Research Assistant 1 – Term Position, Part Time - 20 weekly hours – Onsite, Nashville TN

Discover Vanderbilt Health: With eight hospitals and over 180 clinics, we are the region’s largest comprehensive academic health system. Vanderbilt Health has a long tradition of providing world-class care to the people of the Mid-South, living out our mission of moving medicine forward through preeminent programs in patient care, education and research. Here you’ll find a spirit of collaboration and a supportive community where your expertise is valued, your knowledge expanded and your uniqueness celebrated. We are committed to fostering an environment where talented, compassionate people are united in bringing the most advanced care to our neighbors throughout the region.

Organization:

Rheumatology/Immunology

Job Summary:

This position provides hands-on experience in clinical research focused on maternal and infant health outcomes among individuals with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. The research assistant will work closely with investigators and study participants across both retrospective and prospective studies. On a typical day, the research assistant may review medical records and abstract study data from the electronic health record, enter and manage research data in REDCap, contact potential study participants by phone or assist with recruitment during rheumatology and obstetric clinic visits, coordinate sample collection and follow-up activities for participants enrolled in our pregnancy registry and biorepository, and help maintain high-quality research databases. The role offers exposure to patient-centered research, data management, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Dr. Dhital’s research program focuses on maternal and infant health outcomes among individuals with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. The research team, consisting of research assistants, undergraduate student researchers, and a research nurse, conducts both retrospective and prospective clinical research aimed at understanding factors that contribute to adverse maternal and infant outcomes and identifying opportunities to improve patient care. The research assistant will work closely with study participants, clinical teams, and investigators across a variety of projects, gaining hands-on experience in patient-centered clinical research, participant recruitment and retention, data management, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

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Preferred Skills & Experience

• Experience with REDCap, including creating, completing, and managing study data collection forms.
• Basic understanding of medical terminology, clinical documentation, and healthcare workflows.
• Experience reviewing electronic health records (EHRs) and performing manual chart abstraction.
• Exposure to clinical research, including participant recruitment, study coordination, informed consent, or data collection activities.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to interact professionally and compassionately with research participants, clinical staff, and investigators.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects, participant timelines, and competing priorities.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and commitment to maintaining accurate research records and databases.
• Experience entering, managing, and validating research or healthcare-related data.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a multidisciplinary research team.
• Familiarity with statistical software such as R, SAS, SPSS, or Stata preferred.
• Interest or experience in women's health, maternal health, pregnancy-related research, rheumatology, or autoimmune diseases preferred.
• Experience conducting participant outreach, recruitment, retention, and follow-up activities preferred.
• Ability and willingness to maintain a flexible schedule to support participant recruitment, study visits, and follow-up activities as needed.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Under supervision, run experiments, assays, and record results
• Read and follow experimental protocols (May include animal handling, tissue culture, etc.)
• Compile and communicate results to supervisor
• Follow University safety protocols (may include use of combustibles, radioactivity, toxic material, and/or carcinogenics)
• Perform calculations involving molarity, % solutions, and serial dilutions
• Prepare and operate equipment in experimental procedures
• May include blood gas analyzer, centrifuge, pH meter, spectrophotometer, autoclave, scintillation counter, electrophoresis unit, analytical balance, etc.
• Maintain and repair equipment according to manufacturer and university guidelines.
• Ensure Laboratory is prepared for experiments
• Maintain inventories,
• Maintain sterile conditions as required
• Prepare reagents
• Clean equipment.

Core Accountabilities:

Organizational Impact: Executes job responsibilities with the understanding of how output would affect and impact other areas related to own job area/team with occasional guidance. Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Analyzes moderately complex problems using technical experience and judgment. Breadth of Knowledge: Has expanded knowledge gained through experience within a professional area. Team Interaction: Provides informal guidance and support to team members.

Core Capabilities :

Supporting Colleagues:- Develops Self and Others: Invests time, energy, and enthusiasm in developing self/others to help improve performance e and gain knowledge in new areas.- Builds and Maintains Relationships: Maintains regular contact with key colleagues and stakeholders using formal and informal opportunities to expand and strengthen relationships.- Communicates Effectively: Recognizes group interactions and modifies one's own communication style to suit different situations and audiences. Delivering Excellent Services:- Serves Others with Compassion: Seeks to understand current and future needs of relevant stakeholders and customizes services to better address them.- Solves Complex Problems: Approaches problems from different angles; Identifies new possibilities to interpret opportunities and develop concrete solutions.- Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Provides ongoing support and coaching in a constructive manner to increase employees' effectiveness. Ensuring High Quality: - Performs Excellent Work: Engages regularly in formal and informal dialogue about quality; directly addresses quality issues promptly.- Ensures Continuous Improvement: Applies various learning experiences by looking beyond symptoms to uncover underlying causes of problems and identifies ways to resolve them. - Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Understands all aspects of providing a safe environment and performs routine safety checks to prevent safety hazards from occurring. Managing Resources Effectively: - Demonstrates Accountability: Demonstrates a sense of ownership, focusing on and driving critical issues to closure.- Stewards Organizational Resources: Applies understanding of the departmental work to effectively manage resources for a department/area.- Makes Data Driven Decisions: Demonstrates strong understanding of the information or data to identify and elevate opportunities. Fostering Innovation:- Generates New Ideas: Proactively identifies new ideas/opportunities from multiple sources or methods to improve processes beyond conventional approaches.- Applies Technology: Demonstrates an enthusiasm for learning new technologies, tools, and procedures to address short-term challenges.- Adapts to Change: Views difficult situations and/or problems as opportunities for improvement; actively embraces change instead of emphasizing negative elements.

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This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth.

Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity.  EOE/Vets/Disabled.