Join our team of people committed to improving the health of people who use drugs. We are seeking an enthusiastic self-starter to work within Frederick County Health Department’s Street Safe Program (SSP). We are seeking a Peer Recovery & Research Assistant who will provide harm reduction services to people who use drugs and coordinate the day-to-day clinical, research, and administrative responsibilities of a social network-based innovation aimed at extending the reach of other evidence-based services, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), HCV, and HIV treatment. This position will be hired and funded by Johns Hopkins University but will function as a part of the existing SSP team with additional duties to support a research project taking place at the SSP.
Specific Duties & Responsibilities
- Providing harm reduction services to people who use drugs.
- Work closely with the Street Safe Program (SSP) team.
- Distribute sterile syringes, other drug use equipment, drug checking supplies and collect used syringes in safe disposal containers from SSP participants.
- Provide education on infectious disease, safe injection practices, overdose prevention, drug checking, safe sex practices, and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) to SSP participants.
- Conduct rapid HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) testing.
- Provide referrals and linkages to community supports for people who use drugs.
- Assist the SSP Peer with any ACCESS telehealth patient needs, including transportation, computer connectivity, appointment reminders, or related support.
- Work towards the full integration of HIV care provided through telemedicine into the routine SSP workflow.
- Order and maintain inventory of HIV self-test kits and other Johns Hopkins funded supplies.
- Conduct outreach to people who use drugs with the SSP team.
- Participate in supervisions, meetings, and trainings with the SSP staff.
- Coordinating the day-to-day clinical, research, and administrative responsibilities of a social network-based innovation.
- Act as Site Coordinator for the SPRUCE (SSP and Peers in Rural areas Connecting) Study with support from a study team based at Johns Hopkins University.
- Identify and work with community stakeholders to promote available services and programs at the SSP.
- Schedule and coordinate meetings with stakeholders in service of the research protocol.
- Schedule and coordinate Community Advisory Board (CAB) meetings, in-person and via Zoom.
- Assist with SPRUCE study participant and CAB petty cash or gift card compensation.
- Distribute HIV self-test kits to SPRUCE study participants.
- Provide information about research opportunities and schedule appointments with potential new SPRUCE study participants.
- Share directions, maps, and other SSP-specific information with new SPRUCE study participants.
- Secure space for training sessions for SPRUCE study participants and 6-month refresher courses.
- Train SPRUCE study participants on an intervention to increase uptake of HIV/HCV or opioid use treatment and overdose prevention.
- Execute study needs in accordance with the IRB-approved research protocol.
- Assist provider with updating and gathering information to submit programmatic progress reports.
- Assist with data management needs, such as data entry and updating research charts and participant appointment calendars in the REDCap secure online study database.
- Keep up to date on all required regulatory certifications, including CITI and GCP certifications.
Minimum Qualifications
- High School Diploma or graduation equivalent.
- Two years related experience.
- Additional education may substitute for required experience, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.
- Applicants must possess or obtain certification within two years of employment. Trainings, volunteer/employment hours and supervisions required for certification provided through employment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working with people who use drugs.
- Peer Recovery Specialist Certification.
- Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Power Point), Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Zoom, Adobe Acrobat).
- Documented recovery from mental health, substance use or a co-occurring disorder for a minimum of two years.
Special Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Motivated, exceptional work ethic.
- Understanding of principles of Harm Reduction.
- Lived experience with HIV, HCV and/or MOUD.
- Commitment to a positive, collaborative work environment.
Classified Title: Research Program Assistant II
Job Posting Title (Working Title): Peer Recovery & Research Assistant
Role/Level/Range: ACRO40/E/02/CC
Starting Salary Range: Min $15.50 - Max $26.00 HRLY ($50,000 targeted; Commensurate with experience)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm
Exempt Status: Non-Exempt
Location: School of Medicine Campus
Department name: SOM DOM Infectious Disease
Personnel area: School of Medicine
Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines:
JHU Equivalency Formula: 30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.
**Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester/quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.
The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Johns Hopkins is committed to hiring individuals with a justice-involved background, consistent with applicable policies and current practice. A prior criminal history does not automatically preclude candidates from employment at Johns Hopkins University. In accordance with applicable law, the university will review, on an individual basis, the date of a candidate’s conviction, the nature of the conviction and how the conviction relates to an essential job-related qualification or function.
The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion .
Johns Hopkins has mandated COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, as applicable. The COVID-19 vaccine does not apply to positions located in the State of Florida. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/ .
The following additional provisions may apply, depending on campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.
The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.
Note: Job Postings are updated daily and remain online until filled.