Community Research Associate, the Gorge

Department Overview

The Oregon Clinical Translational Research Institute (OCTRI) at OHSU is a catalyst for scientific collaboration, translation of biomedical advances into the community, innovation and research growth in Oregon and beyond. OCTRI’s mission is to enhance the efficiency and quality of rigorously translating research ideas into impact. To accomplish our mission, our 80-90 employees spread across 13 teams provide a broad expanse of clinical and translational services that include training, funding, research support, and community engagement. OCTRI is part of the National Center for Translational Sciences (NCATS)-funded CTSA consortium that encompasses 50+ hubs around the country. Visit our website to learn more: octri.org.

 

OHSU’s Community Outreach, Research and Engagement (CORE) team directed by Dr. Jackilen Shannon develops and implements strategies that build community-engaged research capacity and community-academic partnerships to improve the health and wellness of all Oregonians. As a team, CORE values collaboration, equity, transparency, accuracy, creativity, and professional development. The OCTRI home Community Research Associate is part of a larger cross-institutional team (CORE) that conducts community outreach and engagement activities for OHSU researchers, external community-level organizations or partners as well as internal and external partner combinations.

Function/Duties of Position

The Gorge Community Research Associate will join a team currently consisting of seven statewide team members working under the direction of the Community Research Program Manager and collaboratively with other staff to support community-academic partnerships and build capacity for community engaged research across Oregon. This position plays a critical role in implementing and supporting community engaged research activities with and between OHSU and regional partners working to address community-identified needs. 

 

The Gorge Community Research Associate will implement research facilitation activities in collaboration with the Oregon Rural Practice-Based Research Network (ORPRN) for the CARAVAN project, a pilot study working with clinicians, clinic staff, and community organizations to support or provide primary care to veterans. The Gorge Community Research Associate will play an essential role in working with ORPRN and local clinics to enroll clinics and participants in the study and build research and Quality Improvement capacity. ORPRN facilitates a broad variety of clinical health care research, quality improvement projects, and practice transformation efforts in rural Oregon.

 

Key responsibilities:

• Serve as the liaison between OHSU and the Columbia Gorge region. Identify, develop relationships, and build trust with community organizations and members working to improve health by contributing to community projects and priorities, understanding the health and research landscape of the region, and identifying opportunities for community-academic collaboration.
• Work closely with communities to address social determinants of health, research and data-related needs, and public health outcomes particularly among historically underrepresented populations, including but not limited to Indigenous, African-American, Black, Hispanic, Latine/x/o, Asian-American, and/or Pacific Islander communities.
• Develop and/or support a regional community health research coalition that will advise on academic-community collaborations and CORE contributions in the region.
• Serve as research staff in investigator and community-led research projects (e.g., community outreach and recruitment; data collection, management, and analysis; program evaluation; consenting participants).
• Engage inter-professional clinic teams in practice transformation: train in use of QI skills, tools and systems; participate in team QI meetings; coach and motivate clinic teams.
• Support practices to develop skills for population-based health and data-driven quality improvement; assist practices and provide tailored support to clinic teams to guide implementation of patient navigation and preventive care outreach programs.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in relevant field (public health, research, education, community engagement, healthcare, etc.) AND 2 years of relevant experience OR
• Bachelor's in relevant field AND 4 years of relevant experience.
• This position is eligible for remote and hybrid work with the possibility of a local, leased office. It does require that the employee live within the Gorge region’s defined boundaries of Gilliam, Hood River, Sherman, and Wasco counties.
• Experience working with communities to collaborate toward improving health.
• Experience working with and conducting community outreach and engagement with Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, Latino and/or with other communities of color, rural communities, and/or tribal communities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master of Public Health and/or an understanding of health disparities
• Experience with research, quality improvement, needs assessments, data, and/or program evaluation.
• Language fluency within an historically underrepresented population.
• Prior experience working with Veterans or Veteran-serving organizations.

Additional Details

Apply online here. Please make sure to list relevant experience with both months and years of employment on resumes/CVs.

 

Generous Benefits Package Including:

• Comprehensive health care plans. Covered 100% for full-time employees and 88% for dependents
• $25K of term life insurance provided at no cost to the employee
• Two separate above market pension plans to choose from
• Paid time off- 208 hours per year (full-time), prorated for part-time
• Extended illness bank- 64 hours per year, prorated for part-time
• 9 paid holidays per year
• Three weeks of paid parental leave
• Adoption assistance program (up to 5k)
• Substantial Tri-met and C-Tran discounts
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Innovative Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

All are welcome

Oregon Health & Science University values a diverse and culturally competent workforce. We are proud of our commitment to being an equal opportunity, affirmative action organization that does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of any protected class status, including disability status and protected veteran status. Individuals with diverse backgrounds and those who promote diversity and a culture of inclusion are encouraged to apply. To request reasonable accommodation contact the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Department at 503-494-5148 or aaeo@ohsu.edu. As an organization devoted to the health and well-being of people in Oregon and beyond, OHSU requires its employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.