Junior Specialist UC Davis Eye Center

Position Overview

Salary range: $55,000 at Step 1 or $58,600 at Step 2.

Junior Specialist Position in the Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, UC Davis School of Medicine.

PI lab:
Yin Allison Liu, MD, PhD, and K. Thiran Jayasundera, MD.

Start Date:

07/01/2026. End Date: 06/30/2026.

The Junior Specialist will coordinate new clinical trial and research studies, assist with recruitment, perform cognitive testing and other assessments, complete study documents, track and enter data, and ensure compliance with university-stipulated safety standards.

Research in Specialized Areas (85% effort):

• Coordinating patient‑reported outcome research studies, including survey administration and follow‑up assessments.
• Assisting with study start‑up activities, IRB submissions/modifications, and regulatory documentation.
• Recruiting and consenting research participants.
• Supporting data collection by administering standardized questionnaires, cognitive tests, and visual function assessments to study participants.
• Maintaining and updating REDCap databases, ensuring accuracy and completeness of research data.
• Performing data entry, quality control, and dataset cleaning.
• Assisting with preliminary statistical summaries and data organization for analysis.
• Communicating with collaborators, sponsors, and study teams as needed.
• Ensuring compliance with university and human subjects research regulations.
• Supporting observational activities in the principal investigators' clinical practices (medical retina, vitreoretinal surgery, neuro‑ophthalmology) as related to research coordination.

General Responsibilities:

• Assist in maintaining research datasets, documentation, and regulatory binders.
• Track study milestones and maintain participant databases.
• Assist in coordinating multi‑site collaborations when applicable.
• Mentor and oversee undergraduate research assistants as needed.
• Contribute to the refinement of study workflows and standard operating procedures.
• Participate in team meetings and assist with project management activities.

Professional Competence and Activity (10% effort):

• Prepare manuscripts for publication in collaboration with the principal investigators. Responsibilities include literature review, drafting methods and results sections, preparing tables and figures, assisting with statistical interpretation, and revising manuscripts for submission.
• Present research findings at scientific conferences, research meetings, and departmental seminars.
• Assist with the preparation of progress reports and grant‑related documents.
• Contribute to scholarly discussions and ongoing research development within the lab.
• Mentor undergraduate students involved in clinical research projects.

University and Public Service (5% effort):

• Participate in departmental research activities and committees as appropriate.
• Contribute to lab‑wide discussions and collaborative initiatives.
• Maintain required institutional research certifications and compliance training.

Skills and

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (required).
• Experience in clinical research or patient‑facing research settings preferred.
• Experience with REDCap, EMR systems, and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication skills and professionalism when interacting with patients.
• CITI Human Subjects training (or willingness to obtain upon hire).
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Experience with basic data analysis and manuscript preparation preferred.

The qualified candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in a science‑related field. The job also requires a highly motivated, organized, and focused individual who is eager to learn and to take initiative. This appointment may require occasional evening or weekend hours for management of studies.

Sacramento & Davis, CA

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran…