SORCE Research Coordinator 1

Job Description

The Research Coordinator, under the guidance of more senior level research coordinators and clinical research staff, is responsible for carrying out many of the day-to-day human subjects’ research and data management activities for the Division of Research and Surgical Outcomes Research Center (SORCE). Part of UW School of Medicine’s Department of Surgery, the Division of Research and SORCE conducts outcomes research to improve the quality of surgical care at the local, regional, and national level.

The research coordinator is an integral member of the team. The RC 1 will screen, recruit, and interview potential subjects to determine eligibility for enrollment. They will enroll patients and administer informed consent documents. They will maintain contact with their panel of research subject schedules and requirements and ensure compliance with research protocols. This position has significant interaction with study participants both in-person at local clinical sites and on the telephone.

As part of the team, they will work to maintain compliance on all aspects of the study and will update all required study-specific documentation and required regulatory documents. As an integral part of the research team, they will conduct literature searches and assist with writing and editing manuscripts for publication as well as presentations and reports.

They will prepare for and manage various meetings including preparation of materials, follow-up and meeting with sponsors as necessary.

The Current Project Portfolio for this position includes a mix of clinical trials, additional information on the types of studies can be found here:

https://uwsurgery.org/sorce-intro/

https://www.becertain.org/

https://uwsurgery.org/researchintroduction/

Areas of Responsibility

• Human Subjects Research Activities (70%)

• Research Project Coordination (20%)

• Data Management (10%)

This is a 1.0 FTE and reports to a Research Project Manager.

This position conducts patient recruitment activities; they must, be self-motivated, and able to take initiative. The person in this position is responsible for understanding research project aims, timelines, and milestone goals, and must be able to apply this understanding to their day-to-day project operations. This position will work on various projects and teams spanning multiple investigators, sites, clinical disciplines, and funding sources.

All staff at Division of Research and SORCE are asked to manage multiple projects concurrently under deadline pressures and changing priorities; apply critical thinking and sound judgment in managing complex work; and take a solutions-oriented approach to challenges.

Collaboration is essential, and a successful candidate will possess the emotional intelligence to build and foster constructive working relationships through open communication, accountability, empathy, and respect.

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI):

The Department of Surgery strives to dismantle systemic racism, eliminate healthcare disparities, and promote health equity in our work. Racism and intolerance have no place in our community. We celebrate our multitude of intersecting identities and commit to the ongoing effort of creating an inclusive and supportive workplace climate.

Division of Research and SORCE are committed to encouraging diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to being a workplace where such values are at the forefront of our daily interactions and our work as a research center. We value and seek diverse team members who are passionate, innovative, and collaborative.

Department Core Competencies

All staff in the Department of Surgery are asked to demonstrate and develop the following core competencies:

• Quality Focus: strives to deliver the best possible service and results, and continuously seeks opportunities for improvement.

• Key attributes: accuracy, customer service, continuous improvement, problem-solving, and self-development

• Planning & Organization: completes work in a timely, efficient, and resourceful manner

• Key attributes: priority setting, efficiency, resourcefulness, adaptability and flexibility, organizational awareness, and initiative

• Teamwork & Relationship Building: builds and fosters positive working relationships with others to achieve shared objectives.

• Key attributes: collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, recognition, accountability, and integrity

• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: values and honors diverse experiences and perspectives, strives to create welcoming and respectful work environments including dismantling structures of oppression, and promotes and contributes to a culture of access, opportunity, and justice.

• Key attributes: respect, cultural humility, inclusiveness, advocacy, and commitment

Position Dimensions and Impact to the University:

SORCE is part of the Department of Surgery. SORCE’ s mission is to assess the impact of surgical procedures on patients, society, and the healthcare system, and improve the practice of surgery through clinical trials, education, training, and policy initiatives. Our research center supports faculty investigators and other healthcare stakeholders in determining the optimal process of care by critically evaluating the outcomes of a procedure including its impact on patient health, well-being, satisfaction, functional status, and lifespan as well as its impact on the healthcare system. This research is translated into practice and policy by collaborating with surgeons, healthcare payers and purchasers, and patient advocacy groups.

Clinical research is an important aspect of the University’s research mission. It puts basic research into action and has direct impact upon patients’ lives. Some of the groundbreaking clinical research in cardiothoracic and vascular surgery has been conducted at the University of Washington. Device trials are a common clinical trial that is performed, such as TransMedics Inc. “heart in a box” and Physician-Modified Endografts (PMEG) in thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm patients.

The Department of Surgery is among the largest clinical departments within the School of Medicine, and its strategic and financial impact on UW Medicine are disproportionately greater than the size of the department. The department has grown substantially over the last 3-4 years, by about 25% - and we continue to appropriately, but rapidly, add faculty, programs, and staff. As of January 2025, the Department composition is 151 paid professorial track academic faculty located at all the UW clinical sites; 161 clinical faculty located throughout the community and WWAMI region; Four (4) ACGME residency programs (General Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery and Vascular Surgery) with 107 residents in these four programs. 20 ACGME and Research Fellowships; 150 Administrative and Research staff. More information about the Department of Surgery can be found at https://uwsurgery.org/ .

How this Position Contributes:

Research Coordinator’s assist both Division of Research and SORCE’s Research Project Managers and research staff in moving projects forward and facilitating the timely completion of key milestones. Staff on theses recruitment teams contribute directly to our mission by recruiting, consenting, and surveying patients, and serving as a key point of contact.

Human Subjects Research Activities (70%):

In compliance with all Division of Research and SORCE standards, study protocols, and University and Federal regulations, the following job duties are performed within the scope of their position.

Identify, Approach, and Recruit Participants:

• Screen medical records to identify eligible study participants.

• Approach patients in clinical settings to recruit them into research studies.

• Consent/enroll participants.

• Conduct initial data collection including surveying/interviewing.

Conduct Participant Follow-up via Phone:

• Receive and respond to participant calls to answer questions and resolve concerns.

• Complete telephone surveys/interviews with participants.

• Coordinate Participant Activities Throughout Study.

• Track enrollment status, progress, and engagement of study participants.

• Schedule and conduct research visits with enrolled participants.

• Identify opportunities to resolve barriers to participation.

• Monitor study emails for patient referral.

Manage Participant Retention Activities, including financial monitoring.

• Track and distribute participant incentives (i.e., checks or gift cards). Assist with monitoring and reconciliation of expenses and compliance tracking.

• Coordinate routine survey mail distribution.

• Maintain participant contact information and preferences.

Specimen Management: As needs arise, help coordinate, track, and ship specimens.

Research Project Coordination (20%):

Study Monitoring and Regulatory Compliance:

Under general supervision, work to support the following regulatory activities for assigned studies.

• Manage electronic and paper regulatory files.

• Plan and complete records retention activities at study closeout.

• Revise Manual of Procedures (MOP) when regulatory modification approvals are received and assist with communication protocol changes to research staff.

• Suggest and collaborate with researchers in the submission of study modifications and protocol changes and deviations.

Project Management Support:

• Help coordinate, schedule, and prepare meeting materials for investigator and team meetings.

• Attend study meetings, edit/summarize notes for distribution.

• In study meetings report on recruitment, follow-up, and retention activities.

• Establish effective work processes for accurately tracking, storing, and retrieving information.

• Assist with communication and coordination between clinical sites.

• Assist with internal and external study reporting.

• Within scope of position participate in site monitoring visits and other quality assurance activities, offering information and suggestions.

• Within scope of position work with clinical staff in monitoring and reporting Adverse and Serious Adverse events.

• Ensure protocol deviations, violations, adverse events, serious adverse events, and research patient complaints are promptly documented, communicated and resolved.

SORCE Research Process Improvement:

• Identify gaps in efficiency, effectiveness, and clarity of internal study processes, and suggest/draft improvements.

• Participate in process improvement and research innovation taskforces and workgroups .
  

Special Projects and Assignments:

• Collaborate and assist with preparation and production of research intellectual products such as (but not limited to) data analysis, drafting, or editing of technical reports or manuscripts, and presentation development.

• Participate in identification of new grant funding sources and collaborating on new research project proposals.

Data Management (10%):

Following all data security protocols, perform the following tasks

• Data Abstraction: Abstract data from patient medical records.

• Data Entry: Enter and manage data through research study/quality improvement (QI) data platforms (e.g., REDCap).

• Quality Assurance: Participate in routine quality control operations (e.g., monitoring visits, internal audits) for data management; suggest and develop quality assurance measures.

• File Management: Organize data records and research materials (both electronic and physical files) for efficient cataloguing and retrieval, consistent version control, and compliant records retention.

• Documentation: Assist in creation and maintenance of data dictionaries or other companion documents.

• Survey building: Suggest improvements or draft original material for surveys and assist in preparation of data collection tools and case report forms (e.g. REDCap, clinical data forms, surveys).

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in health sciences, public health, life/social sciences, or related field.

• One year of relevant research experience.

Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Additional Requirements:

• Basic knowledge of human subjects’ regulations, protections, and ethics.

• Demonstrated ability to adapt to, and work collaboratively with, people with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and roles within an organization.

• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

• Problem-solving skills, strong detail orientation, and ability to adeptly manage multiple priorities.

• Ability to pro-actively solve problems and take a solutions-oriented approach to challenges.

• Experience using tracking systems to communicate progress and organize tasks.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and adeptness at learning new software.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience working with electronic medical records (chart review and data abstraction).

• Experience with research data management (understanding of data security protocols and quality assurance).

• Experience preferably in an academic or healthcare-related setting and working on health services or outcomes projects.

• Broad understanding of hospital systems, patient care, and how research projects are embedded within these settings. Knowledge of medical terminology.

• Experience working on a multi-site clinical research study.

• Experience with study monitoring and regulatory compliance.

• Database management skills.

• Spanish language fluency (written and spoken).

• Experience conducting participant recruitment, outreach, and data collection in Spanish.

• Proficient with Epic Hyperspace or EMR systems for study eligibility screening, patient enrollment, visit association and invoicing.

Conditions of Employment:

• Must be able to routinely travel routine travel between SORCE’s office in the University District and local clinical sites in the local Seattle area.

• Willing and able to share in rotational schedule to ensure team coverage of patient recruitment activities, across multiple sites, during clinic hours.

• Work requires significant amount of time interacting with patients and, both on-site and in a remote capacity, e.g., phone, Zoom.

• Work is suitable for 2-3 days per week remote work.

Compensation, Benefits and Position Details

Pay Range Minimum:

$55,944.00 annual

Pay Range Maximum:

$90,000.00 annual

Other Compensation:

Overtime Pay

Benefits:

For information about benefits for this position, visit https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-uw-staff/

Shift:

First Shift (United States of America)

Temporary or Regular?

This is a regular position

FTE (Full-Time Equivalent):

100.00%

Union/Bargaining Unit:

UAW Research

About the UW

Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives – on our campuses, in our state and around the world.

UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

Our Commitment

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81 .

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu .

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law .