Research Assistant I, Neurological Surgery

WHY UT SOUTHWESTERN?
With over 75 years of excellence in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, UT Southwestern is committed to excellence, innovation, teamwork, and compassion. As a world-renowned medical and research center, we strive to provide the best possible care, resources, and benefits for our valued employees. Ranked as the number 1 hospital in Dallas-Fort Worth according to U.S. News & World Report, we invest in you with opportunities for career growth and development to align with your future goals. Our highly competitive benefits package offers healthcare, PTO and paid holidays, on-site childcare, wage, merit increases and so much more. We invite you to be a part of the UT Southwestern team where you'll discover a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and a rewarding career! 

JOB SUMMARY
Works under general direction to provide responsible and skilled technical assistance in performing assignments requiring experience and good knowledge of techniques and practices related to particular field of medical and scientific research. 

We are seeking a Research Coordinator to support human neuroscience research involving intracranial electrophysiology data collection from epilepsy patients in both inpatient epilepsy monitoring settings and the operating room and in MEG. This role is highly patient-facing and requires excellent interpersonal skills, meticulous documentation practices, and strict adherence to IRB and institutional policies. The Research Coordinator will work closely with clinicians, researchers, and hospital staff to ensure high-quality data acquisition and compliant research operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Patient-facing research coordination
• Screen and approach eligible epilepsy patients in clinical settings, explain study procedures, and support the informed consent process (under approved IRB procedures and supervision as applicable).
• Build rapport with patients and families, communicate clearly and compassionately, and respond appropriately to questions and concerns.
• Coordinate study logistics with clinical teams to align research procedures with clinical workflows.

• Support participant follow-up and scheduling for study visits, tasks, or questionnaires as needed.
   

  Intracranial electrophysiology and OR data collection

  
   

• Collect intracranial data in approved clinical research contexts (e.g., EMU and intraoperative recordings), following study protocols and safety requirements.
• Prepare and maintain recording equipment, ensure proper setup and labeling, and verify data quality during acquisition.
• Document recording conditions and relevant metadata (timing, task conditions, device settings, clinical context) to support reproducible analysis.

• Coordinate secure transfer, organization, and storage of research data in accordance with institutional and IRB requirements.
   

  Documentation, compliance, and quality control
   

• Maintain accurate, timely study records, including consent documentation, case report forms, source documents, and regulatory binders as required.
• Ensure compliance with IRB-approved protocols, HIPAA/privacy standards, and institutional policies for human subjects research.
• Assist with IRB submissions and maintenance (amendments, continuing reviews, adverse events/unanticipated problems, protocol deviations, consent updates) as assigned.

• Track enrollment, study progress, deviations, and data completeness; implement quality checks to prevent missing or inconsistent records.
   

  Team support and communication
   

• Participate in study meetings, provide status updates, and coordinate action items across research and clinical stakeholders.
• Help train new team members or students on study procedures and documentation practices (as appropriate).
• Contribute to continuous improvement of research workflows, checklists, and SOPs.

BENEFITS
UT Southwestern is proud to offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. Our benefits are designed to support your overall wellbeing, and include:

• PPO medical plan, available day one at no cost for full-time employee-only coverage
• 100%25 coverage for preventive healthcare-no copay
• Paid Time Off, available day one
• Retirement Programs through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)
• Paid Parental Leave Benefit
• Wellness programs
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Qualified Employer
• Learn more about these and other UTSW employee benefits!

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Required

• Education
  Master's Degree with major coursework in field of assignment and no experience required or 
  Bachelor's Degree with major coursework in field of assignment or 
  Completion of 2 years of college with emphasis in coursework in field of assignment or 
  High School Diploma or GED equivalent 
   

• Experience
  1 year Research experience at level of Research Technician or equivalent with Bachelor's degree or 
  4 years Research experience including two years at level of Research Technician or equivalent with 2 years of college or 
  6 years Research experience with High School Diploma or GED equivalent including 
  2 years at level of Research Technician or equivalent. 
   

JOB DUTIES

• Performs more difficult scientific and medical research work in science area such as biology, chemistry, physics, or other related scientific field.
• Constructs, assembles, and operates laboratory equipment and apparatus.
• Records and evaluates data obtained from work assignments for use in scientific papers.
• Collaborates with supervisor or other research personnel in preparation of scientific papers for publication.
• Reads literature and confers with supervisor concerning procedures and implementation.
• Collects and organizes research data for project reports.
• May plan for, and provide working supervision to, work of Research Technicians or other laboratory personnel of lower grade.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

SECURITY AND EEO STATEMENT

Security
This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code 51.215, which authorizes UT Southwestern to obtain criminal history record information.

EEO
UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. As an equal opportunity employer, UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status.