Research Associate

Department Overview

OHSU Occupational Health is an integrated clinical service dedicated to the health, safety, and occupational fitness of Oregon Health & Science University''s workforce, including employees, trainees, and visiting scholars. The department delivers comprehensive workplace health services, including medical clearances, routine health assessments, immunizations, and exposure evaluations. In addition to its clinical operations, OHSU Occupational Health functions as a robust clinical research site. Over the past five years, the department has facilitated 21 clinical studies and enrolled over 4,000 participants, focusing on infectious diseases, vaccinology, immune responses, and biomarker evaluation.

The appointee shall provide services in furtherance of the university's missions and goals of teaching, research, patient care, outreach and public service. This occupational health work involves epidemiological research, intervention techniques, experimental designs, and analysis methods to investigate human disease, preventive methods, and treatments. Projects include multi-site human trials, as well as smaller pre/post-test pilot studies.

This position requires the appointee to perform work of complex difficulty. Duties include providing expertise in the design, management, and evaluation of study protocols, methodologies, and Standard Operating Procedures. The appointee will also be responsible for implementing health status questionnaires, along with sample and assay processing, data collection, and data analysis. The Research Associate will also communicate research findings to health practitioners, policy makers, and the public, and write grant applications and articles for publication in professional journals.

The appointee will work directly under a Prinicipal Investigator (PI), but they will also be required to make decisions independently in support of research goals and grant commitments. The appointee will provide functional guidance for operations and staff, serve as a mentor to junior staff, provide daily supervision of research staff in routine procedures, assume responsibility for specific components of research projects and seek advice as necessary.

The successful candidate will hold a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a related biological science (Master's, PhD, MD or equivalent health sciences degree preferred), have strong organizational, time-management, and writing skills, a professional and personable communication style, and an ability to work as part of a team within the collegial atmosphere of Occupational Health. All interaction with human subjects is strictly related to the research and does not involve medical diagnosis or treatment.

Function/Duties of Position

• Study Design & Protocol Evaluation: Plan and direct studies to investigate human disease, preventive methods, and treatments. Provide expertise in the design, management, and evaluation of study protocols, health status questionnaires, sample selection, and analysis. Manage the evaluation, selection, and application for new studies, including capacity assessment and site coordination.
• Study procedures: Oversee and perform as necessary all steps involved in recruitment of study subjects; screen and schedule research subject visits, obtain consent, research services; conduct study visits in collaboration with investigator and other study staff; perform blood draws, process and ship samples; complete study procedures and tests per protocol; coordinate hospital services as required by study protocol, perform timely and accurate completion of all required case report forms and responses to sponsor queries.
• Data Analysis & Tracking: Oversee and perform recording, storage, cleaning, and management of research data. Utilize structured query language and good data practices to analyze longitudinal datasets. Track study implementation data, participant visits, and maintain regulatory compliance documents.
• Regulatory management: Perform regulatory management of clinical trials: Preparation, submission and ongoing follow-up of regulatory documents to the Institutional Review Board, to include initial submission, annual reviews, modifications, and reportable information. Preparation, scheduling and conduct of site monitoring visits with study sponsor representatives and federal agencies. Address and report adverse events, protocol deviations, and unanticipated problems consistent with Good Clinical Practice and HIPAA guidelines.
• Scientific Publication & Grant Writing: Write articles for publication in professional journals, preparation and delivery of scientific presentations. Write grant applications to fund epidemiologic research. Assist in the interpretation, presentation, and dissemination of research data.
• Communication, education, and coordination: Serve as primary point of contact for OH research division. Manage communication and coordination between OH research division and intramural collaborators and service groups. Participate in meetings related to pertinent clinical trials and provide updated study information as appropriate; through education and communication about research programs, foster strong connections between occupational health and the OHSU workforce. Communicate with study subjects, sponsors, contract research organization representatives, investigator and the OHSU Institutional Review Board (IRB). Communicate research findings on various types of diseases to health practitioners, policy makers, and the public. Educate healthcare workers, patients and the public about infectious and communicable diseases, including disease transmission and prevention.
• Other duties as assigned: Other duties related to the successful operation of the research unit

Required Qualifications

• Master''s Degree in relevant field AND
• 3 years of relevant experience OR
• Bachelor''s Degree in relevant field AND5 years of relevant experience

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD, MD or related health sciences degree

• Familiarity with IRB protocol development and modifications

• Prior contributions to research publications in peer reviewed journals

• 3-5 years (depending on level of education) of clinical research coordination experience.

• Data processing and validation.

• Analysis of longitudinal datasets.

• Demonstrated academic writing, proof reading, and presentation experience. Intervention development or evaluation.

• Experience working with computer software applications including Microsoft Office.

• Exceptional organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities. Strong critical thinking and research skills including experimental design, troubleshooting, and analysis.

• Competence in a range of statistical data analysis techniques, and familiarity with statistical software platforms.

• Demonstrated ability to be self-motivated, to prioritize effectively and achieve deadlines.

• Strong academic writing experience in the form of published work.

• Training in responsible conduct of research, good clinical practice

Additional Details

• Working hours of this position will vary but are mostly M-F and 9-6. Evening, weekend, and shiftwork hours as it demands.
• Must be able to lift 30 lbs. with the assistance of tools (e.g., hand trucks).

Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon''s only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland''s largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington. All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply. To request reasonable accommodation, contact askhr@ohsu.edu