lift and Carry 15 lbs, Push/Pull 20 lbs cart
• Physical Activity: Occasional (0 - 33% of Workday)
• Regular attendance on-site is an essential function of this position.
• Typical business hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (or flexed to best meet the needs of the clients and/or the Division); 40 hours per workweek; weekend, holiday, or evening coverage is occasionally required.
• Work hours will need to be flexible in order to respond to special work assignments, or evening activities, as requested by the team leader.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree preferred for complex or multidisciplinary research environments, especially in research administration, public health, and project management
• Familiarity with Attributable, Legible, Complete, Original, and Accurate (ALCOA or ALCOA+) system
• Project Management Professional (PMP) or CAPM
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA)
• Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) for clinical or human-subjects research
• Lean/Six Sigma for process improvement roles

Responsibilities

• Project Planning & Execution Develop project timelines and milestones that align with research objectives, grant requirements, and team capacity. Track progress against deliverables, flag risks early, and coordinate adjustments with the PI or project lead. Facilitate project kickoffs, ensuring roles, expectations, and workflows are clearly defined.
• Documentation & Compliance Maintain project documentation, including protocols, meeting notes, decision logs, and version-controlled materials. Support IRB/IACUC submissions and renewals by the project team, ensuring compliance with institutional and federal regulations. Assist with grant reporting, including progress summaries, budget justifications, and data tracking.
• Communication & Coordination Serve as the central communication hub between researchers, collaborators, administrative offices, and external partners. Facilitate scheduling team meetings, prepare agendas, and distribute action items. Coordinate cross-functional work, such as data management, procurement, and IT support.
• Budget & Resource Management Monitor project budgets, track expenditures, and ensure alignment with grant or departmental guidelines. Manage purchasing and procurement, including lab supplies, software licenses, and equipment.
• Data & Reporting Support Assist with data organization, ensuring consistent naming conventions, storage practices, and documentation Working with project team members, prepare summary reports, dashboards, or presentations for leadership, funders, or collaborators. Support quality assurance, helping ensure data integrity and adherence to protocols.
• Operational & Administrative Support Optimize workflows, identifying bottlenecks and proposing process improvements. Manage project calendars, deadlines, and shared resources Coordinate travel, conferences, and dissemination activities, including poster or manuscript submissions.
• Other Activities Demonstrates a commitment to continuing professional development. Actively participates in and contributes to departmental and liaison area activities.

Benefits

• full benefits available
• MAHEC is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. Employees who meet federal requirements may be eligible to have remaining student loan balances forgiven after 10 years of qualifying payments while working full-time at MAHEC.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees