Research Project Manager - Center for Advancing Health Equity for Rural and Underserved Communities

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JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

The Penn State College of Medicine, Center for Advancing Health Equity for Rural and Underserved Communities, is seeking a Research Project Manager.

The Center for Advancing Health Equity in Rural and Underserved Communities (CAHE-RUC) is a unique academic and community partnership committed to the comprehensive evaluation and implementation of evidence-based, community-level strategies to improve health outcomes for rural and underserved communities. With locations in Chicago and Hershey CAHE-RUC tackles a variety of complex public health and health system issues that require multi-disciplinary and multi-methodological approaches to achieve outcomes that benefit individuals and whole communities.

The Pennsylvania State College of Medicine (and its academic partners, Penn State Health and Milton S. Hershey Medical Center) are committed to enhancing the quality of life through improved health, the professional preparation of those who will serve the health needs of others and the discovery of knowledge that will benefit all. Penn State College of Medicine is part of an academic medical group that also includes: Penn State Health, a multi-hospital health system serving patients and communities across 29 counties in central Pennsylvania.

Office Location: Chicago, IL 60605

Job Summary: 

The research professional will be responsible for all aspects of research projects from design to implementation to evaluation and contribute to the overall scientific direction of the research portfolio for the center. The Research Professional will 1) Facilitate and promote research projects by providing scientific or intellectual information., 2) Serve as a resource for collecting data and performing analysis. Manage, analyze, and make recommendations on complex data sets for research., 3) Develop protocols and training materials on diverse research topics, and 4) Create first drafts for scientific writing and publications, including protocols and grants. The research professional will need to work collaboratively with diverse teams to design, develop, and implement scientific research and develop research to address fundamental questions in the field of health disparities. This role requires skills and expertise to develop and implement research in clinical and community-based settings with diverse populations.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Works collaboratively with diverse teams to design, develop, and implement scientific research to address fundamental questions in the field of health disparities.
• Responsible for all aspects of research projects from design to implementation to evaluation and contribute to the overall scientific direction of the research portfolio with supervisor oversight.
• Oversees data collection, evaluation, and analysis.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of programs in delivering their goals and objectives.
• Mentors junior staff.
• Designs focus groups and interview guides and analyzes interview data using appropriate qualitative analytical approaches.
• Conducts both qualitative and quantitative research including mixed-methods analysis.
• Monitors, analyzes & reports research study progress in a quantifiable manner, resolving issues in a timely manner with supervisor oversight.
• Conducts research, literature review, needs assessment, IRB preparations, and data analysis to support program planning and development.
• Participates in research projects and assists with developing or amending study protocols, developing data collection tools, and building databases.
• Creates first drafts for scientific writing and publications, including protocol and grants.  
• Presents research findings at meetings, conferences, and community forums as well as to funding agencies and other community-level and policy-level stakeholders.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies

• Ability to function as part of an interactive team while demonstrating initiative to achieve the project’s goals
• Expertise in statistical programming (SPSS, SAS or Stata).
• Ability to work independently with minimal guidance.
• Strong communication effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to summarize data effectively for a variety of audiences.
• Knowledgeable in monitoring and evaluation methods.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, work simultaneously on multiple initiatives, and meet deadlines.
• Effective organizational and time management skills with a high degree of attention to details.
• Ability to lead, inspire and influence others to achieve a common goal.
• Excellent written communications skills for grant proposals, reports, and manuscripts.
• Excellent interpersonal communications skills to facilitate multicultural, multi-generational community meetings, committee meetings, and programming, as well as one-on-one conversations with community leaders, funders, and decision-makers.
• Fundamental working knowledge of research techniques or methods.
• Strong analytical skills and problem-solving ability.
• Familiar with and prior experience using Microsoft Office (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, Excel)

This is a limited-term position funded for one year from date of hire, with possibility of refunding. 

Minimum Education and Experience

• Master’s Degree
• 6+ years of relevant experience
• Or an equivalent combination of education and experience

Preferred Education and Experience

• Doctoral degree in a health-related field, epidemiology or implementation science

• Experience in grant writing, manuscript preparation, and publishing

The following clearances must be successfully completed for this position:  

• Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Background Check  
• Pennsylvania Child Abuse History
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Criminal Background Check   

 
The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all of its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusive excellence that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusive excellence as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission.  

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades is:

Salary Structure - additional information on Penn State's job and salary structure. 

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