Clinical Research Recruitment and Navigation Specialist

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Keck School of Medicine
Los Angeles, California

The Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute (SC CTSI) is a multifaceted resource for clinical and community-partnered translational research. The Clinical Research Support (CRS) group is responsible for developing and providing resources, services, training, and tools to support researchers, academic leaders, and other USC partners.

The Clinical Research Recruitment and Navigation Specialist will lead recruitment initiatives that support investigators at USC and CHLA in recruiting and retaining research participants. The candidate will facilitate the recruitment of research participants through collecting recruitment metrics (analytics/engagement), using data discovery tools to identify eligible patients, and more. The candidate will provide consultation and guidance to investigators interested in recruitment support. In addition, the candidate will work closely with other groups within the SC CTSI to coordinate the utilization of all recruitment tools and services offered by the SC CTSI.

Key Responsibilities:

Clinical Research Recruitment Support and Consultations:

  • Acts as the first point of contact for investigators interested in utilizing participant recruitment services through the SC CTSI
  • Meets with investigators to understand study recruitment needs and provides expert consultation on various research recruitment methods
  • Stays up-to-date on current trends related to participant recruitment, both clinical and behavioral. Understands recruitment needs and trends in clinical research, including digital recruitment
  • Maintains an up-to-date understanding of all research recruitment services and tools offered through SC CTSI
  • Creates intake forms and online resources outlining services available through SC CTSI
  • Works closely with other SC CTSI groups to coordinate research recruitment services and evaluation and improvement of those services
  • Promotes study recruitment through community events and volunteer registries such as ResearchMatch
  • Works with the Clinical Research Informatics team to facilitate investigators’ use of data discovery tools and patient appointment data for recruitment

Translational Science Support:

  • Support the design, implementation and publication of participant recruitment innovations, such as documenting new methods and channels of recruitment

Clinical Research Navigation and Support:

  • Serves as an expert resource and entry point for clinical research, either directly or through referral to appropriate resources.
  • Triages requests to appropriate SC CTSI core groups, and facilitates meetings/consultations as appropriate.
  • Assists faculty and staff in finding trainings for various processes and procedures used to conduct research at USC.
  • Identifies bottlenecks to ensure that studies are moved through the system as quickly as possible from study start-up to completion.
  • Participates in the collection and reporting of local performance metrics, including preparing annual and quarterly progress reports as directed.
  • Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The University reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

Required Skills:

  • Three to five years of experience recruiting subjects in clinical studies/trials
  • Understanding of clinical research methods and study design
  • Organization: Superb organizational abilities and attention to detail.
  • Technological proficiency: Candidate must be highly proficient in Microsoft Office suite including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Canva
  • Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication is needed to ensure collaboration and execution of initiatives.
  • Collaboration: Strong history of collaboration and ability to work successfully with different types of people across various groups and organizations.

Preferred Skills:

  • Master’s Degree in in Public Health, Public Administration, Business Administration or related field
  • Bilingual Spanish, read, speak and write
  • Experience in CTSI/CTSA or academic setting
  • Experience with cohort discovery tools (understanding of clinical data)
  • Experience in social medial advertisements
  • Experience working in an academic medical center or academic research setting

The hourly salary range for this position is $33.16 - $39.42. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.


Minimum Education: Bachelor’s degree; Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education Minimum Experience: 2 years; Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum experience Minimum Field of Expertise: Related experience with specialized research and/or programs (e.g., counseling, teaching). Ability to analyze and evaluate present findings. Excellent interpersonal and written and oral communication skills, able to problem solve and lead conflict resolutions. Ability to interpret and apply policies/analyses/trends.

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REQ20132530 Posted Date: 10/26/2023

NIH Funding Acknowledgment: Important - All publications resulting from the utilization of SC CTSI resources are required to credit the SC CTSI grant by including the NIH funding acknowledgment and must comply with the NIH Public Access Policy.