Career Opportunities

Job Type: Regular

Time Type: Full time

Work Shift: Day (United States of America)

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you’re making a difference in people’s lives.

The BIDMC Institute for Lung Health is seeking a clinical research assistant (CRA) to coordinate a new NIH-funded clinical trial related to environmental exposures and respiratory health. The trial involves placement of real or sham air purifiers in the homes of 200 people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). As the key coordinator of a new study, the CRA will be responsible for participant recruitment and consent, managing participant visits at the Clinical Research Center at BIDMC, and conducting home visits during which pollution exposure data and health measures (e.g. lung function, questionnaires) will be collected by the CRA. All visits to participant homes will include two members of the research team and will involve use of a car (therefore the candidate must be willing and able to drive). The CRA will maintain IRB approvals at BIDMC and purchase and manage supplies for the research study. The ideal candidate enjoys working in teams, has excellent organizational and communication skills, and has prior research or clinical trial experience. Ability to conduct patient visits in Spanish strongly preferred. Applicants pursuing a career in medicine are encouraged to apply. A two-year commitment is expected.

The BIDMC Institute for Lung Health is a growing research team of physician scientists and epidemiologists led by Dr. Mary Rice, a pulmonologist within the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine in the Department of Medicine. The core mission of the Institute for Lung Health is to identify preventable causes of chronic lung disease, and to translate research findings into patient care and health policies that improve lung health. The research team works closely with collaborators at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and other Harvard Medical School institutions. Members of the Institute attend regular conferences at BIDMC and affiliated institutions, including twice monthly pulmonary research meetings hosted by the Institute for Lung Health at BIDMC.

Job Description:

Primary Responsibilities:

1.    Independently or in conjunction with other clinical research staff and/or research nurse, recruits and enrolls research subjects onto clinical research projects according to study protocols. May assess research subjects' eligibility for inclusion in a particular protocol based on contracts with physicians and nurses and knowledge of the protocol. (essential)

2.    Checks all eligibility and ineligibility criteria with the research subjects' medical record. Verifies information with clinical research nurse and/or principal investigator. (essential)

3.    Discusses informed consent with research subjects. Interacts with research subjects prior to entering the study and throughout the entire treatment. Assists with scheduling appointments and follow up tests. (essential)

4.    Learns protocol and monitors strict adherence to protocols by physicians, nurses and research subjects. Reviews protocol requirements with physicians, nurses and fellows. Identifies any problems with protocol compliance and notifies principal investigator and/or research nurse. Begins to learn how to independently resolve problems with protocol. (essential)

5.    Extracts data on protocol subjects from hospital records, outpatient charts and private physician office records in order to complete case report forms required by specific protocols. Enters data into computerized system. (essential)

6.    Assists clinic staff in obtaining insurance approval for subject protocol participation and scheduling tests and arranging admissions or outpatient visits for subjects. (essential)

7.    Assists investigator with correspondence with IRB. (essential)

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required.

• 0-1 year of related work experience required.

• Medical terminology.

• Working knowledge of computer systems required, including web-based applications and some Microsoft Office applications, which may include Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Access.

Competencies:

Decision Making: Ability to make decisions that are based on specific instructions, standard practices and established procedures which generally require little or no supervision.

Problem Solving: Ability to address problems that are routine, somewhat repetitive and generally solved by following clear directions and procedures and by identifying opportunities for process improvements.

Independence of Action: Ability to follow general instructions and procedures as provided. Work is monitored by supervisor/manager.

Written Communications: Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in written English with internal and external customers.

Oral Communications: Ability to comprehend and converse in English to communicate effectively with medical center staff, patients, families and external customers.

Knowledge: Ability to demonstrate full working knowledge of standard concepts, practices, procedures and policies with the ability to use them in varied situations.

Teamwork: Ability to work collaboratively in small teams to improve the operations of immediate work group by offering ideas, identifying issues, and respecting team members.

Customer Service: Ability to provide a high level of customer service to patients, visitors, staff and external customers in a professional, service-oriented, respectful manner using skills in active listening and problem solving. Ability to remain calm in stressful situations.

Physical Requirements:
Light work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force frequently to move objects. Some elements of the job are sedentary, but the employee will be required to stand for periods of time or move throughout the hospital campus.

As a health care organization, we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to care for and protect our patients, our colleagues and our communities. Beth Israel Lahey Health requires that all staff be vaccinated against influenza (flu) and COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Learn more about this requirement.

More than 35,000 people working together. Nurses, doctors, technicians, therapists, researchers, teachers and more, making a difference in patients' lives. Your skill and compassion can make us even stronger.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled