Research Coordinator II - Ophthalmology

UTHealth Houston; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

UTHealth Houston’s Ophthalmology Department is seeking a Research Coordinator II to join a team that supports a broad range of activities from IRB navigation to clinical trial support. The role will start with IRB-focused tasks and expand as the research enterprise grows.

Responsibilities include budgeting, data management, staff credentialing, and coordination of Resident Research Day. The position is grant-funded and located in Houston, TX.

Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills required.
• Proficiency with MS Office applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Devise, compile, and manage budgets for multiple research projects.
• Maintain a comprehensive database of ongoing research initiatives across departments.
• Oversee procurement of equipment and supplies to support active and upcoming studies.
• Assist with credentialing of project staff, students, residents, and external collaborators.
• Coordinate and support Resident Research Day, including project identification, monitoring, and progress tracking.
• Serve as Clinical Trials Coordinator, ensuring regulatory compliance and protocol adherence.
• Facilitate IRB submissions and ongoing compliance for all studies.
• Guide and train research technicians and trainees in IRB processes.
• Oversee continuity of prospective studies despite scheduling limitations of rotating personnel.
• Manage up to four industry-sponsored research projects annually, from initiation to payment collection.
• Support grant writing and submission processes for foundation-funded projects.
• Oversee complex documentation and IRB coordination for investigator-initiated, multi-site studies.
• Conduct data extraction and feasibility analyses for retrospective studies.
• Clean and validate clinical data to ensure accuracy and integrity of research outputs.
• Monitor ongoing data collection for prospective studies and ensure quality standards are maintained.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

MS Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Job description

What we do here changes the world. UTHealth Houston is Texas’ resource for healthcare education, innovation, scientific discovery, and excellence in patient care. That’s where you come in.

UTHealth Houston’s Ophthalmology Department is hiring for a Research Coordinator II to join their team of professionals. We are seeking someone who is flexible and comfortable contributing across a broad range of activities, from navigating the Institutional Review Board process to providing clinical trial support. Current research volume is limited to smaller clinical projects that primarily require IRB support. The role would therefore begin at a manageable pace, with responsibilities and scope growing gradually as the research enterprise expands.

Responsibilities Include:

Research Administration & Coordination

• Devise, compile, and manage budgets for multiple research projects.
• Maintain a comprehensive database of ongoing research initiatives across departments.
• Oversee procurement of equipment and supplies to ensure timely support for active and upcoming studies.
• Assist with credentialing of project staff, students, residents, and external collaborators.
• Coordinate and support Resident Research Day, including project identification, monitoring, and progress tracking.

Clinical Trials & Regulatory Support

• Serve as Clinical Trials Coordinator, ensuring regulatory compliance and protocol adherence.
• Facilitate Institutional Review Board (IRB) submissions and ongoing compliance for all studies.
• Guide and train research technicians and trainees in IRB processes and submission preparation.
• Oversee continuity of prospective studies despite scheduling limitations of rotating personnel.

Sponsored & Funded Projects

• Manage up to four industry-sponsored research projects annually, from initiation to payment collection.
• Support grant writing and submission processes for foundation-funded projects, enabling clinicians to meet deadlines and quality standards.
• Oversee complex documentation and IRB coordination for investigator-initiated, multi-site studies involving external institutions such as Retina Consultants of Texas, Baylor, and Methodist Hospital.

Data Management & Quality Control

• Conduct data extraction and feasibility analyses for retrospective studies.
• Clean and validate clinical data to ensure accuracy and integrity of research outputs.
• Monitor ongoing data collection for prospective studies and ensure quality standards are maintained.

This position is funded by grants that comprise 50% or more of the funding. Continued employment in this position is contingent upon the availability of funding for this position. Your employment may end upon the cancellation or discontinuation of the project, program, or funding.

Location: 6400 Fannin Street, Houston, Texas 77030

Once you join us you won't want to leave. It’s because we reward our team for the excellent service they provide. Our total rewards package includes the benefits you’d expect from a top healthcare organization (benefits, insurance, etc.), plus:

• 100% paid medical premiums for our full-time employees
• Generous time off (holidays, preventative leave day, both vacation and sick time – all of which equates to around 37-38 days per year)
• The longer you stay, the more vacation you’ll accrue!
• Longevity Pay (Monthly payments after two years of service)
• Build your future with our awesome retirement/pension plan!

We take care of our employees! As a world-renowned institution, our employees’ wellbeing is important to us. We offer work/life services such as ...

• Free financial and legal counseling
• Free mental health counseling services
• Gym membership discounts and access to wellness programs
• Other employee discounts including entertainment, car rentals, cell phones, etc.
• Resources for child and elder care
• Plus many more!

Position Summary:

Assists with the day-to-day administrative project management and may provide scientific direction for research projects of considerable scope and complexity.

Position Key Accountabilities:

• Provides day-to-day project management coordination for research projects to include personnel, facilities, supplies in support of research project desired outcomes, budgets, and timeliness.
• Assists in the preparation of progress reports and grant proposals to both private foundations and governmental agencies; works closely with the Office of Sponsored Projects on the submission of grants.
• Assists with the preparation of budgets, initiates re-budgeting requests based on needs of research staff, and authorizes expenditures for multiple projects. Attends research-planning meetings to assist in the preparation of budget drafts for departmental leadership approval.
• Prepares annual progress reports and applications for various committees and ensures that all staff has received the proper training/attended the appropriate training courses.
• Maintains confidential records of collected data, ensures accuracy and integrity of data. Data may include patient data and departmental programmatic data.
• Prepares draft reports and communications for the departmental program/division leadership.
• Interacts with representatives from state, federal, and private agencies regarding proposals and funded projects.
• Provides work administrative direction and guidance to administrative staff personnel within department.
• May review contracts and develop training.
• Other duties as assigned.

Certification/Skills: Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.

Working knowledge of MS Office.

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in a related field or relevant experience in lieu of education.

Minimum Experience:

Two (2) years of relevant experience. May substitute required experience with equivalent years of education beyond the minimum education requirement.

Physical Requirements:

Exerts up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds frequently and/or a negligible amount constantly to move objects.

Security Sensitive:

This position is a security-sensitive position pursuant to Texas Education Code

• 51.215 and Texas Government Code
• 411.094. To the extent that a position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Texas Business and Commerce Code
• 117.001(2), the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired for and to continue to be employed in that position. Personnel in such positions, and similarly situated state contractors, will be routinely reviewed to determine whether things such as criminal history or continuous connections to the government or political apparatus of a foreign adversary might prevent the applicant, employee, or contractor from being able to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure. A foreign adversary is a nation listed in 15 C.F.R.
• 791.4.

Residency Requirement:

Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas.