Research Specialist

Position Information

University Code 33234 University Title Senior Research Analyst 1 University Job Family Research & Innovation ORP Eligible No For more information on ORP, visit: Retirement Plans
Recruitment Pool All Applicants Recruitment Type Job Series Scope of Search Regional Working Title Research Specialist Position Number 590470 Position Type Staff Job Status Full-Time FLSA Indicator Exempt Employee Group University Employee Department Massey Cancer Center Organizational Overview

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. VCU offers employees a generous leave package, career paths for advancement, competitive pay, and an opportunity to do mission-driven work.

Position Primary Purpose and General Responsibilities

The Massey Cancer Center seeks a full-time Research Specialist (Research coordinator or equivalent) with focus in cancer epidemiology to function as a versatile epidemiologist, with responsibilities including data analysis, project management, grant reporting and writing, assisting with and leading publications for peer-reviewed journals, and presenting research findings to local and national audiences.

The ideal candidate will initiate and conduct evidence-based, community-informed public health research across a range of cancer health equity areas that will include:
• Extracting, analyzing, and compiling data from primary and secondary sources such as the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results ( SEER ), NIH State Cancer Profiles, U.S. Census, CDC’s 500 Cities, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System ( BRFSS ), USDA, EPA, the State Cancer Registry, and others, to create actionable research products
• Analyzing and packaging the Massey Cancer Center Catchment area data for dissemination to a variety of internal and external stakeholders, including public health advocates and policy makers
• Developing and leading aspects of data management systems and needs assessment survey tools, ensuring that data collection and storage meet regulatory requirements, audits information gathering processes.
• Formulates systems of checks and balances to increase reliability of data
• Managing IRB including protocol development, application, modification, and renewal submissions
• Contributing to grant writing, grant reporting, manuscript preparation for publication and conference presentations
• May assist with staff training, including possible mentoring of undergraduate and graduate student interns in epidemiologic research methods
• Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum Hiring Standards

• Master’s degree required
• Demonstrated proficient use of statistical software ( SAS, R, Stata, Python, ArcGIS)
• Experience in creating and maintaining complex epidemiologic database systems, developing dashboards (excel, tableau, MS access), developing and deploying online surveys (REDCap, Qualtrics, Zoho, SurveyMonkey) as well as tracking and measuring epidemiologic data.
• Experience in complex (quantitative and qualitative) epidemiological data analysis. This requires firm command of epidemiologic concepts to guide analyses and assist with developing studies demonstrating knowledge of standard statistical techniques
• Ability to coordinate numerous projects simultaneously
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite or comparable products
• Professional experience in the healthcare field and/or formal training
• Strong project management capabilities for performing tasks and advising junior staff with minimal supervision
• Self-motivated, ability to work independently
• Ability to search for funding opportunities and assist with grant writing
• 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

• Two (2) years of relevant public health research, project management, or other relevant experience preferred
• Master’s Degree or Doctorate in Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Statistics, Math, Computer Science, Social Science or Public Policy preferred
• Prior experience and/or interest in health disparities and/or social determinants of health research and methods
• Considerable skills in presenting epidemiologic reports and data to large audiences, including ability to write articles and epidemiologic reports for professional journals

You’ll thrive in this position if you:
• Strengthen Collaborations – you put the organizations interests and stakeholders needs ahead of your own. You identify and create effective working collaborations with others; establish good interpersonal relationships by helping people feel valued, appreciated, and offer support. You present sound reasons and recommendations that link to the needs of those impacted; obtain agreement to support ideas; leverage win-win solutions to ensure others take action.
• Create Value – you gather insights into what creates value; promote ongoing evaluation of the patient and customer circumstances, expectations and needs. You determine the processes, systems and behaviors that directly impact how to narrow existing disparities through the cancer care continuum. You proactively improve, through one’s role, the team’s experience; consistently positions the value of UICC so the patient and customer recommend us to their family, friends and community.
• Deliver Results – you identify issues, problems and opportunities; proactively recognize the need for improvement. You work with others to develop a sense of common purpose; understand different perspectives on issues; gather and examine information available. You generate alternatives – Create relevant options, including financial and resource implications, for addressing problems and opportunities. You select appropriate action – Formulate clear decision criteria; evaluate options by considering implications and consequences; choose an effective option. You commit to implementation and work with a sense of urgency and a bias for action to implement the decision.

Required Licenses/ Certifications Anticipated Hiring Range Commensurate with experience Application Process/Additional Information

Only completed online applications will be considered.

Campus MCV Campus Hours/Week 40 Normal Work Days/Hours Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Job Open Date 08/04/2020 Posting will close on or before Open Until Filled Yes Job Category Research Is this a restricted position? No Is this position eligible to participate in alternative work arrangements? Yes Sensitive Position No Resource Critical Yes Quick Link http://www.vcujobs.com/postings/99922 Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. * Please list any biostatistical software you are familiar with and indicate your level of expertise (beginner, intermediate, advanced, expert/developer). For example, in excel, beginner = can do simple data entry and manipulation such as data merges; intermediate = can additionally do more complex data cleaning, basic descriptive statistics and graphs for presentations; advanced = can additionally do more complex biostatistical analyses/modeling, imputation, basic dashboards, etc.; expert/developer = can develop automation codes, complex dashboards, and modeling (i.e. SEM, decision tree, supervised & unsupervised learning models)
   
   (Open Ended Question)
   
   
2. * Do you have experience accessing and analyzing publicly available large datasets? Y/N, if yes please list some of the publicly available datasets (e.g. NHANES, BRFSS, HEDIS, CDC, NCBI, human microbiome, others) you have worked with in the past and provide a brief 1-2 sentence description of such experience.
   
   (Open Ended Question)
   
   
3. * Do you have experience with geospatial analysis? Y/N, if yes, please provide 1 sentence describing an example of such experience.
   
   (Open Ended Question)
   
   
4. * Do you have experience developing/contributing to peer-reviewed, scientific manuscripts? Y/N, if yes, please provide 1 sentence describing an example of such experience.
   
   (Open Ended Question)
   
   
5. * Do you have experience developing/contributing to peer-reviewed grants? Y/N, if yes, please provide 1 sentence describing an example of such experience
   
   (Open Ended Question)
   
   
6. * Do you have experience developing/contributing to stakeholder reports? Y/N, if yes, please provide 1 sentence describing an example of such experience.
   
   (Open Ended Question)
   
   

Optional & Required Documents
Required Documents

1. Cover Letter/Letter of Application
2. Resume

Optional Documents

1. Other Document