Research Associate

Posting Details

Position Information

Position Number 998162 Functional Title Research Associate Position Type Research Position Eclass EP - EHRA 12 mo leave earning University Information

Located in North Carolina's third largest city, UNC Greensboro is among the most diverse, learner-centered public research universities in the state, with nearly 18,000 students in eight colleges and schools pursuing more than 150 areas of undergraduate and over 200 areas of graduate study. UNCG continues to be recognized nationally for academic excellence, access, and affordability. UNCG is ranked No. 1 most affordable institution in North Carolina for net cost by the N.Y. Times and No. 1 in North Carolina for social mobility by The Wall Street Journal - helping first-generation and lower-income students find paths to prosperity. Designated an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, UNCG is a community-engaged research institution with a portfolio of more than $67M in research and creative activity. The University's 1,100 faculty and 1,700 staff help create an annual economic impact for the Piedmont Triad region in excess of $1B.

Primary Purpose of the Organizational Unit

Through excellence in teaching, research, and service, the Department of Kinesiology integrates the multi-disciplinary study of movement and the application of lifetime physical activity to prepare professionals (teachers, clinicians, scientists, and faculty) at both the undergraduate and graduate levels to enhance the health, physical activity, physical performance, and well-being of individuals across the lifespan in diverse contexts.

Position Summary

This position directly supports the multi-disciplinary nature of the research mission in Kinesiology. Dr. Jessica McNeil, Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology, is inviting applications for a Research Associate working on the Sleep, Health Outcomes and Body Weight (SHOW) study, which is a longitudinal observational study supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. This interdisciplinary, 5-year study aims to understand the prospective effects of sleep, race-related stress, and home/neighborhood environments on weight-related mechanisms (e.g., diet, metabolism, physical activity, hydration, and cortisol profiles) and obesity markers in Black emerging adults ages 18-28 years old. Data will be collected over 7 consecutive days at three-time points: baseline, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups.

The primary tasks of the Research Associate will be leading data collection, such as intravenous (IV) placement for repeated blood draws, processing and storing blood samples, collecting, processing and storing urine and saliva samples, measuring height, weight, and waist circumference in participants, assessing body composition and resting blood pressure, preparing food to assess dietary intake, completing participant home visits, which includes placing electrodes for sleep assessment via polysomnography and collecting observational data on the home and neighborhood environments.

The Research Associate will also lead data entry and analysis efforts, which include manually scoring and analyzing sleep data collected with the polysomnogram following rules and technical specifications put forth by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and conducting ELISA-based and other assay analyses on blood, urine, and saliva samples and interpreting the results of the assays. The Research Associate will also provide clear instructions for the collection of data completed by participants (e.g., how to collect urine and saliva samples, and how to complete daily diaries prior to bedtime) and will also send regular reminders throughout the week to ensure compliance with this data collection. The Research Associate will work with the Program Coordinator to recruit and schedule participants. The Research Associate will train incoming staff and students in data collection, data entry, and data analysis procedures as needed. The Research Associate will also supervise staff and student research assistants involved in data collection, data entry, and data analysis to ensure accurate and safe data collection and quality.

This job requires excellent interpersonal skills with individuals of diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, strong reliance on discretion and judgment when placing IVs to ensure participant safety, collecting and analyzing/scoring data, reliable transportation, and a willingness to work a flexible schedule that includes some evenings and weekends. The successful candidate will have a strong commitment to the success of this funded project. The position is 1-year renewable, until the conclusion of data collection for the grant (expected 7/31/2027).

Minimum Qualifications

• Required qualifications include a Master's or Bachelor's Degree in Kinesiology, Psychology, Nutrition, Nursing, Clinical Health Studies, or a related field. The anticipated salary is $44,000 and includes full benefits.

• This job requires strong oral communication skills, good interpersonal skills with individuals of diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, as well as excellent discretion and judgment when interacting with participants in the laboratory space and conducting home visits with other members of the team to ensure the safety of the participant and other members of the team throughout data collection.

• This job also requires excellent use of discretion and judgment when placing IVs and conducting blood draws to ensure participant safety. Prior training in IV placement or conducting blood draws is preferred, but the willingness to learn this skill is required. Blood draw and IV placement training will be provided to the selected individual, and they must meet training benchmarks and qualify for independent IV placement within 6 months of hire.

• This job requires reliable transportation, and a willingness to work a flexible schedule that includes some evenings and weekends.

Additional Required Certifications, Licensures, and Certificates

Blood draw and IV placement training will be provided to the selected individual, and they must meet training benchmarks and qualify for independent IV placement within 6 months of hire.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least 1 year of prior data collection experience in a related area (e.g., sleep, diet and physical activity measurements, blood draw, and IV placement), as well as strong organizational and leadership skills, is desired.

Special Instructions to Applicants Recruitment Range $44,000 Org #-Department Kinesiology - 13003 Job Open Date 06/21/2024 For Best Consideration Date Job Close Date 07/11/2024 Open Until Filled No FTE 1.000 Type of Appointment Time Limited If time-limited, please specify end date for appointment.

07/31/2025

Number of Months per Year 12 FLSA Exempt

Key Responsibilities

Percentage Of Time 60 Key Responsibility

Data Collection

Essential Tasks

• Research Associates are specialized researchers whose primary role is to lead data collection and supervise other staff and student research assistants who assist with data collection.

• Excellent discretion and judgment are required when placing IVs for completing blood draws, completing participant home visits, and supervising other staff and student research assistants to ensure safe data collection procedures and to maintain data quality.

• Data collection procedures include: administering questionnaires and daily diaries with clear instructions for completion, placing IVs for repeated blood draws, processing and storing blood samples, collecting, processing, and storing urine and saliva samples, measuring height, weight, and waist circumference in participants, assessing body composition and resting blood pressure, preparing food to assess dietary intake, completing participant home visits, which includes placing electrodes for sleep assessment via polysomnography and collecting observational data on the home and neighborhood environments.

Percentage Of Time 20 Key Responsibility

Data analysis, such as scoring sleep data and running assays on biospecimens as needed

Essential Tasks

• Lead data analysis efforts, which include downloading and processing data collected by the Actigraph accelerometer, manually scoring, and analyzing sleep data collected with the polysomnogram following rules and technical specifications put forth by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, as well as conducting ELISA-based and other assay analyses on blood, urine, and saliva samples and interpreting the results of the assays.

Percentage Of Time 10 Key Responsibility

Participant recruitment and scheduling

Essential Tasks

• Work with the Program Coordinator to create and distribute advertisements for recruitment; attend community and other meetings and lead social media efforts to recruit participants; contact participants to schedule appointments and maintain that schedule; conduct initial screening of participants.

• During participant recruitment and screening meetings, the Research Associate must be able to deliver verbal summaries of the project efficiently describe the different data collection procedures in detail, and be able to answer questions from participants on their own.

• The Research Associate will also lead communication efforts with participants during the 7-day data collection period, answer their questions, update, and adapt the data collection schedule as necessary and promptly inform the rest of the team (including the Program Coordinator and other staff and student research assistants) about any changes in the data collection schedule.

Percentage Of Time 10 Key Responsibility

Data entry, data management and manage supplies inventory

Essential Tasks

• Lead data entry and management efforts by entering questionnaire, observational and physiological data into databases and following up with participants as needed in cases of missing data; performing regular accuracy checks of previously entered data by other staff and student research assistants; updating supplies inventory as data collection occurs and communicate data collection supply needs with the Program Coordinator in a timely manner.

ADA Checklist

ADA Checklist

R for Rare (0-30%), O for Occasional (30-60%), F for Frequent (60-90%), C for Constant (90-100%).

Physical Effort Reading, Writing, Hearing, Talking, Standing, Sitting, Walking, Lifting-0-30 lbs. Work Environment Inside

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Resume/CV
• List of References

Optional Documents

• Cover Letter

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• Are you eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship?

• Yes

• No