Career Center

Department: MED-Medical Social Sciences
Salary/Grade: EXS/7

Job Summary:

Overview/Background about Medical Social Sciences (MSS)

The Department of Medical Social Sciences (MSS) is a leader in advancing and applying outcomes/effectiveness research to improve patient care and influence policy. Our strong academic ties across the university and the medical school encourage comprehensive collaboration in disease management, prevention and control.  We intend to meet a growing need for expanded interdisciplinary scientific collaboration, to promote discovery of multidimensional mechanisms of health and disease, to improve adult and pediatric health status and outcome assessment, and to collaborate with partners in genetic, epidemiologic, biologic and behavioral translational research paradigms. While part of our work serves to reduce health disparities of groups that are traditionally underrepresented in research, we acknowledge that there is always room to grow. MSS is committed to creating a world of inclusion, health, and well-being for all. We hire the best people from a wide variety of backgrounds because drawing on their diverse perspectives and experiences will be the foundation of our department’s future success.

Developmental Mechanisms Program

The Developmental Mechanisms program, directed by Dr. Laurie Wakschlag, conducts research at the intersection of developmental and clinical science, spanning the prenatal period through early childhood. The DevMech program of research aims to characterize early developmental patterns marking emergent mental health and other neurodevelopmental risk as well as prenatal influences on these pathways, and application to prevention. Multiple state-of-the-art, developmentally sensitive methods are used (including EEG/ERP, MRI, and eye tracking), as well as developmentally sensitive behavioral and family assessments and assessments of the social ecology.

Research Project Manager - Lead Family Navigator

The Research Project Manager – Lead Family Navigator (lead navigator) will support that new national HEALthy Brain & Child Development Study (HBCD) (PIs Elizabeth Norton & Laurie Wakschlag, Scientific Project Director Renee Edwards).  The HBCD study aims to examine the impact of prenatal substance exposure and other prenatal adversities and protective factors on infant brain and behavioral development.  The primary role of the lead navigator is to be the "face" of the study for families, a liaison between families and other members of the HBCD research team and lead the team of family navigators.  This individual will lead recruitment and retention of study participants by participating in initial contacts with families, conducting informed consent, and meeting with participants during other study activities and visits.  They will check-in regularly with assigned participants and answer questions about study visits, tasks, and study materials, and communicate participant study-related concerns to other members of the research team. A critical component of family navigation is connecting participants to community resources for living needs, recovery needs, and child development that help the participant’s ability to complete study requirements.  The lead navigator will work closely with the developmental sciences manager and project coordinator to develop and maintain an up-to-date resource and referral library for participants and will connect families with local social service agencies and treatment/recovery organizations as needed. The lead navigator will be involved in the training and supervision of research assistants and family navigators, offering on-going training around interacting sensitively with participants, cultural humility, responding to family concerns and needs, and community resources. 

We are looking for an individual who has significant experience working with families from diverse backgrounds and has knowledge of resources in the greater Chicago area.  The individual will be a member of a multi-disciplinary team and should be comfortable communicating with a wide range of people, including investigators, research staff, community-based organizations, other external stakeholders, and child and family research participants. Ability to think quickly and a capacity to proactively identify and solve problems are essential traits. Some flexibility in hours is required in order to respond to participant calls, and the position may include off-site activities such as participant home visits.  Ability to provide and receive constructive feedback are essential. Strong written and spoken English skills are essential.  Experience training and supervising junior staff is preferred.

Manages all activities associated with biomedical &/or social-behavioral research studies considered very complex by the inclusion of several of the following: multiple investigators, teams, sites, sub-contracts, participants, longitudinal assessments/ interventions; &/or multi-million dollar budgets.  Ensures completion of contract requirements & client specifications.  Oversees day-to-day operations including identifying & securing needed resources; creating, implementing, monitoring, & updating project plans; facilitating meetings with appropriate parties; tracking tasks/deliverables to ensure timelines, milestones &/or goals are attained; monitoring & reporting progress as appropriate; & resolving or escalating issues in a timely manner.   May co-author scientific papers for presentation & publication & coordinates writing, submission & administration of grants.  Ensures that all study activities are completed by strictly following Good Clinical Practices (GCP) & all current local, state, & federal laws, regulations, guidance, policy & procedure developed by the NU Institutional Review Board (IRB), Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), & the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH).

**PLEASE NOTE: Some evening and weekend hours required for participant outreach.  Occasional participant home visits may be required.

Specific Responsibilities:

Technical

• Provides complex scientific & technical leadership in determining research priorities & the plan, design & execution of research projects ensuring that programs of investigation meet specified objectives. 
• Plans, develops & implements new processes & protocols to support research studies & maximize/extend study capabilities. 
• Oversees completion of study activities per protocol. 
• Ensures that study protocols are in compliance with appropriate rules & regulations & reviews study progress and recommends revisions, amendments, and/or other study changes as necessary to better meet needs of sponsors. 

Administrative

• Acts as liaison between sponsoring agencies, collaborating organizations &/or other research &/or educational institutions. 

Supervision

• Trains, directs, assigns duties to & may supervise lab EEs, students, residents &/or fellows. 
• Acts as a mentor in regard to education of junior coordinators. 

Miscellaneous

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major such as social or health science or related; OR appropriate combination of education and experience and 5 years' research study or other relevant experience required; OR
• Successful completion of a full course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a master's or higher degree in a major such as social or health science or related; OR appropriate combination of education and experience and 3 years' research study or other relevant experience.
• Supervisory or project management experience required.
• Must complete NU's IRB CITI training before interacting with any participants & must re-certify every 3 years.
• Prior research with or engagement of under-represented and or/high risk populations (e.g. substance use in the family context, children in under-resourced communities, children with developmental delays, prenatal or parenting women with mental illness)
• Research experience with mothers and their children

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Knowledge of social service agencies and community resources in the greater Chicago area.
• Knowledge of IRB procedures

Preferred Qualifications:

• Masters degree in social work, child development, psychology, public health, or related field

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Experience working with individuals who use substances during pregnancy or parenthood

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Benefits:
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Professional Growth & Development:
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