Biospecimen Coordinator

Overview

Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation's top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs.

It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide.

To learn more about UC Irvine, visit (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

The NCI-designated Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center (CFCCC) is a campus-wide multidisciplinary matrix organization whose goal is to promote and enhance cancer-relevant research and patient care at UC Irvine. The CFCCC provides research resources to its ~175 members engaged in research and offers multidisciplinary cancer care to its patients.

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Biospecimen Manager of the Clinical Trials Unit, the Biospecimen Coordinator supports the clinical research efforts of the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center (CFCCC). The incumbent will provide comprehensive coordination and data management of the biospecimen components for investigator-initiated trials or those sponsored by industry or the National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN), according to current Good Clinical Practices (GCP), Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), internal standard operating procedures (SOPs) and University policies and procedures.

The incumbent is responsible for supporting and coordinating all aspects of specimen handling (i.e., timely collection, transporting and shipping) for complex research protocols. Individual must follow protocol specific requirements and research procedures. He/she is responsible for accurate record keeping, for prompt data entry of biospecimen information and resolution of queries in laboratory portals, and for managing and ordering supplies as needed.

Assists clinical team with reviewing feasibility for clinical trials requiring biospecimen collection, participates in site initiation visits, and trains clinical research coordinators and/or biospecimen coordinators on specimen handling per protocol and lab manual requirements as needed.

Serves as the liaison to sponsors, governing agencies and facilitate transmission of verbal and written communication to national cooperative oncology groups, pharmaceutical companies and other research entities as needed. The incumbent is also responsible for maintaining communication with all elements of a multi-level research network, including attending Disease Oriented Teams (DOTs) meetings, interacting with sponsoring agencies including National Cancer Institute, and compliance and regulatory groups such as the Institutional Review Board (IRB), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and sponsor monitors.

In addition, this individual must accurately maintain clinical trial information in the clinical trial management system (OnCore) and adhere to institutional policies and external Cancer Center Support Grant guidelines for reporting to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Qualifications

Required:

* Experience working with biological specimen collection, processing, and shipment per IATA specifications and standards

* Experience working in a clinical and/or research laboratory environment

* Experience with clinical research and data collection

* Ability to interact with the public, faculty, and staff

* Ability to establish and maintain detailed and accurate files and records

* Strong organizational and verbal communication skills

* Willingness to work as a supportive, cooperative member of an interdisciplinary team

* Demonstrated high-level communication skills to convey information concisely, synthesizing information and presenting it to others

* Demonstrated problem solving capabilities to resolve concerns that arise unexpectedly

* Demonstrated ability to research, properly evaluate information, and prepare concise, well-organized reports, summaries, and correspondence

* Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize a complex and dynamic workload

* Ability to multitask and meet deadlines, despite interruptions

* Ability to independently exercise discretion and sound judgment

* Ability to work collegially and cooperatively in a small office and to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships

* Demonstrated skill in interacting with persons of various social, cultural, economic and educational backgrounds

* Ability to prioritize assignments and achieve high productivity/quality with short time frames, under rigid deadlines, and /or in environments with frequent workload changes and competing demands

* Skill in working independently, taking initiative, and following through on assignments

* Ability to think critically, compiles data from various sources,…