Research Assistant (Bilingual-Spanish) - Riverside

Irvine Clinical; Riverside (CA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Riverside Clinical is seeking a detail-oriented Research Assistant to support daily clinical trial operations at our Riverside, CA clinic. The role emphasizes front desk duties, bilingual communication, and assisting with study visits, vital signs, ECGs, and sample handling.

Ideal candidates will have healthcare or clinical experience, with a passion for assisting coordinators and ensuring smooth participant workflows.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Psychology, Neuroscience, Healthcare, or related scientific discipline preferred.
• 1+ year of front desk reception, medical front office, clinical, or healthcare environment preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish required; able to communicate with participants and study partners.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary front desk contact; greet participants and visitors, manage check-in/check-out, answer clinic calls.
• Conduct prescreening calls, schedule appointments, and conduct retention outreach in English and Spanish.
• Assist coordinators with study visits, chaperone procedures, and keep lobby clean and organized.
• Perform baseline clinical tasks such as vital signs, ECGs/EKGs, and urine screenings.
• Handle sample processing: centrifuge, aliquot, package, and ship specimens per protocol and IATA rules.
• Provide translation support at front desk and during visits for Spanish-speaking participants.
• Maintain front desk logs, assist with source documentation, and ED C data entry; resolve queries.
• Track lab kits and inventory; ensure front office and site supplies are stocked.

Skills

Bilingual ENG/ES

Front desk experience

Healthcare/clinical experience

Strong communication

Data entry

Laboratory support

Patient coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Biology or related field

Job description

Riverside Clinical is part of the Irvine Clinical Research site network, the largest of its kind on the West Coast. With 5 research centers in California, we are leaders in the search for new treatments in neurology, psychiatry, and obesity medicine. Our largest area of research is in Alzheimer's Disease prevention and treatment drug trials, and our doctors were the largest contributors in the world to the most recently FDA-approved medication in Alzheimer's Disease.

In this role, we are seeking a detail-oriented, empathetic Research Assistant to support our daily clinical trial operations. Ideally, candidates will have prior healthcare, clinical, or laboratory experience, with a passion for assisting coordinators with participant visit workflows, sample processing, and administrative support while producing quality work. Furthermore, we are seeking a bilingual (Spanish) professional to better serve our community.

• Front Desk & Reception Management: Serve as the primary point of contact at the front desk; warmly greet participants, study partners, and visitors; manage participant check-in/check-out; and handle incoming clinic phone calls.
• Bilingual Participant Communication: Conduct prescreening calls, appointment scheduling, and ongoing retention outreach in both English and Spanish.
• Study Visit & Lobby Support: Room participants, assist CRCs and Investigators with chaperoning study procedures, and ensure the lobby and front office areas remain welcoming and organized.
• Clinical Procedures: Perform baseline clinical tasks, including taking vital signs, performing ECGs/EKGs, and administering urine pregnancy/drug screens.
• Laboratory Operations: Centrifuge, aliquot, package, and ship biological specimens (blood, urine) in strict adherence to protocol guidelines and IATA regulations.
• Participant & Family Translation: Provide verbal translation support at the front desk and during clinical visits, explaining scheduling or trial instructions clearly to Spanish-speaking participants and study partners.
• Data & Admin Management: Maintain front-desk logs, assist with prompt source documentation filing, Electronic Data Capture (EDC) data entry, and resolving study queries.
• Inventory & Site Upkeep: Maintain front desk/reception readiness, track lab kits, and manage front office and site supply inventory.
• Language Requirement: Native or professional fluency in both English and Spanish (speaking, reading, and writing) is required.
• Front Desk / Administrative Experience: 1+ years of experience in front desk reception, medical front office, clinical, or healthcare environments preferred.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in Biology, Psychology, Neuroscience, Healthcare, or a related scientific discipline preferred.
• Certifications (Preferred): Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT-1), or BLS/CPR certification is a strong plus.
• Skills: Excellent phone etiquette, outstanding interpersonal skills, meticulous organizational habits, and a compassionate attitude when working with elderly or vulnerable participant populations.
• Schedule: Must be able to work full-time on-site at our Riverside, CA clinic front desk.