Research Project Coordinator

Department: MED-Impact Institute
Salary/Grade: EXS/5

Job Summary:

Manages daily operations of a biomedical &/or social-behavioral research study involving multidisciplinary teams of colleagues, sponsors & other external project stakeholders. Monitors study performance, analyzes & review results, & supervises development & implementation of new protocols. Assigns work & supervises study staff & reviews technical operations ensuring that all processes, protocols & procedures are quality controlled & functioning up to standards. Develops implements & administers budgets, grant & administrative procedures. May co-author scientific papers for presentation & publication & coordinates writing, submission & administration of grants. Ensures that all study activities are completed by strictly following Good Clinical Practices (GCP) & all current local, state, & federal laws, regulations, guidance, policy & procedure developed by the NU Institutional Review Board (IRB), Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), & the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH).

Position Responsibilities

The Recruitment and Retention Coordinator will oversee and implement participant recruitment, engagement, and retention activities for the RADAR study, a large, ongoing longitudinal cohort study of minority youth and young adults. The position focuses on identifying, engaging, and maintaining participation of individuals from historically underrepresented, hard-to-reach, and vulnerable populations through a combination of community outreach, digital marketing, and personalized retention strategies.

This position plays a key role in maintaining the integrity and continuity of the RADAR cohort by ensuring consistent enrollment and minimizing participant attrition over time. The Coordinator will design and execute social media advertising campaigns; develop creative recruitment materials; manage participant contact systems; coordinate scheduling with other RADAR coordinators; and ensure participant-centered communication throughout all stages of the study.

The Recruitment and Retention Coordinator will supervise the Recruitment Study Coordinator and Recruitment Study Assistant and work closely with the Scheduling and Retention Coordinator, Biomedical Project Coordinator, all under the supervision of the Project Director and study faculty.

Specific responsibilities include: developing and tracking recruitment metrics; conducting community outreach; managing digital advertisements across social platforms; collaborating on graphic design and branding for participant materials; maintaining regular contact with enrolled participants; and implementing retention strategies to encourage continued engagement across study visits.

The Recruitment and Retention Coordinator is expected to work evening hours (e.g., 11 AM - 7 PM) and weekends to meet participants where they are most available.

We are seeking a diverse pool of candidates. Candidates from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in research are strongly encouraged to apply.

Specific Responsibilities:

Technical

• Leads execution & control of a biomedical &/or social science project or research study.
• Coordinates processing & analysis of data, conduct of experimental tests & procedures
• Develops new &/or revised research methodologies.
• Ensures completion of study activities per protocol including recruitment.
• Ascertains pretreatment & eligibility requirements.
• Obtains informed consent.
• Registers participant with appropriate sponsor.
• Interviews & obtains medical & social histories.
• Collects data from medical records.
• Administers, schedules &/or scores tests.

Administration

• Oversees & manages collection, maintenance, analysis & evaluation of data that will be used in grant submissions, presentations & publications.
• Ensures that information is entered correctly into databases.
• Assists PI in reviewing, analyzing, interpreting, summarizing, formatting, editing, & preparing tables, charts, graphs, progress & final reports, etc.
• Coordinates between sponsoring agencies, collaborating organizations &/or other research &/or educational institutions.
• Ensures that all study documents associated with current local, state, & federal regulatory guidelines, requirements, laws & research protocols are completed in a timely manner.

Finance

• Manages lab/study budget & inventory including purchasing of supplies & services ensuring that they are necessary, reasonable & project related.
• Orders & maintains inventory of study supplies.
• Distributes intra-departmental charges.
• Negotiates with vendors, obtain quotes & arrange for demos of large equipment.
• Supervision
• Trains, directs, assigns duties to & supervises research staff, students, residents &/or fellows.
• Acts as a mentor in regard to education of junior coordinators.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major such as social or health science or related; OR appropriate combination of education and experience and 3 years' research study or other relevant experience required; OR
• Successful completion of a full course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a master's or higher degree in a major such as social or health science or related; OR appropriate combination of education and experience and 1 year research study or other relevant experience.
• Supervisory or project management experience required.

• Must complete NU's IRB CITI training before interacting with any participants & must re-certify every 3 years

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Demonstrated experience recruiting and engaging hard-to-reach, vulnerable, and/or stigmatized populations, particularly adolescents and young adults.
• Extensive experience in social media advertising and digital engagement, including campaign design, audience targeting, analytics tracking, and compliance with research advertising guidelines.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build trust and rapport with diverse participant communities.
• Knowledge of community-based recruitment strategies, particularly within LGBTQ, BIPOC, and HIV-affected populations.
• Demonstrated ability to track, analyze, and report recruitment and retention metrics.
• Ability to manage participant communication systems, including text, email, and social media-based outreach.
• High attention to detail, strong organization, and ability to adhere to established study protocols.
• Demonstrated experience supervising or training junior staff, volunteers, or interns.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience with participant tracking databases (e.g., REDCap).
• Commitment to culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and affirming research practices.

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• Experience in graphic design and creative content development for participant outreach (e.g., flyers, ads, digital media).
• Experience managing social media accounts or ad campaigns (Meta Business Suite, Instagram, TikTok, X, etc.) for research, nonprofit, or community-based initiatives.
• Experience working with LGBTQ, HIV-positive, and/or racial and ethnic minority youth in research or community settings.
• Experience implementing and tracking participant retention strategies in longitudinal or cohort studies.
• Experience coordinating outreach partnerships with community organizations, clinics, and social service agencies.

• Familiarity with Northwestern University's research systems (IRB, ASRSP, OSP).

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Understanding of Chicago's LGBTQ, youth, and public health service networks.
• Ability to develop, execute, and evaluate multimedia outreach strategies.
• Strong creative and visual communication skills; proficiency with design tools such as Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar platforms preferred.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, community-based research environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in research and community engagement.

Target hiring range for this position will be up to $55,000.00 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

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