Department: MED-NU Simulation
Salary/Grade: NEX/13
Job Summary:
Northwestern Simulation (NU SIM) is a state-of-the-art educational service center within Feinberg School of Medicine (FSM) Department of Medical Education. Our mission is to provide exceptional simulation-based education to improve patient care while transforming healthcare through education, innovation, and research. NU SIM serves all FSM learners, including undergraduate medical education, graduate medical education, physician assistant, physical therapy, and continuing medical education. Additionally, NU SIM partners with external clients and affiliates to further its educational mission.
The Simulation Specialist performs moderately complex technical operations across the NU SIM. Duties include but are not limited to preparation of medical workspaces for experiential learning, programing clinical scenarios, providing technical support for medical training involving use of tissue in either simulated, cadaveric, ex-plant and/or in-vivo form, assisting in the technical instruction of learners, care and maintenance of NU SIM equipment, instruments and various simulators, operation of A/V systems infrastructure, maintaining inventory of laboratory disposables and supplies, records maintenance, and performing workplace-related cleaning and organizational duties, as assigned.
Please note:
Job requires the ability to safely lift a minimum of 50 lbs. without assistance and to push and pull up to 150 lbs. with appropriate equipment (males) or to safely lift a minimum of 25 lbs. and to push and pull up to 75 lbs. with appropriate equipment (females). Job requires occasional schedule flexibility and weekend hours. Job requires exposure to biohazardous waste, sharps, full cadaveric, explant tissues, and working with laboratory animals.
Specific Responsibilities:
Programs
- Provides technical support for all NU SIM educational and training programs, across a variety of learners, including UME, GME, CME, Non-CME, and Industry
- Assists Simulation Engineer in organizing and implementing the day-to-day operations and related training programs.
- Follows health and safety standards in the laboratory in accordance with NU policies.
- Supports medical education training sessions, including but not limited to: organizing and preparing spaces, equipment, tissues, and supplies for various training sessions.
- Attends to needs of medical learners and faculty, as needed, during training sessions and on a walk-in basis.
- Acts as lead tech on some events, which includes attending intake/update meetings and being faculty liaison.
- Describes the functions of simulation equipment and conducts room orientations in support of educational sessions.
- Programs simulators to reproduce realistic clinical scenarios and makes complex manipulations to programming and equipment in real-time during training sessions.
- Enters data in tools and systems relevant to curricula and operations of NU SIM.
- Collaborates with supervisor and managers regarding the planning and implementation of activities and curriculum.
- May provide support for innovative educational initiatives, as well as provide support in gross anatomy lab, as assigned by Simulation Engineer.
Technical
- Maintains simulation equipment to ensure proper functioning.
- Makes simple repairs to simulators, networking, and related computer programs and systems.
- Acts as a standardized patient/nurse/other clinical position in experiential scenarios as required.
- Prepares, cleans and maintains instruments, and/or devices for training sessions.
- Prepares and processes cadaveric and animal tissue, as well as in-vivo models, and/or explanted tissue for surgical training sessions.
- Assists with access to and operation of virtual reality simulators.
- Cleans and disinfects workspaces.
- Assists with access to and preparation for in-situ simulations.
Administration
- Supports simulation-based events, research, and scholarship activities of Northwestern University faculty and staff.
- Collects research data as directed, following all IRB protocols regarding the collection and storage of research data.
- Orders, maintains, and organizes laboratory equipment and supplies.
- Supports and maintains inventory of all clinical and surgical equipment and supplies, including disposables.
- Stays up to date on simulation-based research and emerging technologies.
- Collaborates with supervisor regularly to solve problems and address issues in forwarding mission.
Miscellaneous
Performs other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree in a biological science or healthcare-related field or equivalent combination of education, training and experience from which comparable skills can be acquired
- 3-5 years' experience handling cadaver or human tissue in academic medicine or clinical environment; and/or familiarity with OSHA guidelines, CLIA/TJC/DNV/GLP/CAP, or another accreditation/regulatory agency.
- Experience in a healthcare setting and/or some formal healthcare training (EMT, nurse, PA, PT, respiratory therapist, or other healthcare service industry worker)
Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)
- Should hold a degree of medical knowledge
- Working knowledge of IT/AV infrastructure, hardware and software
- Strong background in set-up, use, troubleshooting and maintenance of technical equipment, computers and a variety of hardware & software.
- Demonstrated good communication skills.
- Working knowledge of common administrative software programs (MS Office, Excel, etc.), with the ability to learn new platforms and applications.
- Experience handling cadaver or human tissue in academic medicine or clinical environment and/or familiarity with OSHA guidelines, CLIA/TJC/DNV/GLP/CAP, or another accreditation/regulatory agency
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree in a biological or healthcare-related field
- Comp-TIA A+ Certification
- Comp-TIA Network Certification
- CHOS Certification
- Experience handling cadaver or human tissue in academic medicine or clinical environment.
- Experience with animal use in research setting.
- 3-5 years' experience work in clinical simulation, with knowledge of set up/take down/and running of HiFi and skills training simulations.
Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)
- Work experience in healthcare, communications, multimedia, computer science or higher education in an academic setting.
- Work experience with biological tissue.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate with diverse groups.
- Education or work experience in the use of simulation technology and simulation development.
- Demonstrated ability to synthesize information and instruction from a variety of sources to develop plans, implement projects and make improvements.
- Experience operating, troubleshooting and maintaining simulation manikin technology.
- Familiarity with OSHA guidelines, CLIA/TJC/DNV, GLP/CAP, or another accreditation/ regulatory agency.
Target hiring range for this position will be between $23.20 - 29.91 per hour. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.
Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.
Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.
Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.
Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.
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