Research Professional 1 - Research Coordinator

About the Job

Position Overview

The University of Minnesota's Institute of Child Development (ICD) has a position open for a full-time Research Coordinator. This position is funded by a National Institutes of Health (NIH/NICHD) grant, Aligning Measurement for Predictors of Health Outcomes. This project is a collaboration between the ICD (Dr. Stephanie Carlson) and the University of Chicago's Center for the Economics of Human Development (Dr. James Heckman), together with Educational Testing Service (ETS; Dr. Patrick Kyllonen) and the University of Bonn (Dr. Thomas Dohmen). The project aims to measure and model a combination of personality traits, executive function skills, and economic preferences to predict physical and mental health outcomes. This is a longitudinal study beginning in 4th and 8th grade and includes remote surveys with children and caregivers, as well as cognitive and behavioral tasks online or in the lab. We seek applicants with prior experience working with child or adolescent populations and with participant recruitment, as well as behavioral/clinical research experience.

The Research Coordinator will report to Dr. Stephanie Carlson. Duties will include IRB management, participant recruitment and screening, informed consent and assent, cognitive and behavioral assessment, database management, and onboarding and supervision of undergraduate research assistants. The position has funding for 4 or 5 years, contingent upon a 6-month probationary period and successful completion of duties.

This position is based on campus. Per UMN policy, work may be done remotely when appropriate and approved by your manager. All UMN employees are expected to follow applicable public health and safety procedures.

Job Responsibilities

Recruitment of child and adolescent participants (30%)

• Understand the research and participant recruitment process and comprehend the value and importance of gathering, organizing, and maintaining research data results

• Conduct email and telephone recruitment of child participants by calling families indicating an interest in participating in this or other research projects

• Identify and establish communication with community organizations that could partner in advertising to a broader diverse and representative participant pool

• Screen confidential health information for assessment of inclusion and exclusion criteria to assess study eligibility

• Develop rapport with children and families to ensure a positive research experience

• Develop procedures for effective follow-up with longitudinal participants

• Draft correspondence and send participant emails or mailing packets, including attachments with information regarding appointments, driving directions, and helpful hints

• Schedule, update, and cancel appointments with families participating in the research study

• Organize and track study files (electronically and by paper) including participant appointment information, calling log, and files to be sent to families such as welcome letters and directions

• Coordinate regular contact with families for retention, such as birthday cards

• Learn and follow all participant recruitment reporting requirements for the project using online reporting tools

Data collection (30%)

• Complete Human Subject ethics training

• Adhere to the study protocol

• Obtain informed consent and assent from children, adolescents, parents, and teacher participants

• Prepare and maintain electronic surveys for remote data collection

• Reliably administer standardized and research-based behavioral tasks to children

• Monitor and support participants in completing survey measures in a timely manner

• Use standard desktop software to manage documentation and track study progress

• Ensure protection and storage of data and participant information on secure servers

• Work evening and weekend shifts as needed to test participants

• Manage and monitor online participant payment system

• Communicate with Dr. Carlson, the GRA, and the University of Chicago project coordinators on a regular basis regarding recruitment and assessment progress and any or all issues related to participants (children, parents, teachers).

Data management (20%)

• Support the Graduate Research Assistant who will be overseeing data coding, scoring, and analysis

• Learn and follow best practices in data organization and processing streams

• Train and supervise undergraduate research assistants

• Ensure reliable and timely completion of data coding and cleaning

• Perform quality control/quality assurance procedures

• Adhere to data security and privacy practices

• Create tables and figures as directed for project meetings, conference presentations, and publications

General Laboratory Support/Coordination (20%)

• Develop processes to mentor and train undergraduate research assistants in participant recruitment, data collection, and research ethics with child and adolescent participants.

• Support graduate students and lab staff in tracking and monitoring undergraduate research hours.

• Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for general lab tasks to support training of new lab personnel and transfer of expertise to new staff.

• Coordinate lab and project meetings among lab personnel.

• Take notes at research meetings and track agenda items.

• Update and monitor lab web resources to document study materials, current staff, undergraduate research assistants, and provide research resources to the public.

• Work with lab staff and graduate students to draft the annual lab newsletter.

• Assist the lab in conducting internal audits of IRB materials and research data collection on multiple projects.

• Work with current and past lab members to document and organize study materials and data resources in electronic format.

• Work with department staff to address facility needs or information technology needs in the lab.

• Identify areas for improvement in functioning in the lab and work with the Principal Investigator to develop and implement improvement plans.

• Assisting PI with lab-wide coordination

• Communicating with study coordinators, lab trainees, and collaborators

• Maintaining lab-wide documentation (lab meeting minutes, lab SOP, etc).

• Schedule and attend weekly lab meetings

• Onboarding new employees and volunteers

• Purchasing lab-wide materials and ensuring compliance with purchasing procedures/documentation.

• Undergraduate RA supervision regarding data entry

• Assisting the PI with planning and coordination of lab events

• Communicate with Information Technology support staff regarding project needs

• Provide support to faculty and staff preparing manuscripts and conference presentations, including literature searches, article summaries, formatting of text and references, construction of tables and figures, and typographical editing

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• BA/BS in child psychology or related field, or a combination of related education and work experience to equal four years

• Experience working in a research environment, including interviewing and/or testing children.

• Experience with Microsoft Excel.

• Ability to collaborate effectively with people from a variety of communities, backgrounds, and identities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Coursework in psychology, child psychology, or educational psychology

• At least one year of post BA research experience or coursework

• Ability to manage multiple tasks on a daily basis

• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills, including attention to detail and documentation of work

• Experience conducting consent process and collecting data over a Zoom platform.

• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, including communication with study faculty, junior and senior research staff, organizations serving diverse communities, and individual families and children

• Excellent public relations skills and abilities to interact professionally and warmly with other professionals as well as diverse children and families.

• Intention to commit 2 or more years in this position

About the Department

Department Overview

The Institute of Child Development (ICD) at the University of Minnesota has long been a premier center for scholarship, teaching, and outreach devoted to the understanding and fostering of child development. Founded in 1925, the Institute is one of the oldest departments studying children's development in the United States. From its inception, a key tenet of the department has been to "give away" child psychology. This philosophy has created an environment rich with collaborations, new ideas, and exciting interdisciplinary work. The ICD is housed within the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) and has an undergraduate program within the College of Liberal Arts (CLA).

College Overview

The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), the third largest college and the University, contributes to a just and sustainable future through engagement with the local and global communities to enhance human learning and development at all stages of the life span. We know diversity is necessary to do our best work and foster our humanity. That's why the CEHD community is collectively dedicated to cultivating an inclusive and equitable environment, embracing and celebrating all identities of our students, staff, and faculty. These values are also a moral imperative requiring continuous proactive measures and a firm stance against prejudice, discrimination, and systemic injustice.

Benefits

Working at the University

At the University of Minnesota, you'll find a flexible work environment and supportive colleagues who are interested in lifelong learning. We prioritize work-life balance, allowing you to invest in the future of your career and in your life outside of work.

The University also offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off

• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program

• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans

• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts

• University HSA contributions

• Disability and employer-paid life insurance

• Employee wellbeing program

• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity

• Financial counseling services

• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefits.

How To Apply

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

Diversity

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Employment Requirements

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

About the U of M

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022).