Research assistant

Job Description

Job Description

UW’s UW Regional Burn Center at Harborview Medical Center has an exciting opportunity for a full-time (1.0FTE) Research Study Assistant (RSA), which is part of UW School of Medicine’s Department of Surgery.

Under the supervision of the Research Coordinator, the RSA will assist in the operation of clinical research studies involving investigation of outcomes for survivors of burn injury to include research aimed at the recovery and reintegration of burn survivors. This requires knowledge and skills specific to the assessment and treatment of patients with burns.

The successful candidate will have excellent oral and written communication skills, high-level organization, and the flexibility to work in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team. They should have a demonstrated ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a busy work environment. They also should have the ability to solve problems independently and be able to use provided resources effectively.

Department Mission Statement

The UW Department of Surgery is guided by our mission of providing compassionate and high-quality patient care, training future generations of surgical leaders, and conducting research in a collegial environment which embraces diversity and promotes inclusiveness.

How this Position Contributes to the Mission of the Department and the Mission of the University:

Harborview Medical Center is a comprehensive healthcare facility dedicated to providing specialized care for a broad spectrum of patients from throughout the Pacific Northwest, including the most vulnerable residents of King County. As the only designated Level I adult and pediatric trauma and verified burn center in the state of Washington, Harborview serves as the regional trauma and burn referral center for Alaska, Montana and Idaho and the disaster preparedness and disaster control hospital for Seattle and King County.

Since opening in 1974, the Regional Burn Center at Harborview Medical Center has treated nearly 20,000 patients from across Washington, Alaska, Idaho and Montana—one-third of which were children. The survival rate for patients treated at Harborview's burn center is over 97 percent. Our program's effectiveness is largely due to our team approach. General surgeons work closely with plastic surgeons and rehabilitation specialists to help patients recover quickly and get back to their lives. Our multidisciplinary group also includes physical and occupational therapists, social workers, specialized nursing staff, psychologists, vocational rehabilitation therapist, dietitians, pharmacists and pediatricians. The Regional Burn Center also treats patients with severe skin diseases, such as a skin-sloughing disorder known as toxic epidermal necrolysis, purpura fulminans and necrotizing fasciitis. In addition to excellent clinical care and training the next generation of burn care providers, research is a vital part of our mission. Our faculty have obtained more than $25 million in grants for projects ranging from major clinical trial firsts to basic research on inflammatory responses and injuries.

The Department of Surgery is among the largest clinical departments within the School of Medicine and Its strategic and financial impact on UW Medicine is disproportionately greater than the size of the department. The department has grown substantially over the last 3-4 years – by about 25% in our faculty complement and we continue to appropriately, but rapidly add faculty, programs and staff. As of mid-2024, the department composition is 145 paid academic faculty located at all the UW clinical sites ; 161 clinical faculty located throughout the community and WWAMI region ; Four (4) ACGME residency programs (General Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery and Vascular Surgery with 107 residents in these four programs. 20 ACGME and Research Fellowships ; 150 Administrative and Research staff. More information about the Department of Surgery can be found at UW Department of Surgery .

Our Commitment To Equity, Diversity, And Inclusion (EDI)

The Department of Surgery strives to dismantle systemic racism, eliminate healthcare disparities, and promote health equity in our work. Racism and intolerance have no place in our community. We celebrate our multitude of intersecting identities and commit to the ongoing effort of creating an inclusive and supportive workplace climate.

Department Core Competencies

All staff in the Department of Surgery are asked to demonstrate and develop the following core competencies:

Quality Focus: strives to deliver the best possible service and results, and continuously seeks opportunities for improvement.

• Key attributes: accuracy, customer service, continuous improvement, problem-solving, and self-development
  
  

Planning & Organization: completes work in a timely, efficient, and resourceful manner

• Key attributes: priority setting, efficiency, resourcefulness, adaptability and flexibility, organizational awareness, and initiative
  
  

Teamwork & Relationship Building: builds and fosters positive working relationships with others to achieve shared objectives.

• Key attributes: collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, recognition, accountability, and integrity
  
  

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: values and honors diverse experiences and perspectives, strives to create welcoming and respectful work environments including dismantling structures of oppression, promotes and contributes to a culture of access, opportunity, and justice.

• Key attributes: respect, cultural humility, inclusiveness, advocacy, and commitment
  
  

Position Duties & Responsibilities

Conduct research activities: 85%

• Screen patients who are admitted to the Burn Service using the inclusion/exclusion criteria of research protocols to determine enrollment eligibility.
• Conduct consent discussions with patients and families, in-person and using e-consent methods.
• Extract medical and information from subjects’ clinical records using EPIC while maintaining confidentiality of subject records.
• Collect study data per research protocols, enter data into electronic data capture (EDC; REDCap) sites designated by each study and monitor data quality control through auditing.
• Process subjects’ biological samples according to research protocols and if needed, prepare for shipping to core laboratories, to include HMC R&T.
• Lead a research project under faculty and staff supervision.
  
  

Perform and participate in UW Regional Burn Center Research Activities 15%

• Maintain professional correspondence between study sponsors and study related groups.
• Attend daily wound rounds and biweekly interdisciplinary Burn Service rounds.
• Attend monthly Burn Research Discussion Group meetings.
• Assist in preparing presentations for dissemination, publication, and educational purposes.
• Assist in preparing and submitting regulatory paperwork to local and central Internal Review Boards (IRBs) and study sponsors (Annual Performance Report).
• Assist in onboarding additional research team members and volunteers.
  
  

Job Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

Education

• Two years of college-level course work in a relevant academic area.
• Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.
  
  

Types And Years Of Experience

• One year of appropriate experience.
  
  

Other Required Qualifications

• Knowledge of medical terminology.
• Proficient in using Microsoft Office (Outlook, TEAMS).
  
  

Desired/Preferred Qualifications

• Medical education background
• Spanish language fluency
• Work or volunteer experience in a Burn inpatient setting.
• Experience working with EPIC and REDCap.
• Experience with basic laboratory techniques and sample processing (pipetting, centrifuging, sample shipments).
  
  

Conditions Of Employment

• This is a patient-facing, mainly on-site position.
• Remote work may be possible, dependent upon study-related procedures.
• The RSA will maintain communication between study team members via a secure messaging application.
• Required to handle some biologic specimens as part of the study.
  
  

Compensation, Benefits And Position Details

Pay Range Minimum:

$44,256.00 annual

Pay Range Maximum

$49,740.00 annual

Benefits

Other Compensation:

For information about benefits for this position, visit

Shift

First Shift (United States of America)

Temporary or Regular?

This is a temporary position

FTE (Full-Time Equivalent)

100.00%

Union/Bargaining Unit

SEIU Local 925 Nonsupervisory

About The UW

Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives – on our campuses, in our state and around the world.

UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

Our Commitment

The University of Washington is proud to be an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or [email protected].

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.