Research Assistant - CBM

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is the global leader in physical medicine and rehabilitation for adults and children with the most severe, complex conditions. By joining our team, you’ll be part of our life-changing mission and vision. You’ll contribute to an innovative, multifaceted culture that is second to none — one that embraces collaboration, excellence, discovery and compassion. You’ll play a role in something that’s never been done before as we integrate science and clinical care to help patients achieve better, faster outcomes — as we Advance Human Ability, together.

Job Description Summary

The Research Assistant will be responsible for conducting literature searches, data management, recruiting participants, obtaining consents, maintaining files, scheduling and conducting interviews of patients and family members, maintaining data collection files, assisting with data analysis and generating correspondence, reports and graphics.

The Research Assistant will consistently demonstrate support of the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab statement of Vision, Mission and Core Values by striving for excellence, contributing to the team efforts and showing respect and compassion for patients and their families, fellow employees, and all others with whom there is contact at or in the interest of the institute.

The Research Assistant will demonstrate Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Core Attributes: Communication, Accountability, Flexibility/Adaptability, Judgment/Problem Solving, Customer Service and Core Values (Hope, Compassion, Discovery, Collaboration, & Commitment to Excellence) while fulfilling job duties.

Job Description

Responsibilities will vary according to the project in which the RA is assigned, but could include any or all of the following:

Subject Recruitment

• Contacts hospital-site staff to identify potential participants; reviews medical records to determine appropriateness of patients for study.

• Explains study to patients and family members, requests participation and obtains informed consent

• Schedules and confirms participants for hospital and/or home interviews

Data Collection

• Conducts on and off site interviews using a variety of structured and non-structured questionnaires

• Retrieves and records data from medical records and records data from interviews on appropriate forms

• Uses clinical judgment to alert supervisor in a timely manner that participant responses may indicate need for professional intervention

• Maintains interim contact with study participants to maintain current address and telephone information

Dissemination

• Assists in development of data tables, graphs and charts and preparation of material for presentation

Data Management

• Assists in the collection of new data; codes, cleans, transcribes, records, enters and stores all data collected; coordinates data collection with other research staff as appropriate

• Generates reports detailing data collected

• Conducts literature searches, copying and distributing articles as appropriate

• Transcribes and codes taped interviews

• Maintains an inventory of data collection forms to ensure ease of data retrieval

• Assists in analysis of qualitative and quantitative data by coding verbatim interviews

• Performs various record-keeping tasks such as filing consent forms and other data collection forms on all eligible participants to ensure ease of data retrieval and tracking of participants

Supports Scholarly Activities

• Attends meetings; takes minutes as assigned

Perform all other duties that may be assigned in the best interest of the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.

Reporting Relationships

Reports directly to Lab Manager, Research Scientist, or Project Director

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required

• Work requires communication and mathematics skills normally acquired in four years of college, plus three to six months of related work experience. 

• Prefer graduate of or student in graduate program in neurosciences, nursing, psychology, engineering, social work, public health or related field.

• Knowledge of basic computer hardware in addition to software such as Microsoft Office, statistical programs such as Stata or SPSS, and/or relevant engineering or mathematical programs such as Matlab, as appropriate.

• Familiarity with medical, engineering or health services research terminology and basic research/statistical methodology is req