The University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center (UVACCC) is seeking a Research Specialist Senior or Research Scientist to join our community of researchers and practitioners dedicated to reducing the burden of cancer throughout our catchment area and beyond.  The position will contribute to community-engaged research and our commitment to health equity in programs, research and outcomes. The Research Scientist will closely collaborate with Cancer Center and Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) leadership, faculty and staff as well as the UVACCC Community Advisory Council. The position will coordinate the catchment area wide community needs assessment and have the opportunity to publish and report findings.  Additional opportunities are available to co-author grant applications and conduct evaluative studies, including implementation science, on outreach programs and research. The research scientist will also be the COE liaison to each of the cancer center’s research programs and translational research teams to identify opportunities for collaboration and for connecting researchers to community needs to facilitate bidirectional research opportunities.

The COE initiatives are led by Wendy Cohn, Associate Director of the Cancer Center for Community Outreach and Engagement.  The Office of COE is led by a director and staffed with 5 outreach specialists.  The COE collaborates with the Population Health Cancer Outcomes Core using a data driven approach to  identify our catchment areas greatest needs.  These needs are shared with Cancer Center leaders and researchers. The Community Outreach and Engagement team works closely with researchers across the University of Virginia and community partners to facilitate community-engaged research to address the cancer burden of underserved communities across Virginia. Research is guided by principles of community engagement and led by community-based participatory research experts.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

• Lead and co-author scientific abstracts and manuscripts for publication and presentation

• Lead or co-lead development and distribution of OCOE’s annual community health needs assessment and related reporting and updating

• Contribute to writing grant applications and serve as co-investigator or staff of funded grants when appropriate

• Contribute to writing progress reports

• Collaborate with UVACC investigators and COE to develop, collect and manage data as well as perform basic analysis

• Collaborate with UVACC investigators and OCOE staff to support recruitment and retention efforts that respectfully engage with study participants from diverse populations

• Represent UVACC and OCOE at scientific and professional conferences

• Remain up-to-date in community outreach and engagement research and signature community programs and support integration of advances into UVACC research and programming

• Develop and conduct evaluations of OCOE programming

• Identify opportunities for collaborations between COE and UVACC research programs to support COE priorities across the catchment area

This position reports to the Associate Director of Community Outreach & Engagement. This role may require travel, occasionally across the state or out of state for conferences.

Minimum Requirements
Education : Bachelor's degree
Experience : At least four years of experience. Relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
Licensure: Project Management Institute (PMI) certification is typically possessed

Preferred Qualifications

• At least one year of postdoctoral research experience in health equity or community-engaged research

• Experience as a co-investigator or postdoctoral researcher on a health research grant

• Training and experience in community-engaged research/community based participatory research

• Training and experience in applying anti-racist approaches in research and programs

• A passion for educating research teams and scientists, from basic to population disciplines, on applying community-engaged approaches in the design of research

Physical Demands
This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

Application Instructions: Please apply through Workday and complete an application online. Include the following documents:

• A CV/Resume

• A Cover Letter

• Contact information for 3 references (name, email, phone number)

All documents can be loaded into the resume submission field, multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Internal applicants must apply through their UVA Workday profile. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

For questions about the application process, please contact Margaret Weeks , Academic Recruiter. Before a formal offer of employment is extended, the selected candidate will undergo a background check per university policy.

COVID Vaccination Requirement and Guidelines

Please visit the UVA COVID-19 Job Requirements and Guidelines  webpage prior to applying for current information regarding vaccination requirements?and?guidelines for employment at UVA.

The University of Virginia, i ncluding the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician’s Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff.  We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences.  We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.