RESEARCH STUDY ASSISTANT (FIXED DURATION/TEMPORARY)

The University of Washington (UW) is proud to be one of the nation’s premier educational and research institutions. Our people are the most important asset in our pursuit of achieving excellence in education, research, and community service. Our staff not only enjoys outstanding benefits and professional growth opportunities, but also an environment noted for diversity, community involvement, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty.

At the University of Washington, diversity is integral to excellence. We value and honor diverse experiences and perspectives, strive to create welcoming and respectful learning environments, and promote access, opportunity and justice for all.

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (PBSCI) within the UW School of Medicine is the third largest clinical department with 285 full-time faculty members, 280 clinical faculty members, and over 300 staff. Department faculty provide clinical services in 5 hospitals, 14 primary care locations, and several outpatient sites in addition to telepsychiatry consultations to more than 150 clinics in Washington and beyond. As the only academic psychiatry department serving the five state WWAMI region (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho), the Department’s highly competitive residency training program is largely responsible for developing the mental health workforce in the Pacific Northwest. The Department’s robust research portfolio totals $35 million in grants and contracts per year for projects ranging from clinical neurosciences to treatment development to health policy and population health. The Department is recognized as an international leader in developing, testing, and implementing Collaborative Care, an integrated care model increasingly seen as a solution for population-based mental health care. Other areas of excellence include Addictions, Autism, High Risk Youth, Neurosciences, and Trauma, and the Department is developing innovative new programs in Technology and Mental Health, Global Mental Health, Maternal and Child Mental Health, and Targeted Intervention Development.

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is recruiting for a one year fixed duration appointment of Research Study Assistant. This position works with the Hendrickson Lab at the Northwest Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (NW MIRECC ), based at the Seattle VA Medical Center in Beacon Hill.

The NW MIRECC is a highly collaborative world class biomedical research center that develops novel and improved treatments for major psychiatric, neurologic, and behavioral health disorders affecting Veterans. The NW MIRECC’s mission focuses on neuropsychiatric disorders that are highly prevalent among combat-exposed Veterans, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and blast concussive mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The MIRECC also explores the parallel impacts of physical or psychological trauma on both physical and mental health.

This position will focus on research examining changes in the stress response system after a psychological or physical stressor. Projects include looking at changes in the autonomic nervous system and how those changes relate to psychiatric symptoms in individuals with persistent symptoms after COVID-19 infection or after a traumatic stressor. This involves both working with observational data and helping to run interventional clinical trials for Veterans experiencing symptoms of PTSD.

This position will interact with a multidisciplinary group of clinical and basic investigators, as well as clinicians, fellows, volunteer research participants, community partners, and scientific collaborators.

The Hendrickson Lab is committed to understanding systemic inequities within the sciences that have historically excluded underrepresented populations. We aim to address these inequities in our research process and continually work towards a more diverse, equitable scientific community. We encourage candidates from underrepresented backgrounds to apply.

Responsibilities:
Under minimal supervision and guidance, the research study assistant will:
• Schedule participant appointments and coordinate study activities with MIRECC staff
• Create, modify, and maintain study data collection documents and files
• Record, organize, verify, transcribe, and upload research study data
• Participate in research study appointments and procedures
• Accompany study participants to research procedures
• Conduct vital signs, ECGs, psychometric testing, and phlebotomy
• Use physiologic monitoring equipment e.g., pupillometry, polysomnography, and actigraphy.
• Process blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
• Ship and track human biological samples
• Inventory and resupply study specific materials and kits
• Maintain confidentiality of participant and study records at all times
• Serve as protocol resource for participants and staff
• Assist with recruiting research volunteers
• Prepare and organize regulatory materials for investigators and staff
• Perform other related duties as needed

Training will be included; the applicant is not expected to have experience with these tasks in order to apply.

Minimum Position Requirements:
• Two years of college-level course work in a relevant academic area AND one year of appropriate experience -OR- equivalent education/experience.
• Willingness and ability to work some evening hours (evening study visits are required for some types of data)
• Highly reliable organizational and time management skills
• Ability to work independently
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Ability to adapt to changing research and staff priorities
• Commitment to diversity and contributing to an inclusive working environment

Desirable Skills and Qualifications:
• Programming experience, particularly statistical programming and/or familiarity with R
• Knowledge of data collection and management systems (e.g., REDCap, Qualtrics)
• Previous experience in clinical research
• Familiarity and experience with a Veteran population

Should I apply? The Hendrickson Lab recognizes that the skills needed for this position may be acquired from a wide variety of life experiences. You do not need to have all or even any of the skills listed as “desirable” in order to apply. If you are excited about working to address the long-term impacts of trauma, and you meet the position requirements, you are encouraged to submit an application.

Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter, and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.