Research Specialist III, Research Support

Kaiser Permanente; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Kaiser Permanente in Pasadena seeks a Research Support Associate to help run day‑to‑day project operations. You will monitor resources, gather data, prepare reports, and handle recruitment, enrollment, and participant follow-up under IRB guidelines.

Ideal candidates have a public health background and experience with data collection, consent, and study materials. This role emphasizes regulatory compliance, documentation, and collaboration with study teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health or related field with 2+ years of health research experience or 5+ years in health research.
• Strong understanding of GCP and IRB requirements.
• Experience with data collection, recruitment, and participant follow-up.

Responsibilities

• Assist with day-to-day project operations and monitor study resources.
• Conduct data gathering, prepare reports, and ensure data quality.
• Support recruitment, consent, enrollment, and follow-up with participants.
• Develop online recruitment and study materials and document study progress.
• Escalate issues to managers and ensure compliance with IRB protocols.

Skills

Attention to Detail

Communication

Teamwork

Problem Solving

Data Collection

IRB Protocols

Regulatory Compliance

Study Recruitment

Data Reporting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Public Health

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Job Summary:

Assists with research support by implementing day-to-day operations of projects, monitoring resources for research studies, and following federal and local regulations, standard operating procedures, and Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved protocols. Contributes to the execution of research by independently conducting data gathering activities, preparing data reports for accuracy and identifying inconsistencies in data, and performing complex tasks related to the recruitment, enrollment, consenting, follow-up with participants, and answering participant questions. Contributes to the development of research materials and procedures by drafting study materials (e.g., recruitment, data collection, retention) in a variety of formats including online. Assists in the documentation and reporting of research study activities by assisting the development of tools, systems, and forms for project tracking and documentation, documenting study progress, and escalating issues to project managers or investigators.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Pursues effective relationships with others by proactively providing resources, information, advice, and expertise with coworkers and members. Listens to, seeks, and addresses performance feedback; provides mentoring to team members. Pursues self-development; creates plans and takes action to capitalize on strengths and develop weaknesses; influences others through technical explanations and examples. Adapts to and learns from change, challenges, and feedback; demonstrates flexibility in approaches to work; helps others adapt to new tasks and processes. Supports and responds to the needs of others to support a business outcome.
• Completes work assignments autonomously by applying up-to-date expertise in subject area to generate creative solutions; ensures all procedures and policies are followed; leverages an understanding of data and resources to support projects or initiatives. Collaborates cross-functionally to solve business problems; escalates issues or risks as appropriate; communicates progress and information. Supports, identifies, and monitors priorities, deadlines, and expectations. Identifies, speaks up, and implements ways to address improvement opportunities for team.
• Contributes to the execution of research studies by: independently conducting research surveys, focus groups, qualitative interviews, or other data gathering activities for moderately complex projects; training others on project support activities (e.g., data collection, administering informed consent, conducting procedures); preparing open-ended/qualitative data for analysis and building analytical datasets; preparing data reports and identifying data quality issues; performing complex tasks related to the recruitment, enrollment, consenting, and follow-up with participants; and answering participant questions regarding basic and/or complex studies and escalating issues if necessary.
• Contributes to the development of research materials and procedures by: drafting study materials (e.g., recruitment, data collection, retention) in a variety of formats including online.
• Assists in the documentation and reporting of research study activities by: assisting the development of tools, systems, and forms for project tracking and documentation; and documenting the progress of study activities and escalating issues to project managers or investigators.
• Assists with research support operations by: implementing day-to-day operations of projects; monitoring resources for research studies; contributing to and/or assisting the management of project budgets; performing literature reviews and/or contributing to the development of grant proposals; contributing to drafts of Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols, amendments, continuing reviews, and other documentation; contributing to drafts of Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols, amendments, continuing reviews, and other documentation; and following federal and local regulations, standard operating procedures, and IRB approved protocols and maintaining compliance for handling research data.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: (Core)

• Ambiguity/Uncertainty Management
• Attention to Detail
• Business Knowledge
• Communication
• Critical Thinking
• Cross-Group Collaboration
• Decision Making
• Dependability
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Support
• Drives Results
• Facilitation Skills
• Health Care Industry
• Influencing Others
• Integrity
• Learning Agility
• Organizational Savvy
• Problem Solving
• Short- and Long-term Learning & Recall
• Teamwork
• Topic-Specific Communication

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: (Functional)

• Confidentiality
• Good Clinical Practices (GCP)
• Health Care Compliance
• Health Care Policy
• Research & Evaluation Data Collection
• Research & Evaluation Study DesignResearch Ethics
• Stakeholder Management

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Public Health, Health Care Administration, Epidemiology, Health Sciences, Social or Behavioral Sciences, Health Services, Statistics, or Health Economics, or related field AND minimum two (2) years of experience in health research, public health, laboratory or social science research setting, epidemiology, social or behavioral sciences, health services or a directly related field OR Minimum five (5) years of experience in health research, public health, laboratory or social science research setting, epidemiology, social or behavioral sciences, health services or a directly related field.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Public Health, Health Care Administration, Epidemiology, Health Sciences, Social or Behavioral Sciences, Health Services, Statistics, or Health Economics, or related field.