Departmental Assistant - Research Coordinator

About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued-and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world.

Job Summary

The School of Public Health and Health Sciences (SPHHS) and Institute for Applied Life Sciences (IALS) seek a talented, enthusiastic and experienced Research Coordinator (Departmental Assistant) to support a trial funded by the National Institute on Aging into physical activity, sitting and brain health in middle-aged and older adults. This position will be based at the Department of Kinesiology and supervised by Dr. Dominika Pindus whose research focuses on the impact of physical activity and sedentary behaviors on brain health across the adult lifespan. As part of the interdisciplinary project team, the research coordinator will also collaborate with scholars at UMass Amherst at the Center for Human Health & Performance, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, UMass EXTENSION. The successful candidate will also support related research activities being employed by our research team.

Essential Functions

• Proactively recruit middle-aged and older adults for the study from Amherst, Springfield and surrounding areas.
• Liaise with researchers and stakeholder internally (e.g., UMass Amherst EXTENSION) and externally (e.g., Council on Aging) to ensure prompt and continued recruitment.
• Design recruitment materials and attend community events to advertise the study.
• Schedule participant visits, including coordinating staff calendars, room bookings, and testing outsourced to the Center for Human Health and Performance.
• Liaise with physicians and medical personnel to secure medical clearances for the study.
• Maintain the RedCap and recruitment databases, purchase small equipment and consumables.
• Provide ongoing administrative support for the trial (e.g., IRB amendments, progress reports, etc.)

Other Functions

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Bachelor's degree in a health-related field, including Psychology, Kinesiology, Molecular and Cellular Biology, or Public Health. Related fields can also be considered.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and effectively - verbally and in writing - with participants, staff, and supervisors.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with team members and contacts who are internal and external to the university.
• Organizational skills to maintain records and coordinate complex and multi-faceted tasks.
• High level of independence and reliability.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Demonstrated ability to coordinate a research project.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully recruit human subjects.
• Familiarity with RedCap.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Typical office environment.

Work Schedule

• Up to 40 hours per week.
• The weekly hours will vary depending on project needs. The work will require week and weekend hours to facilitate human subject recruitment and testing. This is an in-person only position.
• This is a temporary, non-benefited position.

Salary Information

• $25 per hour.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application, please submit three (3) letters of recommendation or the names and contact information of three (3) professional references and a cover letter that explains how candidate's training and work experience prepared them for the role.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst welcomes all qualified applicants and complies with all state and federal anti-discrimination laws.