We are seeking a Research Assistant who will manage data collection, data entry, data coding, and basic data analysis, as well as project administration tasks (e.g., scheduling meetings, maintaining audit trails, note-taking, tracking action items), for two NIH-funded research projects related to the provision of long-term care for older adults.

The State Alzheimer’s Research Support (StARS) Center is a new, NIA-funded research center for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) that will serve as a national resource to advance dementia care. The StARS Center supports the evaluation of dementia care policies, programs, and practices that have potential to improve care coordination and quality that might be scaled for nationwide adoption.

The second project is to create a national database of assisted living facilities. This database acts as a cornerstone for several research projects related to health outcomes and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries residing in assisted living. This database is reviewed and updated bi-annually to ensure critical facility information, like licensure and bed count, is accurately captured.

Responsibilities of the research assistant will include attending meetings and maintaining a list of action items and key decisions; performing literature reviews; working with PIs to plan data acquisition and collection strategies; downloading, organizing, and cleaning policy and other regulatory data; performing regulatory review of state and federal policies; supervising student research assistants.

The Research Assistant will work closely with the Principal Investigators (PIs), Assistant Scientist, Sr. Project Manager, and other members of the research team.

This is a one-year position with a possibility of extension.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with ethical guidelines and regulations throughout the research process. Protect confidentiality and privacy and adhere to ethical principles and practices.
• Establish systems to collect and/or analyze data.
• Manage multiple databases and analytic files.
• Source publicly available information for data (e.g., state regulations; licensed healthcare settings).
• Maintain quality of source documentation and research integrity.
• Collaborate effectively with the project team, including researchers, supervisors, and other research assistants. Maintain open and clear communication channels to ensure smooth project coordination and progress.
• Perform administrative tasks related to the project, such as scheduling meetings, organizing files, and managing project-related documentation.
• Maintain organized and detailed documentation of research procedures, protocols, and findings. This includes recording data collection processes, managing data files, and documenting analysis techniques used.
• Update and maintain study tracking systems to accurately reflect project status.
• Attend study meetings to represent the research unit and ensure data quality and the adherence to study guidelines.
• Participate in other research initiatives as workload allows.
• Other duties as assigned by the PI(s), Assistant Scientist, or Sr. Project Manager of the project.

Additional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent organization and strong attention to detail.
• Data management and reporting skills.
• Works well both independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to hold self and others accountable for completing tasks in a timely manner and to a high standard.
• Mastery of Windows, MS Office software (especially Excel, Powerpoint, and Word), common internet browsers.
• Interest in healthcare policy and advancing health equity for older adults.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with diverse populations across ages, sexual orientations, socio-economic circumstances.

• Bachelor's Degree in related discipline.
• Additional related experience may substitute for required education, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

• Master's Degree.
• One year of research experience (can be during Bachelor’s degree).
• Research experience in health care policy, especially related to older adults and settings of care.
• Familiarity with statistical software, including STATA, R, SAS.
• Working knowledge of Python, Beautiful Soup, import.io or other web-scraping software.
• Familiarity with NexisUni, Westlaw, or other legal document sourcing software.

Classified Title: Research Assistant 
Role/Level/Range: ACRO40/E/03/CD  
Starting Salary Range: $17.20 - $30.30 HRLY ($16,313 targeted; Commensurate with experience) 
Employee group: Full Time 
Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:30 - 5:00 
Exempt Status: Non-Exempt 
Location: Remote 
Department name: Research Administration  
Personnel area: School of Nursing