Research Assistant I

Research Assistant I

Title

Research Assistant I

MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is to eliminate cancer in Texas, the nation, and the world through outstanding programs that integrate patient care, research and prevention, and through education for undergraduate and graduate students, trainees, professionals, employees and the public.

SUMMARY

Provides administrative and patient care services for the coordination of research studies.

CORE VALUES

Caring Behaviors

• Courtesy: Is respectful and courteous to each other at all times.
• Friendliness/Teamwork: Promotes and rewards teamwork and inclusiveness; is sensitive to the concerns of our patients and our co-workers.

Integrity Behaviors

• Reliability: Communicates frequently, honestly and openly.
• Accountability: Holds self and others accountable for practicing our values.
• Safety: Models safe behavior (wears badge and personal protective equipment, washes hands, and keeps work area clean and orderly); Notices a safety concern or emergency, understands role and uses proper procedures to report it; Mitigates risk to the institution through sound business practices; Demonstrates ethical and personal responsibility in work and behavior

Discovery Behaviors

• Responsiveness: By his/her actions, creates an environment of trust; Encourages learning, creativity and new ideas.
• Personal Leadership/Self-Initiative: Helps others to identify and solve problems; Seeks personal growth and enables others to do so.

JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES

Screens new and potential patients in the clinic for participation in tissue or serum bank protocols. Obtains informed consent form from patients for minimal risk procedures, documents consent process in patient's medical records. Registers patients in CORe and other relevant databases

Sample collection, toxicity reporting and quality assurance assists in the management of research samples or data as needed. This includes working with many different departments. Ability to effectively communicate with these departments in order to collect data and prevent protocol deviations or violations. Assist in departmental duties Quality Assurance Rotation.

Regulatory & Administrative: Collaborates with multidisciplinary team individually and in-group meetings. Work with tissue bank director and oversight committee to receive, review and process LOI requests for tissue access and usage. Ensures processes and procedures are implemented and in keeping with the guiding principles of the Institutional Tissue Bank.

Inventory Control & Data Management Provides coordination of writing, submitting and maintenance of tissue or serum bank protocols. Develops and maintains a processing and tracking method for all protocol related documentation from origination, to IRB submission, to activation and implementation, to completion, data analysis and manuscript preparation.

COMPETENCIES

Analytical Thinking - Gather relevant information systematically; break down problems into simple components; make sound decisions.

Influence Others - Present a compelling case for proposals and ideas; advocate for support and commitment from others; mobilize others to take action for benefit of the institution.

Inspire Trust - Show consistency among principles, values, and behavior; gain the confidence and trust of others.

Listen to Others - Listen to feedback and input carefully; demonstrate attention to others; acknowledge and listen to differing perspectives in a group.

Oral Communication - Express ideas clearly and concisely in groups and one-to-one conversations; create an environment with open channels of communication.

Professionalism - Employee demonstrates commitment to collaborative professional relationships with physicians and all members of the heath care team.

Service Orientation
Provide service to our stakeholders, including patients, caregivers, colleagues and each other, in a safe, courteous, accountable, efficient and innovative manner to include:

• Promoting inclusiveness and collegiality that demonstrates respect and professionalism to our stakeholders at all times
• Modeling safe, ethical behavior that mitigates risk to the institution through sound business practices, and adherence to MD Anderson's Standards of Conduct, institutional policies and procedures
• Responding to requests in a timely manner while proactively communicating expectations for procedures, service arrival, or project deliverables to stakeholders
• Using the steps to HEAL (Hear, Empathize, Address and Learn) the relationship when service recovery is needed

Customer Focus
Builds and maintains customer satisfaction with the products and services offered by the organization through skills demonstrated in communication, personalization of interaction, regulation of emotions, and proactive problem solving.

Performance Statement Examples

• Presents a cheerful, positive manner with customers either on the phone or in person. Shows interest in, actively listens to and responds in a clear and timely manner to customer's expressed needs.
• Focuses on the customer's results, rather than own. Goes beyond basic service expectations to help customers implement complete solutions through personalized service that anticipates the customer's unspoken needs.
• Delivers services when and where the customer needs them. Explores options when unable to deliver a requested product or service, and pursues solutions until the customer is satisfied by addressing the root cause of the issue. Problem solves with patient, family member, care giver or clinical team to aid in proactively resolving issues and concerns.
• Provides to customers status reports and progress updates. Seeks customer feedback and ensures needs have been fully met.

Talks to customers (internal and external) with a pleasant tone to find out what they need and how satisfied they are with the service. Remains in control of own reactions and responds in a manner that demonstrates appropriate nonverbal cues and complements the customer's emotions in the situation. Recognizes when it is necessary to escalate

Bachelor's degree, major course work in one of the basic sciences. No experience. 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