Research Study Coordinator

Department: MED-Ctr for Community Health
Salary/Grade: NEX/11

Job Summary:

Completes all activities by strictly following Good Clinical Practices (GCP) & all relevant current local, state, & federal laws, regulations, guidance, policy & procedure developed by the NU Institutional Review Board (IRB), Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), & the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH).

This position will be housed in the Center for Community Health (CCH), which provides a home for a diverse array of academic investigators, community partners, and staff members, who are all dedicated to promoting health through the conduct and dissemination of community-engaged research. As a center with a presence in the both the Institute for Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM) and Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS), CCH provides community and stakeholder engagement infrastructure across the research spectrum.

Position Description

This project will be conducted with the Mothers and Babies (MB) Program in the Center for Community Health. Mothers and Babies is a cognitive behavioral therapy-based intervention that aims to prevent postpartum depression among predominantly low-income racial/ethnic minority women. This position focuses on the administration supporting two areas: (1) dissemination/scaling of the MB intervention and (2) research projects examining various aspects of MB effectiveness and implementation.

This is a highly independent, detail-oriented role that requires strong project management, written communication, and follow-through across multiple concurrent initiatives, each with firm deadlines and external stakeholders.

The Research Study Coordinator supports the dissemination and implementation of the MB program and related research and evaluation activities. This role involves coordinating trainings, managing program communications and digital platforms, supporting research and administrative operations, and serving as a primary point of contact for program partners.

Primary Responsibilities

• Coordinate administrative, operational, and logistics activities supporting MB trainings, implementation, and evaluation efforts.
• Manage program communications across multiple platforms, including the website (WordPress), shared email inboxes, listserv communications, and social media.
• Serve as a first-line point of contact for external partners, responding to inquiries related to training, certification requirements, website access, and registration support.
• Maintain and update website content and digital resources, coordinating with a third-party vendor for technical or structural website needs.
• Create content for the MB Instagram account and support coordinated messaging across communication platforms.
• Support research and evaluation activities, including data tracking, documentation, and preparation of routine reports.
• Assist with budget tracking, participant remuneration, and coordination of contracts or scopes of work.
• Maintain organized documentation and tracking systems to ensure work is completed accurately and on time.
• Collaborate with internal team members and external partners to support program goals.

Specific Responsibilities:

Technical

• Participates in the planning & conduct of research study, including participant recruitment and retention.
• Obtains informed consent
• Administers tests &/or questionnaires following protocols.
• Collects, compiles, tabulates & processes responses.
• Gathers information.
• Oversees implementation and evaluation data collection activities, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and organization.
• Compiles, cleans, and summarizes data from multiple sources for internal reporting and project monitoring.
• Maintains technical documentation in compliance with IRB requirements, study protocols, and institutional standards

Administration

• Collects, records, reviews & summarizes research data.
• Prepares reports for investigators and sponsors on recruitment status and other pertinent study data.
• Completes documents associated with current local, state, & federal regulatory guidelines, requirements, laws & research protocols.

Finance

• Coordinates reimbursements for expert panel travel, consultant pay, additional gift card orders, etc. & ensure costs remain within allotted grant budget.
• Processes participant remuneration and related documentation in accordance with study protocols and institutional procedures.
• Assists with tracking project budgets and expenditures for trainings, implementation activities, and research projects.
• Coordinates reimbursements and payments (e.g., consultant payments, travel reimbursements, gift cards) and ensures documentation is accurate and submitted on time.
• Supports the development and management of scopes of work and contracts with external partners in coordination with supervisors and institutional offices.
• Monitors financial deliverables and flags discrepancies or issues promptly.

Supervision

• May provide task level guidance, training, or procedural support to students, temporary staff, or junior team members as assigned.
• Demonstrates accountability for assigned responsibilities by managing work independently, communicating progress, and documenting outcomes.
• Receives and incorporates feedback constructively to improve work quality and efficiency.
• Appropriately escalates questions, risks, or issues rather than allowing delays or confusion to persist.
• Collaborates effectively with MB leadership, research staff, external partners, and vendors to support program goals.

Miscellaneous

Performed other duties

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major such as social or health science or related; OR appropriate combination of education and experience and 2 years' research study or other relevant experience required; OR
• Successful completion of a full course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a master's or higher degree in a major such as social or health science or related; OR an appropriate combination of education and experience.
• Must complete NU's IRB CITI training before interacting with any participants & must recertify every 3 years.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Strong organizational skills, time management, and personal accountability.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and shared organizational platforms (e.g., Teams, SharePoint, Google Drive).
• Experience with administrative or coordination duties in a research, program, or training environment.
• Comfort managing website content using WordPress and supporting digital communication tools.
• Ability to work independently while communicating proactively with supervisors and collaborators.

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• Study in a field relevant to public health, early childhood, women's health, social work or psychology.
• Experience working with both academic and non-academic partners, including community-based organizations, government agencies or external vendors.
• Experience supporting trainings, consultations, or capacity building activities with external partners.
• Experience managing or tracking budgets, project expenditures, or participant remuneration.
• Experience supporting the development or coordination of contracts or scopes of work.
• Prior experience in a research, program coordination, or implementation support role.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish.
• Experience using WordPress to manage website content and user access within an established site structure.
• Ability to coordinate with external website vendors (e.g., submitting requests, documenting issues, tracking resolution).
• Experience creating content for social media platforms, particularly Instagram, including drafting captions and developing posts aligned with organizational messaging.
• Familiarity with data collection systems (e.g., REDCap) and/or analytic software (e.g., SPSS, SAS, R).
• Experience supporting websites, newsletters, and digital communication platforms.
• Familiarity with IRB requirements, research documentation, or regulatory compliance processes.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $19.89 - 24.86 per hour. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits:

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

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