Position Announcements

Field Research Coordinator for the National Children's Study

The Center for Persons with Disabilities has immediate openings (3), for a Field Research Coordinator for the Cache County Study Center for the National Children's Study (NCS). This key position manages administrative responsibilities, study personnel, study implementation duties, and quality control measures for key research activities for the Cache County Study Center. The Field Research Coordinator oversees the operational and technical functions while maintaining compliance with guidelines set by governing agencies; manages and assigns duties to employees; and advises NCS leadership of pertinent issues related to study activities. The NCS is the largest and most detailed study in history to examine the health and development of children in the United States. If you are interested in working for a Study that will help improve children's health for generations to come, we invite you to consider this exciting opportunity.
Responsibilities For a full description of this position, please visit: http://www.ped.med.utah.edu/ncs/ncsrecruit.htm.

Responsibilites include:
1. Ultrasound Clinic and Birth Team Management/Supervision and Training
2. Hospital and Clinic Outreach and Engagement
3. Fieldwork - Data Collection
4. Data Management
5. Quality Control (QA/QC)
6. Administrative Tasks
7. Operations Planning & Development
8. Staff Training
9. Other related duties that support the goals and objectives of the NCS
Minimum Qualifications 1. Bachelor's degree in a clinical area, or health care or science field, or equivalency; plus three years progressively more responsible research or health care related experience; supervisory and management experience; and demonstrated leadership, human relation, organizational and effective communications skills.
2. A nursing degree is required for one of the three positions.
3. Knowledge of Good Clinical Practices, HIPAA, and IRB regulations; an understanding of research procedures and the ability to function independently.
4. Biospecimen collection, processing and handling experience. Must meet phlebotomy licensing requirements with recent phlebotomy and biospecimen collection experience (100 draws within the last 2 years) or be willing to be trained.
5. Must be comfortable discussing sensitive topics with women, including reproductive health and interacting with infants, children and diverse cultural groups.
6. Must be able to lift and carry up to 30 pounds of equipment.
7. Must possess a valid driver's license, liability insurance and have access to reliable transportation. Incumbent will be required to travel throughout Cache County (mileage reimbursed).
8. Must be able to work some non-traditional work hours (evenings and weekends).

Problem Solving:
Addresses daily problems and challenges stemming from on-going diverse field, lab, clinic, hospital and office activities. Works on-call shifts to manage and solve problems that arise in evenings and weekends in addition to regular hours. Problems can include incidents such as participant and staff injuries, biohazard exposures, technical data transmission problems, scheduling errors, staff coverage, participant complaints, staff disciplinary action, among others.

Speech and Language Pathologist

Provide speech and language services to children under the age of three with developmental delays/disabilities and their families.
Responsibilities Speech and Language Pathology Position Responsibilities include:
Evaluation and assessment to identify communicative or oropharyngeal disorders and delays in development of expressive and receptive communication skills;
Interpretation and integration of information needed to develop individualized plans to:
Meet the child and family needs identified through assessment and identification of family concerns and priorities;
Improve the child's functional ability and adaptation to the environment, including the selection, design, and fabrication of assistive and augmentative devices;
Improve the child's oral motor and feeding abilities;
Individual and/or group services to address the requirements identified by each child's IFSP in homes or at community sites;
Understanding and use of adult learning principles and methodologies and;
Consultation to daycare providers, community activity facilitators, and other individuals that have direct contact with children enrolled in the Up-To-3 program.
Minimum Qualifications 1. Master's Degree in Communication Disorders and Certificate of Clinical Competence. Consideration will be given to those who are eligible for CFY supervision. The clinical fellowship experience must be completed within one year of hiring. Continued employment is contingent on satisfactory completion of the clinical fellowship and CCC award.
2. Ability to obtain and maintain state licensure(s) required by the Utah Office of Occupational Licensing applicable to the profession.
3. Baby Watch Early Intervention Credential II or ability to obtain and maintain credential.
4. Maintenance of appropriate professional affiliation(s) needed to supervise undergraduate and graduate students during practicum, student teaching and internships and.
5. Must provide own transportation to client's home, daycare or other services site, mileage reimbursed.
Preferred Qualifications Preference will be given to professionals that have:
1. A second language (Spanish, signing, etc.);
2. Knowledge in assessment practices to assist with the determination, identification, fabrication and referral (if necessary) of augmentative/assistive devices.
3. Educational background to evaluate and treat oral motor and feeding disorders;
4.Characteristics and demands of: family-centered service delivery, facilitation and development of interdisciplinary IFSPs, combined use of early intervention and community programs, activities, and services to meet the needs identified by individual IFSPs.

National Children's Study Telephone Interviewer/Scheduler

The Telephone Interviewer/Scheduler works in the Call Center for the National Children's Study (NCS). Receives incoming calls from potential study participants. Answers questions and identifies eligible participants for the NCS. Informs potential study participants about the study and obtains initial consent for telephone interview or for someone to visit the home for an in-person interview. Schedules appointments, and receives telephone calls from study participants and field staff. Organizes and enters data into a computerized call center system.

Desire full-time employee (40- hours a week), but willing to negotiate less work hours.
Responsibilities Receives and appropriately responds to calls from potential study participants. Informs potential study participants about the study and obtains initial consent for someone to visit the home.

Schedules home visits. Assigns appropriate staff for home visit (i.e., Interviewer and/or, Research Specialist and/or Environmental Monitoring Specialist). Notifies assigned staff of scheduled appointments.

Contacts and conducts telephone interviews with study participants at specified time intervals to conduct screening interviews, update contact information and collect other study data by telephone.

Organizes data collected during the interview and enters into a computerized system according to established procedures.

Schedules and reschedules home and clinic appointments for study participants.

Makes calls to remind participants of upcoming appointments. Makes reminder calls to collect self-administered questionnaires and specimens/samples.

Completes appropriate study forms and paperwork neatly and accurately.

Files and tracks paper records and telephone contact logs.

Performs other duties as assigned that align with the NCS goals and objectives.
Minimum Qualifications Position requires one year of clerical experience or equivalency, preferably in customer service or a call center. Strong computer skills, demonstrated cultural competency awareness, and excellent interpersonal and communication skills required. Will be required to work some evenings and weekends.

Selected incumbent will be required to pass two pre-employment checks: a drug screening and comprehensive background check that consists of a social security trace, local and national criminal search, education verification, credit report and employment verification. This background check will be repeated every three years. If unfavorable information is revealed that has an adverse impact on the position, it could result in removal from the study and termination of employment.
Preferred Qualifications Oral and written fluency in Spanish is required for two of the four positions that staff the Call Center.

Research Specialist for the National Children"s Study

The Center for Persons with Disabilities is looking for several Research Specialists for the Cache County Study Center for the National Children's Study (NCS). This key position coordinates the implementation, quality control and completion of research activities within homes, clinics and hospital settings. The NCS is the largest and most detailed study in history to examine the health and development of children in the United States. If you are team-oriented and interested in working for a study that will help improve the lives of children, we invite you to consider this exciting opportunity.
Responsibilities The Research Specialist will:

1. Assist in recruitment, contact, and follow-up of study participants; develop and maintain on-going relationships of trust with study participants and their families.
2. Coordinate and perform responsibilities related to research participants including explaining and obtaining informed consents, screening and recruiting subjects, scheduling visits, and answering subject inquiries. Assess and ensure subject safety and data integrity during visits.
3. Conduct interviews, collect biospecimens, take physical measurements, administer IQ assessments, and teach both biological and environmental sample self-collection in patient homes and at clinic visits.
4. Transport, set up and monitor proper usage of equipment for collection of physical measures, environmental samples, biological specimens and other samples.
5. Ensure proper collection, processing and shipment preparation of biological and environmental specimens.
6. Train and certify local study staff in one or more areas of field data collection procedures that includes sample collection, site visits, birth visits, scheduling, interviewing techniques, anthropometry, neurodevelopment assessments, neonatal assessments, etc.
7. Maintain participant databases, contact logs, and records of medical and environmental information and/or procedures followed to help ensure subject safety.
8. Coordinate study visits and interactions with study participants, the environmental monitoring teams, and other clinic, hospital, and research staff. Help coordinate related facility and equipment/staff availability.
9. Ensure proper documentation and/or storage of hard-copy data. Ensure proper handling of confidential materials and documents based on HIPAA, IRB, NIH and study related protocols.
10. Perform other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday. Will be required to work some non-traditional work hours (e.g., evenings and/or Saturdays)
Minimum Qualifications Bachelor's degree in a health science or related field, plus two years research related experience (recruitment of study participants, knowledge of research data collection procedures, interviewing, study coordination). Strong computer skills, good interpersonal skills, a team oriented focus, and effective communication and problem solving skills are required. Must be knowledgeable of Good Clinical Practices, HIPAA, and IRB regulations and understand research procedures. Must be comfortable discussing sensitive topics with women, including reproductive health and interacting with infants and children.

* Must meet phlebotomy licensing requirements with recent phlebotomy and biospecimen collection experience (100 draws within the last 2 years) or willingness to be trained.
* Must possess a valid driver's license, proof of liability insurance and access to reliable transportation to travel to and from assigned areas (mileage reimbursed).
* Must be able to lift and carry up to 30 lbs of equipment.
Preferred Qualifications Fluency in Spanish (oral and written) preferred.

Community Liaison (NCS)

In collaboration with the Director of Community Relations at the NCS University of Utah Study Center and other members of the Cache County NCS team, the Community Liaison will conduct outreach, education, and relationship-building amongst community members and potential study participants for the National Children's Study in Cache County. The Community Liaison will generate and help maintain public interest in and awareness of the Study during four years of continuous enrollment. As the number of participants increases, this person will assist in developing and implementing retention strategies directed at participants.

Responsibilities
1. Identify and establish community contacts.
2. Utilize existing community contacts to promote NCS. Serve as a liaison to the Cache County community and ethnic populations to facilitate cooperative and collaborative community and institutional relationships. Develop ongoing relationships with community leaders and ethnic organization leaders.
3. Work closely with the Director of Community Relations and other community liaisons to plan, coordinate, and implement effective outreach strategies to the community designed to increase awareness, understanding, and support of the objectives and goals of the NCS. Work actively to keep the public informed throughout each study phase.
4. Coordinate and make presentations to community stakeholders.
5. Facilitate community meetings and forums. Ensure satisfaction and quality of service by soliciting feedback from the grass-roots level community members and study participants. Report back to the Director of Community Relations the feedback obtained.
6. Distribute outreach materials.
7. Organize and staff NCS outreach efforts at community events throughout Cache County to engage and educate the public and potential Study participants. May manage volunteer efforts from community members to help increase awareness of NCS objectives and goals.
8. Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications Four years experience in community relations, outreach and organizing with diverse populations, preferably in Cache County; and excellent interpersonal, communication, public speaking and presentation skills. Experience organizing and facilitating community meetings and events. Competency in various software programs, including Microsoft Excel, Publisher and PowerPoint required. Must possess a valid driver's license, liability insurance and have access to reliable transportation. Incumbent will be required to travel throughout Cache County.

Problem Solving:
Incumbent must possess an appreciation of diverse and multi-cultural populations in order to identify and create effective communication and outreach strategies intended for diverse populations.

Preferred Qualifications Preference will be given to candidates that have extensive community contacts in Cache County in both public and private sectors.