Position Description

The Research Assistant performs and coordinates a wide range of research activities for various research projects in the Mental Health for All Lab and conducts a variety of complex support tasks for these research projects. The individual will also support grant applications, funding proposals, and relevant project budgets. This individual will work as part of a team in compiling and analyzing results, preparing scientific manuscripts and presentations, although tasks are frequently performed independently and unsupervised in an off-site location. The individual will report directly to the Lab Director. This position will consist of:

Research

• Work closely with Lab Directors to write and develop grant applications through careful reading of the request for applications. Collaborate and assist faculty in all phases of proposal development and submission. Review funding opportunity terms and conditions, evaluate and coordinate all award requirements, and set clear goals, timelines, and milestones throughout the process. May provide policy interpretation on grant parameters.
• Communicate or collaborate with affiliated research personnel at other locations or institutions under the supervision of the Lab Directors.
• Coordinate and carry out designated research tasks related to EMPOWER, and/or other research projects in the Lab, making use of existing project materials, field work, intervention manuals, library searches, statistical and/or qualitative analysis, or other investigative techniques. This includes supporting the design of new research activities and contributing to field work.
• Supports the preparation of protocols for ethical review and submission to the Institutional Review Board (IRB).
• Support the development and implementation of project materials, such as digital training content, assessment protocols, intervention guides and manuals, and other standard operating procedures.
• Willingness to travel to project sites to participate in meetings with key project partners approximately 2-4 weeks per year.
• Collaborate and support the project field teams with the implementation of study protocols, data collection procedures, and adhering to ethical guidelines approved by the project IRBs.
• Processes, organizes, summarizes, and analyzes data, reporting study results using a variety of scientific, word processing, spreadsheets, or statistical software applications. This position may be responsible for database maintenance, software needs assessment, or other technological resource management or oversight.
• Collaborate with the Department finance team and lab research staff with post-award services, such as monitoring project budgets, and supporting no cost extensions, carry forward requests, budget re-allocations, and ensuring compliance with University policy and sponsor’s terms and conditions and reporting.
• Coordinate the dissemination of project findings, reports and presentations, updates, and key milestones to collaborators, key stakeholders, funders, and the broader scientific community.
• Collates, organizes, drafts and/or edits material for the preparation of research papers, manuscripts, progress reports, articles or other documents for publication and/or presentation.
• Lead the development of progress reports summarizing key milestones and reporting on project status to the Lab Directors and funders.

Administrative Activities

• Responsible for coordinating communication and meetings with partners including clinical experts, funders, IRBs, and project governance boards.
• Responsible for collating, organizing, and/or drafting material for the preparation of progress reports, articles, or other documents for publication and presentation.
• Support faculty members and program leadership by preparing pre-meeting briefings, PowerPoints, and keeping minutes.

Basic Qualifications

4+ years of related experience required; a combination of education and experience may be considered

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• Master of Public Health degree preferred. Two or more years of related experience. Education beyond high school may count towards experience.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills required.
• Proven project and/or program management skills and able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• The ideal candidate must be well organized with keen attention to detail, able to prioritize, use discretion with sensitive or confidential information, and manage multiple assignments simultaneously.
• Strong written communication skills, as evidenced by prior academic publications and/or presentations.
• Competency in a variety of applications such as Articulate, Adobe Pro, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Canva, Mailchimp, Constant Contact, REDCap, Qualtrics, Wordpress, Open Scholar, Zoom.us, Google Drive, One Drive, Stata, and the confidence to adapt/learn if not familiar with an application.
• Ability to work collaboratively with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to adapt and remain flexible in a changing environment.

Additional Information

This is a one-year term position from the date of hire, with the possibility of extension, contingent upon work performance and continued funding to support the position. 

This position is based in Boston and some in-person on-campus work will be required, and flexible/remote work is an option. Any remote work must be performed in a state in which Harvard is registered to do business (CA*, CT, GA, IL, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI, VA, VT, and WA). Individual flexible and remote work options for this role will be discussed during the interview process. *Note: Harvard employees working in California must be exempt.

The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up-to-date on CDC-recommended vaccines.

Please note that we are currently conducting a majority of interviews and onboarding remotely and virtually. We appreciate your understanding.

The Harvard Medical School is not able to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

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Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

We are committed to cultivating an inclusive workplace culture of faculty, staff, and students with diverse backgrounds, styles, abilities, and motivations. We appreciate and leverage the capabilities, insights, and ideas of all individuals. Harvard Medical School Mission and Community Values

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.