Bilingual Research Asst II - ON SITE

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With eight hospitals and over 180 clinics, we are the region’s largest comprehensive academic health system. Vanderbilt Health has a long tradition of providing world‑class care to the people of the Mid‑South, living out our mission of moving medicine forward through preeminent programs in patient care, education and research. Here you’ll find a spirit of collaboration and a supportive community where your expertise is valued, your knowledge expanded and your uniqueness celebrated.

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Organization:
General Pediatrics

Our team conducts community and clinic‑based healthy lifestyle interventions for childhood obesity prevention and treatment. In your pivotal role as a Bilingual Research Assistant II, you will support engagement with community members and research participants, with a focus on recruitment, retention, high quality data collection, and meaningful community partnership. If you enjoy working directly with families from diverse backgrounds, including many Spanish speaking and underserved communities, this is the opportunity for you!

Under moderate supervision, you will support the day‑to‑day conduct and continuous improvement research studies focused on healthy lifestyle behaviors in children and families. You will implement IRB approved protocols; coordinate activities across clinics, community organizations, and academic partners; and ensure high‑quality, participant‑centered interactions throughout the research process. In addition, you will recruit and enroll families; obtain informed consent/assent in English and Spanish;

and administer surveys and structured interviews in clinic settings, community locations, and via phone/video. Crucial elements to your role include accurate and timely documentation of all procedures, strict adherence to confidentiality, and careful maintenance of study materials and equipment. You will collaborate closely with clinic staff, nutritionists, social workers, and study leadership to schedule visits, align workflows with busy clinical operations, and troubleshoot routine procedural issues while adhering to all VUMC safety standards and institutional policies.

Your success in this role requires culturally responsive engagement, strong bilingual communication skills, and professional collaboration with both community and academic partners. You will be expected to proactively identify and troubleshoot logistical challenges (e.g., scheduling constraints, data entry questions, site logistics), elevate concerns appropriately, and contribute to workflow improvements that enhance participant experience, intervention fidelity, and data completeness. Because we “meet families where they are,” some evening and weekend work is required.

Reliable transportation is essential for community‑based activities. Training and mentorship are provided, with clear expectations for professionalism, teamwork, and dependable follow through across multiple concurrent studies.

• Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent experience)
• 2 years of pediatric experience; you will be working with children ages 5-17 and their families.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in both English and Spanish; this is especially crucial, given the amount of direct family interaction.

Independently conducts high‑quality qualitative and quantitative data collection activities across active studies. Leads participant recruitment, consent, and follow‑up activities with minimal supervision. Builds rapport with participants to support retention, engagement, and completion of study visits. Ensures accurate and complete documentation of study activities in accordance with protocol requirements. Identifies and resolves routine participant and workflow challenges in real time.

Serves as a lead member of the data collection team, supporting day‑to‑day coordination of study activities. Assists…