Research Engineering/Scientist Associate 3

Job Posting Title:

Research Engineering/Scientist Associate III

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Hiring Department:

Department of Women's Health

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Exempt from FLSA

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Earliest Start Date:

Immediately

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

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Location:

AUSTIN, TX

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Job Details:

PURPOSE

The Research Associate III independently designs and conducts complex research projects, analyzes and presents data, and supervises junior research staff.  The Research Associate III is responsible for developing research protocols, performing literature searches, preparing grant applications, and contributing to research publications. In addition, the Research Associate III will identify and screen potential research participants, obtain consent, enroll participants, schedule appointments, and conduct all study procedures.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Participant Recruitment, Enrollment, and Data Collection

• Identify, screen, recruit, and enroll eligible research participants in accordance with approved study protocols.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate participant recruitment and retention strategies to achieve enrollment goals.
• Obtain informed consent, schedule study visits, conduct participant visits, and administer study assessments and research procedures.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for research participants by providing professional, compassionate, and timely communication in person, by telephone, virtually, and through electronic correspondence.
• Coordinate and complete specialized regulatory activities associated with human subjects research, including IRB submissions, amendments, continuing reviews, protocol deviations, biosafety documentation, and required institutional compliance activities.
• Manage investigational medications and/or research devices in accordance with study protocols and regulatory requirements.
• Collect, process, store, and ship biological specimens (including blood collection, when applicable) and perform laboratory procedures according to protocol.
• Collect, verify, enter, maintain, and organize research data to ensure accuracy, completeness, and data integrity.
• Prepare for and facilitate sponsor, regulatory, and internal monitoring visits; respond to monitoring findings and data queries; and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Identify, document, and report adverse events, protocol deviations, and other reportable events in accordance with study protocols, sponsor requirements, and regulatory guidelines.

Clinical Research Operations and Regulatory Management

• Coordinate and manage the day-to-day operations of multiple clinical research studies, ensuring compliance with institutional policies, sponsor requirements, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), HIPAA, FDA regulations, and other applicable federal, state, and local regulations governing human subjects research.
• Perform clinical research activities, including assisting with study design, developing research methods and data collection instruments, conducting surveys, performing chart abstraction, maintaining participant tracking systems, and supporting regulatory compliance.
• Complete study start-up activities, including obtaining study materials, coordinating site initiation activities, and ensuring regulatory documentation is complete and approved prior to study activation.
• Maintain complete, accurate, and audit-ready regulatory files, study documentation, source documents, and research records throughout the study lifecycle.
• Prepare, review, and coordinate research-related agreements and submissions (e.g., NDAs, MTAs, IRB submissions, contracts, project summaries, progress reports, and related documentation) on behalf of principal investigators.
• Coordinate study close-out activities, including regulatory closeout, record retention, and sponsor requirements.

Research Project Management

• Develop, organize, prioritize, and independently manage multiple research projects, timelines, and competing deadlines while ensuring successful study execution.
• Proactively identify operational risks and project-related issues and implement appropriate solutions.
• Develop, implement, and continuously evaluate study workflows, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and operational processes to improve research quality, efficiency, regulatory compliance, and the participant experience.
• Coordinate research meetings, prepare agendas, document meeting minutes, and monitor completion of action items.
• Collaborate with University departments, affiliated clinical sites, sponsors, and external partners to support successful project implementation.

Communication and Collaboration

• Collaborate with principal investigators, research staff, clinical providers, sponsors, regulatory agencies, and institutional partners to ensure successful study implementation and execution.
• Establish and maintain productive working relationships with multidisciplinary teams across the University and affiliated clinical sites.
• Communicate complex research procedures, timelines, study requirements, and regulatory expectations clearly to participants, investigators, sponsors, and research personnel.
• Exercise independent judgment in resolving operational issues and escalate complex problems appropriately.

Research Education, Training, and Departmental Support

• Develop instructional materials, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and workflow documentation to support research study implementation and regulatory compliance.
• Mentor, train, and provide guidance to research coordinators, research assistants, students, trainees, investigators, and other research personnel on study procedures, regulatory requirements, institutional policies, and research best practices.
• Actively participate in departmental meetings, research initiatives, and institutional committees.
• Serve as a liaison with the Office of Research and other institutional offices while promoting adherence to current policies, procedures, and research resources.
  

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's Degree in Biology, Chemistry, or Biochemistry
• 5 years of relevant laboratory experience.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's Degree
• At least 7 year(s) of experience in laboratory experience, including experience with specific techniques used in the research area.
• Fluency in Spanish
• Certification as a Clinical Research Associate (CRA) from the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) or similar certification.

SALARY RANGE

$51,727+ depending on qualifications

WORKING ENVIRONMENT/EQUIPMENT

• Standard office equipment

• Repetitive use of a keyboard

REQUIRED MATERIALS

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.  Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form.  You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States.  Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment.  Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.