Research Area Specialist

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

The Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention is a transdisciplinary institute that works to engage the breadth of expertise across the University of Michigan, with input from nonacademic stakeholders, to generate knowledge and advance solutions that will decrease firearm injury in the United States . The Institute also serves as a national hub for research that will drive new solutions to this public health crisis and will train the next generation of leaders in the field.

The Institute is supported by an organizational structure that provides internal oversight and external guidance and focuses activities across six cores:
1) research,
2) education and training,
3) community engagement,
4) policy,
5) implementation, and
6) data and methods; and across six pillars: firearm-related suicide, firearm-related intimate partner violence, community violence, unintentional shootings, police shootings, and mass/school violence.

A Research Area Specialist is sought to work closely with the team at the Institute to develop, design, and conduct Institute projects and initiatives. Key initial activities may include managing the update of the Science of Firearm Injury Prevention Among Children & Teens Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) and coordinating related tasks such as the continuing education credit applications and working with the Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force team to implement recommendations to prevent firearm-related harms across Michigan .

Additional activities may include coordinating and managing Institute projects (including studies involving human subjects), supporting the maintenance of the Institute website, and coordinating the development and implementation of firearm-related coursework and training opportunities.

The successful candidate will work under the guidance of the Deputy Managing Director of the Institute and faculty leading the project involved. This person is expected to understand and support the conduct of research within all federal, state and local regulatory requirements.

The job functions of this role will include, but are not limited to:

Managing and coordinating all activities and tasks related to the update of the Science of Firearm Injury Prevention Among Children & Teens Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)

• Coordinating study team meetings with partners, scientific advisory boards, and external vendors
• Consulting with users to refine or adapt methodologies to fit research requirements and collaborating in development of new techniques and instruments
• Developing protocols and criteria for programs and projects, gathering data, supervising data collection and verification, and conducting and providing oversight for literature reviews
• Formulating research methods and suggesting options for improving quality, identifying potential problems, recommending and implementing solutions
• Developing surveys and protocols
• Reviewing progress and evaluating results of key projects and programs
• Drafting language and content for Institute materials and programs such as for the newsletter, website, and other communications and activities
• Participating in the development and implementation of new projects as the Institute receives additional funding
• Generating and maintaining the Institutional Review Board applications for research study approvals, amendments and continuations
• Coordinating projects including recruiting participants, assisting with data collection, data management, participating in the interpretation of data and manuscript preparation
• Tracking and reporting on activities and preparing reports
• Planning and organizing events

Bachelor's degree in public health or related field;
Master's degree preferred
1-3 years of related experience and/or research project coordination
Demonstrated knowledge of firearm injury prevention and community-engaged research
Experience working with the Airtable platform
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint;
Google programs (e.g., Gmail, calendar, Drive); and Zoom
Demonstrated ability to simultaneously manage multiple projects to deadline
Effective organization and management of multiple priorities in a complex environment.
Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, to communicate effectively with a multidisciplinary team
Careful attention to detail
Ability to work independently and as a successful team member

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes .

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