Soc/Clin Research Specialist

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.

Come join our team and be a part of the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research ( NCCSIR) group at UNC!

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a major research university in the University of North Carolina System with student enrollment exceeding 29,000 students. The Department of Exercise and Sport Science (exss.unc.edu) supports an undergraduate program of over 1,400 undergraduate majors with three specialization areas (Exercise and Sport Science, Fitness Professional, Sport Administration); a Master of Arts graduate program enrolling ~60 students also with three specializations (Athletic Training, Exercise Physiology, Sport Administration); and a doctoral program in Human Movement Science in partnership with the UNC-CH School of Medicine (hmsc.unc.edu). The mission of the Department of Exercise and Sport Science ( EXSS) is to discover, create and promote knowledge of human movement to improve the quality of life of individuals and society. The mission of EXSS is further enhanced through interdisciplinary cooperation and departmental faculty securing competitive extramural funding in the form of contracts and grants. These endeavors enable the department to advance knowledge and thus serve the state and nation.

The teaching, research, and service efforts of the EXSS Department are supported by an outstanding faculty and staff, which currently includes: 33 full-time faculty (plus 6 new hires starting July 1), 9 part-time (fixed term) faculty, 20 joint appointment / adjunct faculty, 8 emeritus faculty, 25 full-time EXSS staff members, and 16 full-time Campus Recreation staff members.

One of the department's objectives is to advance our understanding of the benefits and the potential consequences of participating in sport and physical activity. The National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research ( NCCSIR) in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science was started in 1965 by Carl Blyth and Directed by Fred Mueller from 1981 to 2013. The mission of the NCCSIR is to conduct surveillance of catastrophic injuries and illnesses related to participation in organized sports in the United States at the collegiate, high school, and youth levels of play. Starting in 2013 and under new direction, NCCSIR expanded their investigative model by creating an online incident reporting system and include two other research universities creating the 'Consortium for Catastrophic Injury Monitoring in Sport'. In working through a consortium for catastrophic injury monitoring, the NCCSIR tracks cases nationally through a systematic data reporting system that allows for longitudinal investigation of athletes suffering from catastrophic injuries and illnesses. The goal of the NCCSIR is to improve the prevention, evaluation, management, and rehabilitation of catastrophic sports-related injuries.

The NCCSIR's research is conducted in cooperation with nationally recognized researchers and clinicians who provide expertise in several disciplines including: cardiology, athletic training, neurosurgery, and epidemiology. NCCSIR and its Consortium is funded by several partners including the NCAA, NFHS, NATA, NOCSAE and AMSSM.

The Research Project Coordinator for the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research ( NCCSIR) will be responsible for managing and coordinating surveillance and research activities conducted by NCCSIR and its three research divisions. The research focuses on the surveillance and investigation of catastrophic sport-related injuries and illnesses and is in collaboration with Investigators from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ( UNC), University of Connecticut (UConn), and the University of Washington (UWash).

The purpose of this position will be to:
1) work closely with the Principal Investigators and project coordinators across the three sites ( UNC, UConn, and UWash) to coordinate and manage all surveillance and research activities in accordance with study protocol, standard operating procedures and other appropriate institutional regulations, procedures and policies, including procedures to safeguard confidentiality of study participants and maintaining the highest ethical and professional research standards
2) develop, conduct , and evaluate standardized study procedures including surveillance, recruitment, enrollment, and consent procedures
3) supervise data collection, entry and management and maintain accurate participant files
4) supervise medical and other record acquisition, abstraction, and archival
5) assist in preparing and maintaining manuals of operating procedures, codebooks, and other project related documents
6) preparing reports for sponsoring organizations and external data requests
7) support activities, coordinate communications, and provide input/guidance to the data programmer in data cleaning, quality checks, analysis, and preparation of analysis files
8) communicate information and updates effectively to the research team including faculty and staff; schedule consortium and research division meetings and conference calls
9) create, modify and renew IRB and regulatory documents as needed, recognize adverse events and implement the appropriate reporting procedures
10) participate in budgetary oversight and manage project spending

Bachelor's degree in a discipline related to the field assigned and one year of related training or experience; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

The selected candidate would demonstrate the following skills and knowledge:

-Must be able to effectively plan, prioritize, and organize workload to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
-Strong critical thinking and problem solving skills.
-Demonstrates strong interpersonal/customer service skills, including the ability to deal with a variety of people in an effective and diplomatic manner.
-Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
-Demonstrates strong attention to detail.
-Ability to work independently with minimum directions as well as function successfully as part of a team
-Demonstrates working knowledge of Microsoft Office software and experience managing large research databases.

Advanced/Graduate degree with a specialization in Public Health, Exercise and Sports Science, or related Allied Health field.
3 or more years of previous experience coordinating research projects.
Experience with IRB and compliance.
Experience with database management (Excel, SPSS, SAS, REDCap, etc.).

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.