Institutional Review Board (IRB) Specialists

University of Utah; Salt Lake City (UT); Hybrid; USD 57,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Utah is seeking an Institutional Review Board (IRB) Specialist to oversee human subjects protections across all review pathways. The role is reading- and policy-intensive, translating dense protocols into clear actions for research teams in a hybrid environment at Salt Lake City campus.

You will coordinate reviews, advise investigators, and help develop IRB policies and training, with a focus on compliance, auditing, and educational outreach.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) + 4 years of directly related work experience.
• Master’s degree (or equivalent) + 2 years of directly related work experience.
• Experience in human subjects research or IRB is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Conducts initial review of human research protocol applications and determines risk level.
• Prepares convened-review submissions and summarizes outstanding issues.
• Interprets and provides guidance to principal investigators and staff on regulations.
• Develops and maintains IRB training and documentation; supports audits and policy development.
• Assists in QA and coverage across review pathways and schedules.

Skills

Regulatory compliance understanding

Reading comprehension

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent + 4 years of related work experience

Master’s degree or equivalent + 2 years of related work experience

Job description

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Specialists

Open Date | 10/26/2026

Requisition Number | PRN46591B

Job Title | Institutional Review Board (IRB) Specialists

Working Title | Institutional Review Board (IRB) Specialist

Career Progression Track | P00

Track Level | P3 - Career, P2 - Developing

FLSA Code | Administrative

Patient Sensitive Job Code? | No

Standard Hours per Week | 40

Full Time or Part Time? | Full Time

Shift | Day

Work Schedule Summary | Monday – Friday (8am – 5pm)

This is currently a hybrid position. A minimum of 24 hours per week must be in-person at the IRB office on University of Utah campus. In-office requirements are subject to change per University and department policy.

VP Area | President

Department | 00938 - Institutional Review Board

Location | Campus

City | Salt Lake City, UT

Type of Recruitment | External Posting

Pay Rate Range | $57,000 - $65,000

The department may choose to hire at any of the below job levels and associated pay rates based on their business need and budget.

Learn more about the great benefits of working for University of Utah: benefits.utah.edu

Close Date | 01/26/2027

Job Summary | Coordinates and oversees all technical, operational and regulatory issues associated with human research protections and compliance for the Institutional Review Board (IRB) across all review pathways (exempt, expedited, and convened), including preparation for, participation in, and follow-up from convened IRB meetings. Provides direct consultation, facilitation, decision support and educational programming to the research faculty, staff, and community. This is a reading and writing-intensive role. You will spend most of your day reading dense protocols, regulations, and policies, and turning what you read into clear, defensible actions and decisions.

Responsibilities

Conducts initial review of human research protocol applications, reviewing all amendments and determining the level of risk to ensure compliance with appropriate regulations, IRB guidelines and institutional policies. Prepares convened-review submissions, including hand-off notes that summarize outstanding issues and anticipate board questions. Reviews deviations from policy, clarifies special conditions and analyzes differences from initial protocol applications. Interprets and provides comprehensive guidance to principal investigators, research and support staff on complex human subjects’ research regulations. Ensures the conduct of high quality human subject research. May plan, develop, and administer or help plan, develop, and administer comprehensive educational programs pertaining to human research protections and IRB review processes for members of the IRB principal investigators, research and support staff. May make recommendations to the ongoing development of electronic protocol submission and tracking system. Develops and maintains web pages and web-based training programs. May develop and revise, or help to develop and revise IRB office policies and procedures, forms and content of guidelines and other materials posted on the IRB website. May respond or help to respond to external compliance audits. May help prepare or prepare regularly prepares reports on IRB office activities and assesses regulatory compliance with IRB documentation requirements. Meets with members of research staffs to address process and procedure improvements. Serves on various University committees. Participates in the day-to-day workings of IRB staff, which may include training, evaluating performance, ensuring adequate office coverage and ensuring procedural deadlines are met. May support convened IRB meetings by documenting discussion, motions, and determinations in minutes that serve as the official record, and drafting post-board correspondence that accurately reflects board determinations and their basis in the Criteria for Approval (45 CFR 46.111; 21 CFR 56.111). Participates in cross-training across review pathways, completes assigned readings and competency assessments, and applies lessons from board deliberations to pre-review practice. Provides coverage across teams and review pathways for absences, leave, and workload rebalancing, and arranges in-team coverage for planned absences. Participates in QA audits, process reviews, and accreditation (AAHRPP) documentation, and uses operational data and performance metrics to inform workflow and professional development. Other duties and responsibilities as needed and assigned.

Problem Solving

Incumbents face the challenge of staying abreast of continually changing human research regulations in order to make changes to internal policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the new regulations, as well as communicating the changes in an effective and timely manner. Incumbents use considerable discretion in their daily work and must communicate effectively with a variety of constituencies regarding delicate matters. Incumbents are expected to demonstrate increasing independence and cross-functional competency with experience, including working across review pathways and in convened board administration, as well as increased work product responsibility and expectations as competency grows.

Minimum Qualifications

EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor’s degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Specialist, II: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 4 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Specialist, III: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 6 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 4 years of directly related work experience.

Preferences

Type | Benefited Staff

Additional Information

The University is a participating employer with Utah Retirement Systems (“URS”). Eligible new hires with prior URS service, may elect to enroll in URS if they make the election before they become eligible for retirement (usually the first day of work). Contact Human Resources at [phone] for information. Individuals who previously retired and are receiving monthly retirement benefits from URS are subject to URS’ post-retirement rules and restrictions. Please contact Utah Retirement Systems at [phone] or [phone] or University Human Resource Management at [phone] if you have questions regarding the post-retirement rules.

This position may require the successful completion of a criminal background check and/or drug screen.

The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education.

Veterans’ preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.

Consistent with state and federal law, the University of Utah does not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, or protected veteran’s status. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, or both.

To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability or if you or someone you know has experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, you may contact the Director/Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX (OEO). More information, including the Director/Title IX Coordinator’s office address, electronic mail address, and telephone number can be located at the: University of Utah Non‑Discrimination page.

Online reports may be submitted at https://oeo.utah.edu https://publicsafety.utah.edu/safetyreport/ This report includes statistics about criminal offenses, hate crimes, arrests and referrals for disciplinary action, and Violence Against Women Act offenses. They also provide information about safety and security-related services offered by the University of Utah. A paper copy can be obtained by request at the Department of Public Safety located at 1658 East 500 South.

As per University of Utah policy 5-108: Transfer of Benefits Eligible Staff Members, a new hire to the University of Utah who is still serving a 12 month probationary period will not be hired into another University of Utah job (a transfer) until the successful completion of the probationary period.

Contact

University Human Resource Management
250 East 200 South, Suite 125 Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Contact us: [phone]
By Email: [e-mail]