We are seeking a Research Program Assistant II, Substance Use & Infectious Disease Care who will join a team of people committed to improving the health of people who use drugs. We are seeking an enthusiastic self-starter who enjoys driving to join the mobile research team of an NIH-funded research study. This individual will recruit people who use drugs and their network members from two different syringe service programs (each within an hour of Baltimore,) and assist with the day-to-day research and administrative responsibilities of a study aimed at extending the reach of evidence-based services for people who use drugs. Under the direct supervision of the Research Program Supervisor and the overall supervision of the Principal Investigator, the Research Program Assistant II will support and follow a standardized research protocol. This individual will play a role in recruiting and engaging study participants, as well as conducting 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 and the county health department syringe service program (SSP) teams to foster a positive collaboration between the clinical and research environments.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

Study Recruitment and Retention

• Build and maintain working relationships with agency personnel at study recruitment sites in the community.
• Operate and help maintain a mobile research van and target recruitment of clients of syringe service programs (SSPs).
• Follow common study recruitment strategies as outlined in the research protocol, which may include posting flyers, placing print and social media ads, sending out recruitment letters, and/or approaching potential study candidates in the community.
• Conduct initial screening assessments of potential candidates for study eligibility.
• Schedule and coordinate research visits.
• Remind participants of upcoming research visits via phone, mail, social media, and peer and community contacts.
• Perform outreach activities as needed to find research participants who have fallen out of contact.

Research Assistant Job Functions

• Complete and maintain the necessary trainings for study performance, including but not limited to Human Subjects Research, Bloodborne Pathogens.
• Perform the informed consent process with eligible participants.
• Conduct baseline assessments and collect study data through participant interviews and specimen collection.
• 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.
• Enter participant data into a web-based database (REDCap) using a laptop or other portable electronic device.
• Maintain organization of research documents in participant data files.
• Edit and verify data entries; respond to data queries.
• Attend and participate in regularly scheduled staff meetings, conference calls, and trainings.
• Work closely with and support other study staff.
• Work with the study team to ensure the integrity of study procedures and the comfort, safety, and confidentiality of study participants.
• Perform other research functions including abstracting data, maintaining the research van, and assisting with tracking participants during the recruitment, intervention, and follow-up phases of the study.

Additional Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to work well as a member of a research team with a high degree of self-motivation and conduct professional interactions with intra- and inter-agency personnel
• Ability to follow guidelines as established by research study protocols.
• Attention to detail and ability to chart and enter data accurately.
• Ability to make decisions and act independently while keeping the supervisor informed.
• Excellent writing and interpersonal communication skills, particularly for communicating with a wide variety of individuals from study participants to administrative personnel, experienced clinicians, and physicians.

• High School Diploma or graduation equivalent.
• Two years of related experience.
• A valid driver's license is required for this role and must be maintained during the duration in the role.

• Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond HS Diploma/Graduation Equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

• Specimen collection experience.
• Life/community/work experience or knowledge regarding HIV/HCV.
• Minimum of two years of experience working with people with unstable housing, substance use issues, dual diagnoses, HCV, and HIV/AIDS
• Experience with organization and verification of data sets
• Basic computer (database/word processing/internet) skills

Classified Title: Research Program Assistant II 
Job Posting Title (Working Title): Research Program Assistant II, Substance Use & Infectious Disease Care   
Role/Level/Range: ACRO40/E/02/CC  
Starting Salary Range: $15.70 - $26.25 HRLY ($50,000 targeted; Commensurate w/exp.) 
Employee group: Full Time 
Schedule: Monday - Friday 
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt 
Location: Hybrid/School of Medicine Campus 
Department name: ???????SOM DOM Infectious Disease  
Personnel area: School of Medicine 

About Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University remains committed to its founding principle, that education for all students should be grounded in exploration and discovery. Hopkins students are challenged not just to learn but also to advance learning itself. Critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and entrepreneurship are all encouraged and nourished in this unique educational environment. After more than 130 years, Johns Hopkins remains a world leader in both teaching and research. Faculty members and their research colleagues at the university's Applied Physics Laboratory have each year since 1979 won Johns Hopkins more federal research and development funding than any other university. The university has nine academic divisions and campuses throughout the Baltimore-Washington area. The Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, the Whiting School of Engineering, the School of Education and the Carey Business School are based at the Homewood campus in northern Baltimore. The schools of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing share a campus in east Baltimore with The Johns Hopkins Hospital. The Peabody Institute, a leading professional school of music, is located on Mount Vernon Place in downtown Bal...timore. The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies is located in Washington's Dupont Circle area.

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