Clinical Research Project Leader

School of Medicine

Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,600 faculty physicians and researchers, nearly 2,000 students, and more than 6,200 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, and Duke University Health System comprise Duke Health, a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Health Integrated Practice, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home Care and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

Be You.

 

We are seeking a Clinical Research Project Leader to lead all aspects of the PIERS study for the North Carolina site. As part of the Duke University Department of Population Health Sciences, it is the mission of the Bellwether Collaborative for Health Justice to shine a light on how mass incarceration drives inequality in the US and impacts the social determinants of health at the individual and community levels. We are an interdisciplinary research team, led by Dr. Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein. Our work draws on the expertise of justice-involved persons, corrections staff, and community stakeholders to inform innovative research that aims to eliminate health disparities, understand and address the social determinants of health of justice-involved persons, and contribute to policy change in the areas of criminal justice reform and mass incarceration.

 

The PIERS study is part of the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) and is a collaboration with research partners at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Brown University, Temple University, and the University of Rhode Island.

 

The PIERS Study is a randomized clinical trial, the main objective of which is to enhance interorganizational coordination between community supervision departments and community-based treatment providers to facilitate engagement in the continuum of evidence-based care for individuals under community supervision (e.g., probation, parole) with opioid use disorder (OUD). The PIERS study focuses on the integration of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and peer support specialists into OUD treatment plans for these individuals.

 

OUD and associated overdose deaths have risen at an alarming rate in recent years in the United States. More than 50% of incarcerated individuals have a history of substance use, and over 200,000 individuals with opioid dependence pass through the U.S. criminal legal system annually. An estimated one in 55 adults under community supervision have a substance use disorder, and individuals with a history of incarceration have a significantly higher risk of dying from overdose, particularly in the first two weeks after release when individuals are at greater risk of an unintentional fatal overdose. The PIERS study aims to address gaps in OUD treatment and services in criminal legal settings by facilitating linkage to care to improve measures in the OUD treatment cascade.

 

 

Minimum Requirements:

An Associate’s degree is required.

 

Work requires a minimum of six years of research experience. A Bachelor’s degree may substitute for 2 years required experience.

 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Has prior experience managing complex research projects (ideal candidate will have worked on at least one randomized control trial)
• Strong preference will be given to persons living in Brunswick County (or surrounding counties)