Description
The Social Intervention Group (SIG) at the Columbia University School of Social Work is seeking an Associate Research Scientist (ARS) to co-lead the scientific and day-to-day operations of SEE-US (Syphilis Education & Elimination in the US), a newly funded five-year NIH/NIAID R01. SIG develops, tests, and scales evidence-based interventions to address HIV/STIs, substance use, and gender-based violence among marginalized communities in the U.S. and around the world. SEE-US continues that work. It is a two-site hybrid type 2 effectiveness-implementation randomized controlled trial that uses a citizen science approach to engage community members in the creation of digital health messages to promote syphilis and HIV/STI testing uptake, which will then be tested in the trial. The ARS will work closely with Dr. Alissa Davis, the Principal Investigator of the study. They will contribute to the study's research design, analysis, and publications, and will help oversee study startup and regulatory compliance, participant recruitment and retention, trial operations and participant safety, data management and quality, and the supervision and training of research assistants. The role is highly collaborative. The ARS will also serve as a liaison with partners at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, RTI International, Community Collaborative Research Boards and other organizational partners at each site. This is a chance to shape a Phase III clinical trial from launch through dissemination and to help build community-driven, scalable approaches to reducing syphilis and STI disparities in the US.
REAPPOINTMENT IS CONTINGENT ON FUNDING AVAILABILITY.
Responsibilities:
The Associate Research Scientist's (ARS) main responsibilities will be focused on co-leading the scientific and day-to-day operations of SEE-US, an NIH-funded study focused on using a citizen science approach to increase uptake of syphilis and HIV/STI testing among reproductive-aged women in New York City and Alabama. The ARS will be responsible for:
- Study startup and regulatory compliance,
- Coordination across study sites and communication with Community Collaborative Research Boards (CCRBs) and other study partners,
- Study operations and trial procedures
- Participant recruitment, enrollment, and retention,
- Data monitoring, and leading or co-leading statistical analyses
- Contributing to refinement of the study protocol, measures, and statistical analysis plan, in collaboration with the PI and the RTI International biostatistics team
- Leading and co-authoring peer-reviewed manuscripts and conference presentations
- Supervision and training of research assistants
- NIH reporting and dissemination of study findings
In addition, a small portion of the ARS's responsibilities will involve assisting with procedures and operations for other studies led by Dr. Alissa Davis, (with effort charged to those studies' funding sources).
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:
- PhD or equivalent doctoral degree in public health, social work, epidemiology, psychology, or a related field
- 3+ years of experience managing NIH-funded clinical trials
Preferred Qualifications:
- Postdoctoral research experience
- Experience using citizen science methods and conducting HIV/STI research
- Record of peer-reviewed publications in HIV/STI, sexual and reproductive health, or intervention research
