Research Project Specialist (Clinical Research Specialist)
About the position The University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR) is recruiting a Research Project Specialist to coordinate the day-to-day operations of research studies. This role is part of the 'My Healthy Maryland Precision Medicine Research' project, a long-term study aiming to create a diverse resource for health-related research, from understanding genetic and molecular bases of conditions to improving healthcare efficiency.
Responsibilities
- Perform as a single specialist in a clinical setting, providing technical expertise to research programs and projects, and overseeing clinical research activities.
- Develop, recommend, modify, and implement policies and procedures for clinical research, including protocol manuals and data collection instruments.
- Coordinate the preparation of Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protocol development and ensure compliance of research operations.
- Manage interaction with subject participants, including eligibility screening, recruitment, enrollment, and ensuring informed consent.
- Obtain tissue and blood samples as necessary and collect information through interviews, questionnaires, test results, and charts.
- Plan, organize, and implement in-person participant recruitment and engagement efforts at various UMMS locations, other hospital systems, and community locations within Maryland.
- Establish and maintain database files and reports using computer applications like Microsoft Excel/Access, performing data checks, audits, and data cleaning.
- Perform clinical research activities, including data analysis using statistical software (SAS, SPSS, R), data management, and data interpretation.
- Maintain communication with participants and colleagues regarding protocol-specific information and research orders.
- Serve as a liaison to other departments (e.g., IRB, CCT), outside organizations, government agencies, and product representatives.
- Oversee and coordinate daily clinical research operations, study initiation, execution, and completion.
- Assist in the design and provide expert recommendations regarding research studies.
- Provide working coordination and feedback to others.
- Perform day-to-day operational duties such as ensuring quality control and safety compliance, submitting invoicing, developing policies and procedures, and ordering supplies.
- Search relevant literature, develop conclusions on research findings, write reports, prepare and deliver presentations, and recommend appropriate actions.
- Conduct library research and contribute to the preparation and writing of research findings for publication and grant proposals.
- Provide training to less experienced researchers.
- Assist in developing and submitting grants, papers, abstracts, and manuscripts.
- Participate in field visits, respond to requests and questions from individuals, institutions, government agencies, and funding agencies.
- Participate in the design of research studies.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in a scientific field of study related to the research of the clinical setting.
- Three (3) years of clinical research experience.
- Two (2) years of experience in the relevant research specialization.
Benefits
- Retirement program (pension or optional retirement plan/ORP)
- Over 4 weeks of vacation accrued each year
- 15 paid holidays
- 3 personal leave days
- Unlimited accrual of sick time
- Comprehensive health insurance
- Professional learning and development programs
- Tuition remission for employees and their dependents at any University System of Maryland school
- Flexible work schedules
- Teleworking options (if applicable per job)