San Diego State University Research Foundation
Program Specialist I
🇺🇸 San Diego, CA
🕑 Full-Time
💰 $5,720 per Month
💻 Project Management
🗓️ August 5th, 2025
IRB
Edtech.com's Summary
San Diego State University Research Foundation is hiring a Program Specialist I. This role involves leading the evaluation efforts for the Fe en Accion study by supervising a measurement team, overseeing recruitment, enrollment, and data collection of over 1000 participants across multiple church sites, and managing data using REDCap software.
Highlights
- Lead development and oversight of protocols, materials, and all evaluation activities including survey administration and anthropometric measurements.
- Supervise a team of 10-15 research assistants and interns, providing training, work direction, and performance feedback.
- Manage participant databases and data using REDCap Academic Software, ensuring timely follow-ups and data confidentiality.
- Support community outreach by attending recruitment and evaluation events and maintaining relationships with faith-based partner organizations.
- Contribute to meetings and reporting, including scientific advisory board and Data Safety and Monitoring Board updates.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, SPSS, EndNote, Qualtrics, and REDCap.
- Minimum qualifications include a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience and two years of relevant technical or administrative experience.
- Preferred qualifications include a Master’s degree in Public Health or related field, bilingual Spanish and English skills, and prior academic research experience.
- Budgeted salary is $5,720 per month and employment is full-time contract.
- Candidates must reside in California within commute distance of SDSU at time of hire and pass a background check.
Program Specialist I Full Description
Overview:
- This position is open until filled and applications will be reviewed after August 16, 2025.
- This position is budgeted for $5,720 per month and is non-negotiable.
Faith in Action /Fe en Action is a community health worker (CHW)-led health and exercise intervention implemented in collaboration with faith-based organizations. The current study is a hybrid type II trial testing the effectiveness, reach, implementation, and sustainment of enhanced versions of the intervention in comparison with a standard (control) version of the intervention. This study is enrolling church leaders and staff (N=96), promotoras (N=64), and church members (N=812) at 32 churches throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties.
The study aims to hire an evaluation coordinator who can advance the health and well-being of diverse communities by leading evaluation efforts for the study. This position includes responsibility for supervision and leadership of the measurement team and all evaluation activities.
The Evaluation Coordinator will become part of the leadership team of the Fe en Accion study. Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and general supervision of the Principal Investigator, the Evaluation Coordinator is responsible for overseeing all evaluation components of the study, including recruitment, screening, enrollment, and measurement of over 1000 participants across 32 church sites throughout the duration of the five-year study.
The Evaluation Coordinator will provide scientific input in the development of evaluation materials, databases, and protocols; supervise a team of research assistants, and coordinate completion of qualitative and quantitative measurement with all participant groups at four measurement points (baseline, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months) at each study site.
Responsibilities:
The Evaluation Coordinator is responsible for but not limited to:
PROTOCOL AND MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT AND OVERSIGHT 25%
The Evaluation coordinator will oversee all aspects of study evaluation including participant outreach, recruitment, enrollment, measurement, and data management; measures consist of quantitative surveys, anthropometric measures (height, weight, blood pressure), and qualitative interviews and focus groups with a total of over N=1000 church staff and leaders, promotoras, and church members.
The Evaluation Coordinator will develop and finalize protocols, procedures, and materials for all evaluation activities including survey administration, data entry and checking, participant tracking, pulling weekly enrollment and follow-up reports, participant retention, and qualitative data collection. The Evaluation Coordinator will provide training for the team in measurement procedures and protocols including but not limited to study recruitment, participant screening for eligibility, participant phone calls, administering informed consent, taking anthropometric measures (height, weight, blood pressure), managing participant records, and participant retention.
The Evaluation Coordinator will supervise all evaluation activities to ensure they are conducted according to protocol.
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 25%
The Evaluation Coordinator will supervise and support the evaluation team consisting of 10-15 undergraduate and masters-level student research assistants and interns. This includes providing work direction, conducting training sessions, weekly meetings with staff, and providing feedback to improve research team performance. The Evaluation Coordinator will work with the Project Manager to monitor staff adherence to protocols and progress toward goals, ensuring that the study’s ambitious milestones and timeline are met.
PARTICIPANT DATABASE OVERSIGHT AND DATA MANAGEMENT 25%
The Evaluation Coordinator will develop protocols for data management and oversee participant tracking databases in REDCap Academic Software. They will work with REDCap partners to build and maintain surveys and databases. The Evaluation Coordinator will ensure timely follow up with participants, completion of all measures at a given timepoint, and facilitation of data collection in the field using REDCap (i.e., managing/creating participant records, administering consent/surveys, and collecting anthropometric measures). The Evaluation Coordinator will also ensure the team implements proper treatment and storage of participant data to ensure confidentiality and IRB compliance.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND OUTREACH 15%
The Evaluation Coordinator will support the student team by attending evening and weekend recruitment and evaluation events to support the team and provide feedback on workflows.
The evaluation coordinator will maintain good rapport with community partners, including respectful interaction with leadership and staff of participating churches.
MEETINGS AND REPORTING 5%
The Evaluation Coordinator will contribute to scientific advisory board meetings, weekly team meetings, monthly investigator meetings, and quarterly check ins with the Data Safety and Monitoring Board. The Evaluation Coordinator will create and present slides summarizing challenges, successes, and status updates for the evaluation of the study. The Eval Coordinator will integrate feedback from meetings into daily workflows and procedures.
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 5%
The Evaluation coordinator will complete all necessary training, including SDSU’s Institutional Review Board Human Subjects tutorial. Conducts regular meetings with Principal Investigators to discuss progress; attends project meetings (team meetings, investigator meetings). Attend SDSU Research Foundation trainings relevant to the position. Qualifications:
Knowledge & Abilities
- Knowledge of basic management and supervision, demonstrating strong leadership skills, and providing effective direction and oversight to individuals and small groups.
- Knowledge of research methods, coordination, and evaluation skills
- Knowledge of field data collection, entry, and management
- Knowledge of computer software programs such as Microsoft Office Suite; SPSS; EndNote; Qualtrics; REDCap
- Ability to function effectively in a leadership role and project team setting
- Ability to exercise considerable judgment and problem solve
- Ability to provide effective direction and supervision to individuals and groups
- Ability to write well to include clear and concise reports and correspondence
- Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with coworkers and interact effectively with a variety of people in a multidisciplinary team and community
- Ability to analyze data, interpret and present data
- Ability to carry out assignments independently within established deadlines
Minimum Education & Experience
- Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in appropriate field related to program/project, or additional experience may be substituted for the required education on a year for year basis
- Two years of progressively responsible experience in technical or administrative assignments.
Preferred Qualifications & Special Skills
- Master’s degree in Public Health or related field
- Prior experience in project management/ coordination
- Prior experience at an academic research institution
- Bilingual Spanish & English (written and spoken)
- Two years of experience working in research
Additional Applicant Information
- Candidate must reside in California and live within a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.
- Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on background check results (including a criminal record check).
- San Diego State University Research Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU Research Foundation provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin or any other categories protected by federal or state law.
- Employment decisions are based on an individual’s qualifications as they relate to the job under consideration. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every employee has equal access to resources and support.
- SDSU Research Foundation complies with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), and other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws including grant or contract terms and conditions related to funded program activities. Further the SDSU Research Foundation maintains a Nondiscrimination Policy that prohibits discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all programs, policies, and practices.
- SDSU Research Foundation makes all employment decisions including, but not limited to, applicant screening, hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, benefits, disciplinary actions, and terminations on the basis of merit.
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