Research Project Assistant II (DOM Infectious Disease)

We are seeking a Research Project Assistant II to join our team, committed to improving the health of people who use drugs. The Center for Substance Use and Infectious Disease Care Integration has innovative programs and partnerships with people and communities affected by substance use. The center focuses on the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, particularly HIV and viral hepatitis. We are currently enrolling study participants in an NIH-funded research study; this individual will recruit people who use drugs and their network members from two different syringe service programs in rural Maryland and coordinate the day-to-day research and administrative responsibilities of the study. This individual will help recruit and engage study volunteers across assigned studies, as well as conduct research assessments, data collection procedures, data abstraction, outreach activities, and specimen collection and processing. The individual will work closely with both the Johns Hopkins study team as well as community partners such as the county health department syringe service program (SSP) teams to foster a positive collaboration between the clinical and research environments. Non-standard work hours are likely, and flexibility with daily/weekly Monday to Friday schedule will be needed.

The Research Project Assistant II supports the conduct of a research project. Collects and organizes data through study-specific procedures that may include community outreach, data collection, sample collection, laboratory work, and/or field work. Provides general administrative support for meetings/events, communications, reporting, etc.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Assist in developing operational plans to meet research goals.
• Set up tools and procedures for data collection and study processes.
• Collect and organize data per study requirements, e.g. participant interviews, administer questionnaires; conduct background research, laboratory processing, etc.
• Process data by organizing data records and study files.
• Run basic analyses and prepare routine reports.
• Perform literature searches, abstract data from literature searches and index gathered data.
• Other duties as assigned.

In addition to the duties described above

• Build and maintain positive and productive working relationships with agency personnel at study recruitment sites in the community

• Operate and maintain a mobile research van and target recruitment of clients of syringe service programs (SSPs)
• Implement recruitment strategies outlined in the protocol, e.g. posting flyers, placing print and social media ads, sending recruitment letters, approaching potential study candidates (people who use drugs) in the community.

• Perform the informed consent process with eligible participants.
• Schedule and conduct follow-up visits; administer follow-up assessments in person and via telephone.
• Collect, transport, process, and deliver biospecimens for laboratory testing and storage.
• Provide financial compensation to participants who have completed study activities; responsibly handle and log petty cash disbursements and/or gift card disbursements.
• May assume other functions, e.g. maintain the research van, assist with tracking participants during recruitment, intervention, and follow-up phases of the study, etc.
• Travel to the sites from East Baltimore in a Hopkins study research van driven by a designated study team member, for an average of three hours per day.
• May assume responsibility for driving on occasion, but it is not a required duty of the position.

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• One year of related experience.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

• Experience working with people with unstable housing, substance use issues, dual diagnoses, HCV, and HIV/AIDS
• Experience with organization and verification of data sets.
• If necessary and the individual wishes to drive the study van, a valid driver's license is required.

Classified Title: Research Project Assistant II
Role/Level/Range: ACRO40/E/02/CC
Starting Salary Range: $15.70 - $26.25 HRLY ($43,680 targeted; Commensurate w/exp.)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:30-5pm but may vary
FLSA Status:Non-Exempt
Location: School of Medicine Campus
Department name: SOM DOM Infectious Disease
Personnel area: School of Medicine