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Research Scientist - Non Laboratory Public Health

Employer
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Location
Houston, Texas
Salary
Competitive
Closing date
Nov 25, 2021

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Discipline
Health Sciences
Organization Type
Healthcare/Hospital

Job Details

The Research Scientist in the Department of Health Services Research plans, organizes, coordinates, directs, and participates in scientific research projects conducted by the Decision Support Lab. The Research Scientist determines specific goals or objectives to be attained, and revises techniques or approaches to work problems. The Research Scientist will take the lead on designing research protocols, development of decision support interventions for patients and providers, and presentation of research findings to professional groups. The Research Scientist will supervise the design, development, and adaption of decision support tools and oversee dissemination and implementation research studies. S/he will compile, write, and submit reports and prepares documents for publication as well as attend staff and research team meetings while working in cooperation with staff in support of the Decision Support Lab's research agenda. The Research Scientist serves as a representative of the Decision Support Lab and carries out the research agenda established by DSL leadership. The Research Scientist will serve as an enthusiastic, professional, and self-motivated team member and leader in a fast-paced environment.

Key Functions

Decision Aid Production
  • Coordinates the design and production of decision aids.
  • Designs educational modules and programs including scripts, flow diagrams, and storyboards.
  • Maintains production and source documents.
  • Acts as liaison with the decision aid production team (playwrights, graphic illustrators, videographers, narrators, programmers, and others).
  • Modifies decision aid components based on user testing.
  • Understands scientific and technical writing, accurately summarizing technical messages for various audiences.
  • Writes didactic content based on evidence and adapts content for a lower-literate audience using health literacy principles.

General Project Implementation
  • Provides all study-related coordination necessary for projects.
  • Creates and manages multiple complex timelines with varying contingencies and feedback loops. Exudes flexibility and understanding in instances of uncertainty.
  • Intuitively anticipates project barriers and reassesses project milestones and timelines as needed, focusing on achieving end goals within set time frames.
  • Maintains, encourages, and enhances communication with multiple parties at various project sites simultaneously, proactively responding to numerous demands in a time sensitive manner.
  • Maintains open lines of communication with project sites. Is comfortable and skilled in communication in-person and by phone and email. Actively listens to team members and project contacts.
  • Exhibits excellent organizational and project management skills, identifying project deliverables and implementing study initiatives to achieve measurable change.
  • Fastidiously documents processes, communications, and project decisions for later use in publications and reporting. Uses previous notes and data to improve future performance.
  • Schedules and facilitates team meetings.
  • Enrolls eligible participants in research studies, determines patient eligibility, and obtains informed consent.
  • Collects data for studies (e.g., formative interviews, surveys, cognitive testing and user testing).

Regulatory
  • Develops and maintains regulatory binder, source documents, and research databases.
  • Writes, submits, and maintains study protocols.
  • Creates procedure manuals, trains staff on protocol procedures, and assists with preparation for IRB audits.
  • Develops and maintains standard procedures and protocols to ensure the quality and integrity of research data to be obtained.

Leadership Guidance
  • Serves in a leadership role for project implementation, provides feedback to faculty members, and receives instruction from principal investigators.
  • Determines specific goals or objectives to be attained, evaluates research data, and revises techniques and approaches to work problems.
  • Informs the principal investigator of project developments and advises on best steps to ensure project completion, adherence to regulatory standards, and quality of data.
  • Identifies and implements strategies to enhance collaboration between investigators and clinical or research scientists.

Data Management and Analysis
  • Prepares data and information related to protocols, grants, abstracts, and manuscript submissions as needed.
  • Facilitates data entry and data management in study databases with precision and in a timely manner.

Professional Publications and Meetings
  • Independently composes technical reports, abstracts, slide presentations, spreadsheets, posters, and manuscripts for submission to corporate and federal sponsors, conferences, and scientific journals.
  • Assists investigators with preparation of grants and papers, including drafting documents, scientific analysis, and editing.
  • Presents findings of research projects to professional groups.
  • Proofreads galley proofs of manuscripts nearing publication.
  • Prepares documents for publication by reviewing analyses and interpretations of data to ensure accuracy and alignment with research data. Ensure clarity of expression.
  • Prepares reports for project funders and presentations or publications for dissemination of information related to the project.

Quality Improvement and Technical Assistance
  • Provides regular onsite and virtual coaching, technical assistance, and support to partner sites and their teams, including organizational administrators and managers to enhance implementation through changes in organizational policies and practice.
  • Develops, recommends, modifies and implements training and technical assistance in project efforts. Leads the development and design of training aids such as handouts/workbooks, PowerPoint presentations, online training, and evaluation/self-test using adult learning principles.
  • Utilizes evaluation data to identify needs for quality improvement and develop quality improvement plans.
  • Uses systems thinking and knowledge of organizational behavior to create individualized plans for implementation activities at project sites. Breaks down processes to identify areas for improvement.
  • Thinks quickly and critically about study activities, identifying areas for improvement and opportunities for action.
  • Seeks out new information and identifies opportunities to implement new knowledge into practice.

Other duties as assigned.

Skills Required
  • Possess a logical and independent mind.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills such as patience, determination, flexibility, and decisiveness.
  • Excellent listening, verbal and written communication, analytical, and research skills.
  • Ability to apply standards for plain language to research products.
  • Excellent scientific and numerical skills with meticulous attention to details and accuracy.
  • Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team environment, to participate actively, to collaborate and to motivate others.
  • Familiarity with qualitative analysis.
  • Able to interact effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Able to work well with many people and many personalities.
  • Adaptable to change and able to think creatively to address issues.

Skills Preferred
  • Can demonstrate proficiency in interviews and focus groups.
  • Previous grant writing experience.


EDUCATION:
Required: PhD in one of the natural sciences or related field or Medical degree.

Preferred: : PhD in Public Health, Health Services, Education, or related field.

EXPERIENCE:
Required: With PhD, no experience required. With Medical degree, two years of experience in experimental or scientific work.

Preferred: Experience in a clinical setting (research, administration, or patient care). One year managing projects of increasing complexity.

It is the policy of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. http://www.mdanderson.org/about-us/legal-and-policy/legal-statements/eeo-affirmative-action.html

Company

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston is one of the world's most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. It was named the nation's No. 1 hospital for cancer care in U.S. News & World Report's 2023 rankings. It is one of the nation's original three comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute.

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