Hourly Research Assistant

About the role

The Research Assistant supports the daily operation of clinical and community-based research studies. This is a hands-on role with a lot of direct participant contact. On a typical week, the Research Assistant may screen a potential participant by phone, pull data from medical charts, drive to a partner site for an in-person assessment, lead a study cycling class, and then enter and clean the data collected from all of it. The position works under the direction of the Principal Investigator and Research Coordinator and follows approved protocols, institutional policy, and federal regulations for human subjects research.

Supervision

This position works under the direct supervision of the Principal Investigator and Research Coordinator. The Research Assistant does not supervise other staff but may orient and train student workers and volunteers on specific study procedures.

Preferences / Skills / Experience

The ideal candidate should have:

• Genuine comfort working with people, including building rapport with participants who may be nervous, deconditioned, older, or unfamiliar with research
• Reliability and follow-through; study visits and classes happen on a schedule at sites across the valley
• A high tolerance for detail; protocol adherence, source documentation, and clean data are the actual product of this job
• Independent judgment in the field; often the only study staff member at a site
• Confidence leading a room, including willingness to lead group cycling classes and monitor participant responses
• Comfort with data tools; experience with REDCap, Excel, and a statistical package is a plus
• Discretion; daily access to medical records and personal health information
• Flexibility about hours and location; some sessions may occur early, late, or on weekends

Prior research experience is helpful but not required; strong people skills and good habits from clinical, fitness, or education backgrounds are valued.

Responsibilities

• Recruitment, screening, and retention:
  • Recruits participants through clinic referrals, registries, community events, flyers, and partner organizations
  • Screens prospective participants by phone, in person, and via medical record review to determine eligibility
  • Schedules study visits and exercise sessions around participant availability and sends reminders
  • Tracks retention, follows up on missed visits, and documents reasons for withdrawal
  • Maintains screening and enrollment logs and reports recruitment progress
• Informed consent and regulatory compliance:
  • Obtains and documents informed consent under supervision and confirms participant understanding
  • Maintains regulatory binders, delegation logs, training records, and study documentation in audit-ready condition
  • Prepares and submits IRB materials including new applications, amendments, continuing reviews, and study closeouts
  • Identifies and reports adverse events, unanticipated problems, and protocol deviations within required timelines
  • Completes and keeps current required human subjects, privacy, and safety training
  • Protects participant confidentiality and handles protected health information according to HIPAA and institutional policy
• In-person assessments and study visits:
  • Conducts in-person study visits at primary and partner sites across the valley
  • Administers questionnaires, surveys, interviews, and cognitive or functional assessments
  • Measures and records vital signs, height, weight, body composition, and other anthropometric data
  • Assists with exercise and physical performance testing, monitors for signs of distress, and escalates concerns
  • Collects, labels, processes, stores, and ships biological specimens when required
  • Fits, distributes, and retrieves wearable monitors and other study devices and downloads their data
  • Performs chart reviews and abstracts clinical data from the electronic health record
  • Sets up and breaks down equipment and supplies for off-site visits and maintains a travel kit
• Exercise session support and instruction:
  • Leads group cycling classes for study participants, including covering sessions when needed
  • Sets up and adjusts bikes and equipment for each participant to ensure safe and comfortable fit
  • Monitors heart rate, perceived exertion, and participant response during sessions and adjusts or stops activity as warranted
  • Records attendance, adherence, session intensity, and any symptoms or adverse events
  • Follows emergency procedures and responds appropriately to participant symptoms or injury
  • Keeps exercise equipment clean, functional, and ready for use and reports maintenance needs
• Data management and quality assurance:
  • Enters study data into REDCap or comparable databases accurately and on schedule
  • Verifies entered data against source documents, resolves discrepancies, and follows up on missing or out-of-range values
  • Runs routine quality checks, resolves data queries, and maintains data dictionaries and codebooks
  • Cleans, merges, and formats datasets, including data from wearable devices and testing equipment
  • Prepares data files for final disposition and archiving and maintains organized study files
  • Assists with audit and monitoring visits by pulling requested records and responding to findings
• Analysis and dissemination support:
  • Helps prepare manuscripts, abstracts, posters, progress reports, grant proposals, and participant materials
  • Edits and formats documents prior to submission or presentation and manages references and citations
• Team and administrative support:
  • Coordinates study team schedules and the master participant visit calendar across multiple sites
  • Serves as a point of contact for site partners and coordinates access, space, and scheduling logistics
  • Monitors and orders study supplies and keeps inventory current
  • Attends study team meetings, trainings, and site visits and helps train new staff and student volunteers
  • Performs other duties as assigned in support of the research program

Minimum Qualifications

Equivalency statement: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (e.g., bachelor’s degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).

Department may hire at one of the following levels:

• Research Assistant II: Requires at least 1 year of related experience
• Research Assistant III: Requires 3+ years of related experience
• Research Assistant IV: Requires 5+ years of related experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in exercise science, kinesiology, public health, nursing, psychology, biology, or a related field, or equivalency as defined by institutional policy
• Current CPR and Basic Life Support certification, or ability to obtain within 30 days of hire and maintain throughout employment
• Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and willingness to travel regularly to study sites throughout the valley
• Completion of CITI human subjects research training and HIPAA privacy training before any participant contact, or within 30 days of hire
• Availability to work occasional early morning, evening, and weekend hours to accommodate participant and class schedules
• Demonstrated attention to detail and ability to keep accurate records across multiple studies
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Excel, and comfort learning new data systems
• Ability to communicate clearly and respectfully with participants from a wide range of backgrounds and to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to work independently in the field and to know when to escalate a question or safety concern
• Group exercise or indoor cycling certification through ACSM, ACE, AFAA, Schwinn, Spinning, or comparable organization, or documented experience leading group exercise classes
• Prior experience in clinical, exercise, or community-based research
• Experience with REDCap
• Experience abstracting data from an electronic health record such as Epic
• Familiarity with statistical software such as R, SPSS, SAS, or Stata
• Experience with exercise testing equipment, phlebotomy, or specimen processing
• Bilingual in English and Spanish