Research Project Director

Chapman University; Orange (CA); On-site; USD 158,000 - 196,000; Part time

Job summary

Chapman University seeks a Research Project Director to provide part-time clinical leadership for a study conducted at AltaMed in collaboration with the university. The role involves participant eligibility assessment, recruitment oversight, and protocol-conformant clinical management in cooperation with the Principal Investigator.

Requirements include a doctoral clinical degree and strong writing/communication skills; IRB/regulatory familiarity is essential.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in a clinical healthcare profession from an accredited medical institution.
• Eligibility for or possession of a current and unrestricted medical license preferred.
• Experience providing direct patient care and exercising clinical judgment in evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients.
• Experience collaborating with healthcare providers and multidisciplinary research teams.
• Knowledge of clinical research methodologies, human subjects protections, IRB requirements, and regulatory standards governing clinical research.
• Strong scientific writing skills with ability to contribute to abstracts, manuscripts, presentations, posters, and peer-reviewed publications.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for complex clinical and scientific information.

Responsibilities

• Direct overall study operations and clinical implementation across the Los Angeles and Anaheim clinic sites, ensuring adherence to study protocols, regulations, and medical practice standards.
• Manage study communications, including with external physicians for PrEP referrals to the clinical study; maintain confidentiality per laws.
• Provide physician-level clinical oversight for recruitment: pre-screening, eligibility evaluation, enrollment, and retention activities.
• Assess potential participants’ medical histories, clinical presentations, lab findings, and risk factors to determine eligibility and ongoing participation.
• Maintain oversight of progress, milestones, protocol compliance, safety, visit compliance, and deliverables; identify and resolve risks.
• Review and direct responses to protocol deviations and medical-judgment-required issues; retain documentation under confidentiality laws.
• Interpret protocol requirements with clinical judgment while ensuring IRB/regulatory compliance.

Skills

Clinical research knowledge

Medical writing

Communication skills

Project management

Leadership

Education

Doctoral degree in a clinical healthcare profession

Current medical license preferred

Job description

Posting Details

Position Title Research Project Director

Position Type Limited-Term

Job Number SA93324

Full or Part Time part-time 0-19 hours weekly

Fair Labor Standard Act Classification Non-Exempt

Anticipated Pay Range $127.54/hr

Pay Range Information Chapman University is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this position. This range takes into account a variety of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. Salary offers are determined based on the final candidate’s qualifications and experience, as well as internal equity and other internal factors. The anticipated pay range is not a promise of a particular wage.

Job Description Summary Provide part-time project direction for a clinical research study at AltaMed (in collaboration with Chapman University). In collaboration with the Principal Investigator, provide clinical leadership and exercise independent clinical judgment and sound decision-making in conduct of clinical research. This includes participant assessment and evaluation of eligibility for the study; overseeing recruitment of those participants; clinical management and protocol-related determinations; monitoring study progress and milestone achievement; communications with key stakeholders; oversight of protocol compliance; and managing activities related to research dissemination.

Responsibilities

Research Study Coordination, Clinical Study Execution, and Medical Decision-Making

• Direct overall study operations and clinical implementation across the Los Angeles and Anaheim clinic sites, ensuring adherence to study protocols, applicable regulations, and standards of medical practice.
• Manage study communications, including with external physicians for PrEP patient referrals to the clinical research study. Maintain patient contact lists and correspondence tracking in line with all applicable confidentiality laws.
• Provide physician-level clinical oversight for participant recruitment, which includes pre-screening, evaluation for eligibility, enrollment, and retention activities.
• Assess potential participants’ medical histories, clinical presentations, laboratory findings, and risk factors to determine study eligibility, appropriateness for enrollment, and ongoing participation in accordance with protocol requirements and accepted standards of medical care.
• Maintain oversight of study progress, recruitment and enrollment milestones, protocol compliance, participant safety, participant visit compliance, and study deliverables. Identify and resolve clinical and operational risks as necessary.
• Review, assess, and direct responses to protocol deviations, clinical exceptions, and participant-specific issues requiring medical judgment.
• Retain documentation of such issues in line with all applicable confidentiality laws.
• Utilize professional medical expertise to interpret protocol requirement and apply clinical judgment in situations not specifically addressed by study procedures while ensuring compliance with IRB and regulatory requirements.

Research Documentation, Scientific Leadership, and Scholarly Activities

• Draft and contribute substantive clinical content for abstracts, manuscripts, presentations, and regulatory reports.
• Serve as co-author on scientific publications and presentations arising from the study.

Required Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in a clinical healthcare profession from an accredited medical institution; eligibility for or possession of a current and unrestricted medical license preferred.
• Demonstrated experience providing direct patient care and exercising clinical judgment and medical decision-making in the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients.
• Experience collaborating with healthcare providers, conducting clinical assessments, and serving on multidisciplinary research teams.
• Knowledge of clinical research methodologies, human subjects protections, IRB requirements, and regulatory standards governing clinical research.
• Strong scientific and medical writing skills, with the ability to contribute to and author abstracts, manuscripts, presentations, posters, and peer-reviewed publications.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate complex clinical and scientific information to patients, healthcare providers, investigators, sponsors, and other key stakeholders.
• Excellent organizational, and project management, and leadership skills with the ability to manage multiple study activities, clinical responsibilities, timelines, and competing priorities while maintaining scientific rigor and participant safety.
• Demonstrated experience with clinical research protocols, participant recruitment and enrollment, study conduct, and clinical oversight of research activities.

Special Instructions to Applicants At Chapman University, we believe collaboration thrives through in-person engagement. This position is fully on campus, and employees work alongside colleagues, faculty, students, and staff each day to support our vibrant university community. Chapman University is an equal opportunity employer that provides equal employment opportunities to all individuals, regardless of their protected characteristics. All qualified applicants and employees are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. Applicants for Staff and Administrator positions must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. The offer of employment is contingent upon satisfactory completion and outcomes of a criminal background screening and returning to the Office of Human Resources a signed original acceptance of the Chapman University Agreement to Arbitrate.

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

1. Resume

Optional Documents

1. Cover Letter
2. Curriculum Vitae