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; ability to build rapport quickly with participants who may be nervous, deconditioned, older, or unfamiliar with research, and to explain a consent form without rushing anyone through it
• Reliability and follow-through; study visits and classes happen on a schedule, at sites across the valley, and the team needs to know you will be there and prepared
• A high tolerance for detail; protocol adherence, source documentation, and clean data are the actual product of this job, and you should find that satisfying rather than tedious
• Independent judgment in the field; you will often be the only study staff member at a site, so you need to solve small problems on the spot and recognize the ones that need to go up the chain immediately
• Confidence leading a room; whether you have taught cycling before or you are willing to get certified, you should be willing to get on a bike, cue a class, and keep an eye on how each participant is responding
• Comfort with data tools; experience with REDCap, Excel, and a statistical package is a real plus, and a willingness to learn them quickly is required
• Discretion; you will see medical records and personal health information every day, and you should treat that access as the responsibility it is
• Flexibility about hours and location; participants have jobs and lives, so some sessions land early, late, or on a weekend

Prior research experience is helpful but not the deciding factor. The team has trained excellent research assistants who came from clinical, fitness, or education backgrounds and brought strong people skills and good habits with them.

Responsibilities

Recruitment, screening, and retention

• Recruits participants through clinic referrals, registries, community events, flyers, and partner organizations
• Screens prospective participants by phone and in person, and through medical record review, to determine eligibility against protocol criteria
• Schedules study visits and exercise sessions around participant availability and sends reminders to reduce no-shows
• Tracks retention; follows up on missed visits, and documents reasons for withdrawal
• Maintains screening and enrollment logs, and reports recruitment progress to the study team

Informed consent and regulatory compliance

• Obtains and documents informed consent under the supervision of the Principal Investigator, and confirms participants understand what they are agreeing to
• 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 close-outs
• Identifies and reports adverse events, unanticipated problems, and protocol deviations within required timelines
• Completes and keeps current all 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 the primary site and at clinics, community centers, fitness facilities, and other locations across the valley
• Administers questionnaires, surveys, interviews, and cognitive or functional assessments according to protocol
• Measures and records vital signs, height, weight, body composition, and other anthropometric data
• Assists with exercise testing and physical performance testing, monitors participants for signs of distress, and escalates concerns to clinical staff
• Collects, labels, processes, stores, and ships biological specimens when the protocol requires it
• Fits, distributes, and retrieves wearable monitors and other study devices, and downloads the data from them
• 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 keeps a travel kit stocked and organized

Exercise session support and instruction

• Leads group cycling classes for study participants as needed, including covering sessions when the regular instructor is unavailable
• Sets up and adjusts bikes and equipment for each participant, and makes sure the fit is safe and comfortable
• Monitors heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, and participant response during sessions, and adjusts or stops activity when 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 research 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 pulled from wearable devices and testing equipment
• Prepares data files for final disposition and archiving, and maintains organized study files and an internal library of project resources
• 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 curriculum or 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 on study procedures
• 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 the ability to obtain certification within 30 days of hire and maintain it 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 the ability to keep accurate records across multiple studies at once
• 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 without exception
• Ability to work independently in the field and to know when to escalate a question or a safety concern
• Group exercise or indoor cycling certification through ACSM, ACE, AFAA, Schwinn, Spinning, or a 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