Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies

VCU's Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation and the Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies (IDAS) invites all interested candidates to apply for our exciting Research Assistant position! IDAS advances multidisciplinary research and training on the neuroscience of addictions and related neurobehavioral disorders. At VCU, we Make it Real through learning, research, creativity, service and discovery - the hallmarks of the VCU experience. A premier, urban, public research university nationally recognized as one of the best employers for diversity, VCU is a great place to work. It's a place of opportunity, where your success is supported and your career can thrive.

All full-time staff are eligible for our generous benefits package that includes choices for health, vision, and dental coverage, life-insurance, short and long-term disability coverage, retirement planning, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, flexible spending accounts, tuition benefits, significant paid-time off,12 paid holidays, and more. Explore our benefits further here: https://hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/benefits/

Position Primary Purpose and General Responsibilities

VCU's Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation and the Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies (IDAS) invites all interested candidates to apply for our exciting Research Assistant position. IDAS advances multidisciplinary research and training on the neuroscience of addictions and related neurobehavioral disorders. Research Assistants perform a variety of routine, non-technical duties in assisting technical and professional personnel in a research laboratory setting.

The Research Assistant will be expected to perform most components of data collection from human-subject volunteers required for a biomedical behavioral research study. The current position is in regards to the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. A multi-site longitudinal study assessing what factors impact youth as they grow and develop over time.

The general responsibilities of this role are as follows:

• Subject Recruitment - Participant/research subject recruitment, including placement of IRB-approved materials and media advertisements about research studies being conducted at IDAS, as well as collection and computer entry of responses and information furnished by potential research volunteers contacting the lab by phone, web or other means in order to identify possible participants. Scheduling of participants within protocol specific time frames.
• Participant Consenting - Collection of informed consent and/or assent and permission from research volunteers, including describing the study to research participant candidates in simple language, and overseeing the signing of consent and assent forms.
• Data Collection - Biological data collection, including collection and testing of urine drug samples using test kits, administration of breathalyzer assessment of alcohol intoxication, collection of saliva, and collection of hair samples.
  Psychometric data collection, including administration, collection and scoring of paper-and-pencil or computer-driven questionnaires, as well as administration and recording of computer-driven cognitive performance tasks.
• Maintain Study Data - Accurate and secure transmission and storage of study data, including to centralized databases or to physically-secured case report forms for industry-sponsored clinical trials.
• Participant Management - Accurate calculation of subject compensation. As part of the assessment, the employee will be expected to coordinate a busy study visit for the subjects, including escorting research volunteers to and from the different tasks and testing rooms and waiting rooms of the research facility
• Other duties assigned by supervisor or Principal Investigator. Most work is done on-site with potentially some work done remotely.

Minimum Hiring Standards

• Bachelors of Science degree or equivalent in Psychology, Neuroscience or related field.
• Proficient in computer skills including word processing, data entry, spreadsheet, database management, and entry level statistical/programming skills required.
• Strong interpersonal skills such as establishing rapport, maintaining participant motivation, empathic responding, ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team, and ability to use clinical judgment in (rare) emergency situations.
• Strong organizational skills, including understanding of HIPAA regulations.
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff and student environment or commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Preferred Hiring Standards

• Experience conducting research in pediatric or adolescent populations.
• Experience recruiting, consenting, and carrying out study procedures with adult and youth participants
• Qualitative research experience, including data collection, coding, analysis
• Experience administering surveys in REDCap
• Experience in conducting mental health surveys with adults and youth
• Experience collecting biospecimens from research participants, including hair, saliva, blood, and urine
• Experience in mentoring and training student research trainees, incorporating them into research teams
• Phlebotomy certification and experience

Job Family: Research, University Title: Research Assistant 1-3, Job Code: 34041 - 34043

Salary Range: $35,000 - $40,000

Position Details:

Department: Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies
Employment Type: UF - University Employee FT
Restricted Status: Yes
FTE: 100
Exemption Status: Non-Exempt

Contact Information:

Contact Name: Brandon Seigel

Contact Email: seigelb@vcu.edu