UCI - Junior/Assistant/Associate Specialist (Intervention Research and Study Coordination)

Position Summary

The Mind and Microbiome Lab at UC Irvine seeks a Junior, Assistant, or Associate Specialist with demonstrated experience coordinating or conducting human intervention research. This position is primarily focused on study coordination, and the successful candidate will play a central role in building and managing the infrastructure needed to launch and sustain a human microbiome intervention study. Familiarity with microbiome research methods is valued and will strengthen a candidate's application, but is not required. The lab supports an interdisciplinary research program at the intersection of psychology, public health, physiology, and nutrition, with a focus on how everyday behaviors, diet, and psychosocial processes shape human health and the gut microbiome. Under the guidance of Principal Investigator Desiree R. Delgadillo, the successful candidate will support study development and implementation, IRB and regulatory activities, participant recruitment and retention, staff training, and biological sample coordination. The immediate priority for this position is establishing the operational infrastructure needed to successfully launch the intervention study. This includes refining intervention protocols, completing IRB submissions, developing participant-facing materials and tracking procedures, training research staff, and establishing quality assurance systems. Candidates who bring experience building study infrastructure from the ground up are especially encouraged to apply. As the research program grows and additional staff are hired, there will be opportunities to contribute to data analysis, manuscript preparation, grant support, and new research projects based on the candidate's interests and expertise.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of behavioral and dietary intervention studies, including refinement of protocols and preparation of materials for IRB review.
• Develop study protocols, standard operating procedures (SOPs), training manuals, participant-facing materials, and quality assurance procedures under the direction of the Principal Investigator.
• Prepare and manage IRB submissions, modifications, regulatory documentation, and ongoing study compliance activities.
• Coordinate day-to-day study operations and help ensure that procedures are implemented consistently and in accordance with approved protocols.
• Develop and implement systems for participant recruitment, screening, scheduling, retention, adherence, and tracking.
• Assist with the development and maintenance of study databases, participant tracking systems, and data management workflows.
• Train, mentor, and coordinate research assistants in study procedures, participant interactions, data collection, documentation, and quality assurance.
• Monitor study implementation, identify operational challenges, and develop practical solutions as protocols are put into practice.
• Contribute to the ongoing development and improvement of research infrastructure and laboratory workflows.
• Coordinate procedures for the collection, labeling, tracking, storage, and transfer of human biological samples in accordance with study protocols.
• Assist with the development and maintenance of SOPs for biological sample handling, including procedures for temporary storage and transfer to analytical laboratories or core facilities.
• Help establish systems for biospecimen tracking, documentation, chain of custody, and quality assurance.
• Train research staff and participants, as appropriate, in sample collection and handling procedures.
• Coordinate with external laboratories, core facilities, and other research partners regarding sample requirements, transfer procedures, and study timelines.
• Ensure that biological sample procedures are conducted in accordance with applicable IRB, biosafety, and institutional requirements.
• Develop and maintain organized, accurate, and reproducible study records and data management systems.
• Support data quality assurance, including review of study data for completeness, consistency, and protocol adherence.
• Assist with the preparation of study reports, presentations, and other scientific materials.
• Contribute to manuscript preparation, including methods, results, tables, and figures, as appropriate.
• Assist with grant applications and related research materials.
• Participate in the interpretation and dissemination of study findings.
• Conduct statistical analyses of psychosocial, behavioral, psychophysiological, or intervention outcome data using R or related software (as time and study needs permit, and depending on candidate expertise).
• Support longitudinal and repeated-measures analyses relevant to ongoing studies.
• Develop reproducible analytic workflows and publication-quality data visualizations.
• Collaborate with the Principal Investigator and research team on the interpretation of quantitative findings.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in psychology, public health, nutrition, biological sciences, health sciences, or a related field, or equivalent research experience appropriate for appointment in the UC Specialist series.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating and conducting human subjects intervention research.
• Experience with behavioral, dietary, lifestyle, or other health-related intervention studies.
• Experience developing or implementing research protocols, SOPs, or study procedures.
• Experience with IRB submissions, human subjects research requirements, or related regulatory activities.
• Experience with participant recruitment, screening, scheduling, retention, and/or tracking.
• Proficiency with research data collection and management tools, including REDCap and/or Qualtrics.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in research operations, documentation, and data management.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and troubleshoot study implementation challenges.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to train and coordinate research assistants and work collaboratively with students, staff, faculty, and external partners.

Pay

Salary range: $57,000–$91,100 annually for a full-time appointment. The Specialist level and corresponding salary will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications, degree, and relevant experience. Please note that these salary ranges reflect a 100% FTE appointment. Since this position is part-time, the salary will be prorated based on the percentage of appointment (FTE).

Application Requirements

• Curriculum Vitae (most recently updated)
• Cover Letter (optional)
• Statement of Research (optional)
• 3 references (contact information only)

Apply link: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF10403

Job location: Irvine, CA