Education & Development Specialist

Excellence, Teamwork, Leadership and Innovation. These are the values that define UConn Health, and we are looking for team members that share these same values. Our top-rated organization is looking to add an Education & Development Specialist to the OVPR Human Subjects Protection Program. If you have a background in this field, as well as a passion for patient experience, we want to hear from you.

Interested applicants may apply at Career Opportunities at UConn Health:
https://jobs.uchc.edu/CSS_External/CSSPage_Referred.ASP?Req=2024-1211

At UConn Health in the Human Subjects Protection Program this position is accountable for performing specialized duties in the area of training, staff development and providing consultative services to departments, outside agencies, and organizations. Facilitates/evaluates overall organizational development through quality improvement, leadership education and involvement with research activities. The HSPP Education & Development Specialist will manage the human / clinical research education and training for UConn Health faculty and staff and study-specific consultations on IRB application submissions, protocol planning, and study implementation. This may include development of video education options and other trainings.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:
Works under limited supervision of an employee of higher grade

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:
May lead/supervise lower level employees as assigned

COMPREHENSIVE BENEFITS OFFERED:

• Industry-leading health insurance options and affordability
• Generous vacation and sick-time plans
• Multi-channel retirement options (pension and match options)
• Tuition waiver and reimbursement for employees and qualified family members
• Quick commute access from I-84, Rte 9 and surrounding areas
• State of the art facility and campus environments
• Progressive leadership and educational development programs available

Schedule: 40 hrs per wk, Mon - Fri, 8:00am - 5pm with an unpaid meal break

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:

• Develop, coordinate, maintain and continually improve ongoing educational offerings of the HSPP, including but not limited to Pl training, coordinator trainings, and workshops on informed consent and AE monitoring. Update trainings based on identified needs, training evaluations, QA findings, new regulations and guidance, etc. Manage the monthly Brown Bag Education Seminars and other similar educational offerings as they are developed.
• Under the direction of the HSPP Manager and HSPP Director, develop and execute a comprehensive training plan for IRB and HSPP staff, IRB Chairs, and IRB members on human subjects research regulations, state statutes, agency guidance, institutional policies, and emerging trends in the field;
• Develop and coordinate educational materials and presentations on regulatory, policy, process and software changes, and other ad hoc situations;
• Develop and distribute written educational materials to the research community and participants (guidance and instructions, quarterly newsletters to the research community and semi-annual newsletters to research participants);
• Provide consultations in the form of direct, one-on-one and small group education on regulatory aspects to the conduct of research throughout the life of the study, including: investigator and sponsor responsibilities, study conduct, adverse event reporting, documentation, consenting, protocol planning, IRB submissions, questions on study implementation, assistance with FDA IND/IDE submissions, consent development and writing, HIPAA issues, DSMP development, planning and submitting protocols to the IRB.
• Develop and maintain current educational and training material regarding the use of the electronic system for IRB submission, review and management. Provide training, consultation and support to the research community and IRB members on the use of the electronic IRB software system for submissions and reviews. 
• Working with the post-approval Monitoring / Quality Assurance staff to understand issues that come up in QA Reviews and audits that should be translated to education and other quality improvements. May assist with QA reviews and audits as needed.
• Develop and maintain in-depth knowledge of research regulations and guidelines, including but not limited to State and Federal regulations and Good Clinical Practice guidelines, and emerging trends and/or topics in the field of human subject research;
• Provide outreach to the research community regarding educational opportunities, policy and regulation updates;
• Track educational offerings and completion of required training of research staff, HSPP staff and IRB members (e.g., human subjects protection training, webinars, conferences);
• Track activities and prepare reports annually and as needed regarding the educational offerings of the HSPP and outreach activities.
• May perform other related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY:
Considerable knowledge of the principles/theories of adult learning and competency based education; considerable knowledge of current educational literature and research in practice; knowledge of unit/department orientation plans; knowledge of organizational development and Quality Improvement methods/techniques; considerable skill in planning, developing, implementing and evaluation of educational programs to meet needs of a variety of staff categories and department advances; considerable skill in the process of educational needs assessment; considerable interpersonal skills; considerable oral and written communication skills; computer skills; intermediate research skills; teaching ability.

EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:
Master’s degree in a relevant field and two (2) years’ experience. At least one (1) year must have been in an educational setting.

Substitution Allowed:
Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and 3 years of experience. At least 1 year of the experience must have been in an educational setting. 

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Incumbents must possess and retain during employment a professional license and/or certification in the appropriate discipline if necessary. Incumbents may be required to travel in the course of their daily work.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience with IRIS submission software and successfully submitting IRB applications and managing IRB submission efforts.
• Ability to organize, evaluate and interpret data and to apply ethical principles governing human subject research (e.g., prior experience working as an IRB analyst)
• Demonstrated knowledge of clinical/human research conduct, GCP, Federal regulations guiding human research (21 CFR 312,812, 50, 56, etc. and 45 CFR 46)
• Detail oriented. Ability to define, manage, and prioritize complex projects and setting/meeting deadlines.
• Experience working with a variety of disciplines and levels of staff across departments and the health system.

Why UConn Health
UConn Health is a vibrant, integrated academic medical center that is entering an era of unprecedented growth in all three areas of its mission: academics, research, and clinical care. A commitment to human health and well-being has been of utmost importance to UConn Health since the founding of the University of Connecticut schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine in 1961. Based on a strong foundation of groundbreaking research, first-rate education, and quality clinical care, we have expanded our medical missions over the decades. In just over 50 years, UConn Health has evolved to encompass more research endeavors, to provide more ways to access our superior care, and to innovate both practical medicine and our methods of educating the practitioners of tomorrow.