Community-Based Research Assistant

Location: Durham, NC, US

Community-Based Research Assistant

Work Arrangement

Hybrid (On-Site and Remote mix)

Requisition Number

275866

Regular or Temporary

Regular

Location

Durham, NC, US, 27710

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Personnel Area

MEDICAL CENTER

Date

Oct 13, 2026

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.

About the Bellwether Collaborative for Health Justice

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 the criminal legal system acts as a structural determinant of health and impacts population and individual level health outcomes.  We are an interdisciplinary research team, led by Dr. Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein. Our work draws on the expertise of criminal legal system-involved persons and carceral and community stakeholders to inform innovative research that has practice and policy implications.

About the Research

We are seeking two Senior Clinical Research Specialists, who will support two projects (CROSSROADS and STEPS) that aim to reduce negative health outcomes of substance use. The CROSSROADS study is designed to compare the community paramedic standard of care to an intervention that leverages Medical-Legal Partnerships. The STEPS Study aims to address this gap by evaluating a novel individually tailored behavioral therapy for PWUD with recent history of incarceration.

Minimum Requirements

An Associate’s degree is required.

Work requires a minimum of one year of research experience.

Special Skills

Previous experience supporting the work of multi-site or complex research studies;

Experience or expressed interest in working with individuals impacted by the criminal legal system;

Interest and experience in scholarly writing.

Requested Application Materials

Please provide a resume/CV, references, and a cover letter with your application. In your cover letter, please address any research experience you have, your interest/experience in working with populations affected by incarceration, and any experience/interest you have working with individuals impacted by substance use or the or the criminal legal system.

Must live within driving distant of the Durham/Orange County area.

Be Bold.

About the Position

Research Operations

Establishing Agreements: The hired candidates will recognize when agreements are required for their project (examples: independent contractor agreements, data use agreements, sub-award contracts, etc.) and offer support to establish agreements, as needed.

Regulatory Knowledge: The hired candidates will have a working knowledge of regulatory and institutional policies (examples: IRB submission, required enrollment reporting, etc.). With supervision, they will contribute to the submission of IRB protocols or other regulatory documentation.

Regulatory Oversight: The hired candidates will support the research team in preparing for study monitoring and audit visits. With supervision, they will work with the study team to address and correct any concerns identified by reviewers.

Participant-Level Documentation: The hired candidates will be responsible for following protocols related to maintaining participant-level documentation, tracking study enrollment and retention.

Screening and Enrollment: The hired candidates will be responsible for screening participants for eligibility and enrollment.

Participant Study Visits: The hired candidates will be responsible for the preparation and administration of study visits.

Attending Study Meetings: The hired candidates will attend all project meetings for the Duke site as well as larger, cross-site meetings. They will work closely with project leadership to support the administration of team meetings, including preparing and distributing agendas and creating and distributing meeting minutes.

Research Ethics

Adverse Events: The hired candidates will recognize potential adverse events and ensure timely reporting to the Lead Coordinator, PI, and required parties.

Participant Consent and Documentation: The hired candidates will support the development of consent materials in close consultation with the Duke research team.

Regulatory and Safety Reporting: The hired candidates will support the preparation and submission of regulatory and safety documentation to sponsors and other agencies.

Data Management

Data Entry: The hired candidates will collect and maintain study data under the guidance of study leadership.

Quality Assurance: Under supervision, the hired candidates will provide routine data oversight and quality checks to ensure consistency with study protocols and federal and institutional requirements.

Data Visualization: Under supervision, the hired candidates will assist in preparing tables, data visualizations, and lay summaries to communicate study results to participants.

Scientific Contributions

Protocol Development: The hired candidates will work closely