Research Assistant

The VCU Department of Psychiatry is seeking to hire a total of three (3) Research Assistants for the Center for Human Animal Interaction (CHAI).

Position Responsibilities:

The successful candidate must be reliable, have solid attention to detail, be willing to follow instructions precisely, like interacting with both dogs and people, and have the compassion and patience required to interact with vulnerable people who do not feel well and those individuals who care for them. This person will be responsible for gathering accurate, credible information on participants in ongoing research projects that are being conducted in a hospital setting. They will adhere to experimental/IRB approved protocols, engage in participant recruitment, directly interact with participants, health care staff, and other members of the research team, track participant status, and maintain data integrity throughout the study.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Following protocol to recruit participants
• Scheduling and conducting in-person randomized conditions (intervention and control)
• Maintaining quality control standards to preserve the integrity of the data and findings
• Delivering and tracking participant incentives
• Cleaning research devices and preparing them for next usage
• Updating and maintaining all tracking spreadsheets
• Writing reports as required

Required Qualifications:

• Must enjoy interacting with dogs of all types, not be afraid of dogs, or allergic to dogs/dog dander.
  
• Experience prioritizing, organizing, and performing multiple work assignments simultaneously.
• Interest and willingness to learn is highly preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication abilities.
• Data entry experience, including use of web-based databases.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 1-2 years experience in research
• A bachelor’s degree or currently pursuing a bachelor's degree
• Prior experience working with dogs
• Prior experience working in a hospital
• Have an interest in studying Human-Animal Interaction/Anthrozoology at the graduate level or would like to incorporate Animal-Assisted Interventions/Therapy in their future professional goals.

This is a restricted position with no set end date and continued employment is dependent upon project need, availability of funding, and performance.

The School of Medicine continuously strives for our workplace and learning environment to reflect the demographic and social milieu of the communities we serve. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

Salary Range: $17-$22



Position Details:

Department: Psychiatry
Employment Type: H1 - Hourly
Restricted Status: Yes
FTE: .50
Exemption Status: Non-Exempt



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