Clinical Research Assistant

Department Overview

The Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences is an independent research institute within OHSU that is dedicated to health and safety in the workplace. The Institute receives its base funding from the Oregon Workers’ Compensation Fund and leverages this base funding to secure federal government grants in basic, clinical, and applied research. We perform biomedical/occupational research and innovation for a healthy workforce, aimed at promoting health and reducing disease and disability among workers across the nation, particularly in Oregon.

 

The Clinical Physiology and Chronobiology Program (CPCP) within the Institute specializes in clinical research on the effects of sleep and circadian rhythms on physiology and pathophysiology in humans.

 

The clinical research assistant will work on various projects under the direction of Dr. Nicole Bowles (PI), Assistant Professor within the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, and may also be supervised by postdoctoral fellows or senior research staff.

Function/Duties of Position

This position works on research aimed at understanding the effects of changes to the environment and behaviors on sleep and circadian rhythms and the subsequent impact on physiology and pathophysiology in humans. Specifically, this research is investigating the adverse health effects of shift work including the body’s response to stressors at night, the use of cannabis and related projects as sleep aids, and how sleep and circadian rhythms may contribute to racial disparities in health. These studies will lead to interventions designed to improve the health, safety and well-being of night shift workers and vulnerable populations.

• Medically screening volunteer research participants over the phone and in person and collecting data using a variety of noninvasive physiological monitoring devices (e.g.,EKG, blood pressure, breathing, sleep, core body temperature).
• Managing and analyzing data to address research hypotheses.
• Developing recruitment materials (e.g., online and print advertisements and surveys) and traveling locally to place flyers/advertisements in public locations to attract study participants.
• Setting up, testing, and maintaining equipment.
• Contributing to manuscripts, grants, presentations, and IRB records.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field; OR
• Associates degree AND 2 years relevant experience; OR
• 3 years relevant experience; OR
• Equivalent combination of training & experience.

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to work a flexible schedule that includes up to six overnight laboratory sessions per month and approximately one weekend per month, as required to support human participant research protocols.
• Clinical research, especially related to human-subjects research.
• Experience with circadian rhythm or sleep research.
• Experience with polysomnography setup, signal acquisition, and overnight monitoring.
• Experience reviewing PSG recordings for signal quality, scoring readiness, and identification of recording artifacts.
• Experience with continuous beat-to-beat blood pressure monitoring (e.g., Finapres or CNAP systems) and physiological signal quality assurance.
• Experience collecting and processing electrodermal activity (galvanic skin response), ECG/heart rate variability, and other autonomic physiology measures.
• Experience collecting, processing, and quality-controlling complex physiological data from human laboratory studies, including sleep, cardiovascular, autonomic, and circadianmeasures.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including advanced Microsoft Excel skills (e.g., data entry, formula creation, filtering/sorting, data validation, and management of research datasets), Microsoft Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Experience using REDCap for participant data entry, longitudinal study management, and survey administration.
• Experience maintaining equipment calibration and troubleshooting physiological recording systems.
• Demonstrated ability to independently coordinate multiple concurrent research studies, prioritize competing deadlines, maintain accurate study documentation, and ensure timely completion of research activities while adhering to study protocols.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate professionally, accurately, and in a timely manner with research participants, investigators, clinical collaborators, and regulatory personnel through written, verbal, and electronic communication.
• Commitment to maintaining participant confidentiality, data security, and adherence to human subjects research regulations (HIPAA and IRB requirements, as applicable).
• Demonstrated ability to identify, compile, organize, and summarize scientific literature, study documentation, and research-related information from published literature, institutional resources, and external collaborators.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a biological-science field.
• Specialized experience with computer programing and/or digital media.
• Experience designing or modifying REDCap projects, including development of longitudinal surveys, branching logic, calculated fields, and automated workflows.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary research team, while maintaining productive and professional interactions with investigators, staff, trainees, and research participants from diverse backgrounds.
• Experience recruiting and retaining research participants with varying patterns of cannabis/cannabinoid use for human-subjects research studies.

Additional Details

Requires ongoing on-site work and travel. Some teleworking may be negotiated. This position will regularly include evening, overnight, and weekend shifts, as well as interacting with research participants.

Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington. All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply. To request reasonable accommodation, contact [email protected]