BILINGUAL ASSOCIATE RESEARCH SCIENTIST POSITION at the Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI) and the Department of Nephrology at Hennepin Healthcare

The HHRI in Minneapolis, Minnesota, invites applications for an Associate Research Scientist to assist in conducting and analyzing qualitative data from interviews and focus groups with patients who are seeking a solid organ transplant (e.g. kidney, liver, heart and lung). These interviews and focus groups will be conducted with English speaking patients and separately with Spanish speaking patients. This position would work directly with Warren McKinney, PhD (Sociology) and Cory Schaffhausen, PhD (Human Centered Design Engineering), Assistant Professors of Medicine who are part of the research project.

HHRI is the nonprofit 501(c)(3) foundation responsible for providing administrative and fiscal oversight for research performed on the HCMC campus. The HHRI is one of the largest medical research foundations in Minnesota and consistently ranks in the top ten percent of all institutions receiving research funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH).

HCMC is a 484 bed public teaching hospital located in downtown Minneapolis, MN. HCMC employs approximately 6,000 people and is Minnesota's largest safety net hospital. HCMC conducts approximately 600,000 clinic visits annually and is the state's premier Level 1 Trauma Center. The majority of HCMC patients are of minority racial and/or ethnic backgrounds

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Conduct and/or direct routine and complex research projects in a clinical research setting for a Research Scientist. The aim is to develop and evaluate a patient-centered website and printouts of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) report cards that will effectively communicate comparative information to transplant candidates about their alternatives when choosing transplant centers. We will enhance a novel tool (www.transplantcentersearch.org) to allow candidates to tailor the report cards to their clinical profiles based on their health-related characteristics and to communicate information on alternative transplant centers that perform transplants in patients like them. First, the Scientist will learn to carry out interviews, surveys and focus groups of kidney, liver, heart and lung transplant candidates, recipients and their family members. Afterwards, the Scientist will use focus groups to determine which enhancement resonate with patients, first with English speakers and then Spanish speakers. These focus groups will be conducted locally in Minneapolis and with nationally representative groups of transplant candidates and recipients via Zoom. Using this information, we will develop a patient-centered website and printouts of the SRTR report card that effectively communicate comparative information about transplant centers to transplant candidates. Subsequently, the Scientist will conduct usability testing of the new SRTR website and conduct clinical trials to compare the new site versus the old site.

The Scientist will gain the basic skills needed to become an independent investigator in this field. The Scientist will assist in designing and conducting qualitative studies for designing a patient centered report card for solid organ transplant centers. This report card will be hosted on a SRTR website (www.srtr.org) in the future and can be printed out by visitors to the website. The Scientist will also assist: in designing and conducting qualitative studies for assessing needs of patients and providers in solid organ transplantation and related clinical diseases, maintain records, manage large amount of qualitative data and analyze data, drafting proposals to procure future research funding, communicating research findings to scientific community, orient, train or teach, and give work direction to less experienced professionals. The position comes with University of Minnesota opportunities for career development activities to learn skills such as grant writing and networking opportunities to embark on an independent research career.

QUALIFICATIONS

We are seeking an independent and motivated colleague interested in learning new skills, and to lead multidisciplinary projects. A recently-graduated PhD in research methodologies is highly desirable (such as anthropology, psychology, sociology, political science, etc). Typical qualifications would be a M.D., or PhD degree with a background in qualitative research and experience using qualitative data analysis software (eg, Dedoose, nVivo). Bilingual required; at a minimum, the ability to read, write, and speak Spanish proficiently. Experience in design a plus.

REQUIREMENTS

• Must have completed graduate level coursework in qualitative research
• Must have strong writing skills

PREFERENCES

Previous experience analyzing qualitative research data

This is full time fully remote or hybrid position, depending on applicant choice.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested applicants should apply at HHRI's career site and include their curriculum vitae, contact information for 3 references, at: http://mmrf.org/career-opportunities/

Questions about this position can be directed to Ajay Israni, MD, MS, Professor of Medicine, University of Minnesota at isran001@umn.edu

MANADOTRY COVID-19 VACCINE REQUIREMENT

AA/EOE of Minorities, Women, Individuals with Disabilities, Veterans