Bilingual Research Asst II - ON SITE

Discover Vanderbilt Health: With eight hospitals and over 180 clinics, we are the region’s largest comprehensive academic health system. Vanderbilt Health has a long tradition of providing world‑class care to the people of the Mid‑South, living out our mission of moving medicine forward through preeminent programs in patient care, education and research. Here you’ll find a spirit of collaboration and a supportive community where your expertise is valued, your knowledge expanded and your uniqueness celebrated. We are committed to fostering an environment where talented, compassionate people are united in bringing the most advanced care to our neighbors throughout the region. Organization: General Pediatrics Job Summary Our team conducts community and clinic‑based healthy lifestyle interventions for childhood obesity prevention and treatment. In your pivotal role as a Bilingual Research Assistant II, you will support engagement with community members and research participants, with a focus on recruitment, retention, high quality data collection, and meaningful community partnership. If you enjoy working directly with families from diverse backgrounds, including many Spanish speaking and underserved communities, this is the opportunity for you! Under moderate supervision, you will support the day‑to‑day conduct and continuous improvement research studies focused on healthy lifestyle behaviors in children and families. You will implement IRB approved protocols; coordinate activities across clinics, community organizations, and academic partners; and ensure high‑quality, participant‑centered interactions throughout the research process. In addition, you will recruit and enroll families; obtain informed consent/assent in English and Spanish; and administer surveys and structured interviews in clinic settings, community locations, and via phone/video. Crucial elements to your role include accurate and timely documentation of all procedures, strict adherence to confidentiality, and careful maintenance of study materials and equipment. You will collaborate closely with clinic staff, nutritionists, social workers, and study leadership to schedule visits, align workflows with busy clinical operations, and troubleshoot routine procedural issues while adhering to all VUMC safety standards and institutional policies. Your success in this role requires culturally responsive engagement, strong bilingual communication skills, and professional collaboration with both community and academic partners. You will be expected to proactively identify and troubleshoot logistical challenges (e.g., scheduling constraints, data entry questions, site logistics), elevate concerns appropriately, and contribute to workflow improvements that enhance participant experience, intervention fidelity, and data completeness. Because we “meet families where they are,” some evening and weekend work is required. Reliable transportation is essential for community‑based activities. Training and mentorship are provided, with clear expectations for professionalism, teamwork, and dependable follow through across multiple concurrent studies. REQUIRED Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent experience) 2 years of pediatric experience; you will be working with children ages 5-17 and their families. Strong verbal and written communication skills in both English and Spanish; this is especially crucial, given the amount of direct family interaction. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Data Collection and Participant Engagement Independently conducts high‑quality qualitative and quantitative data collection activities across active studies. Leads participant recruitment, consent, and follow‑up activities with minimal supervision. Builds rapport with participants to support retention, engagement, and completion of study visits. Ensures accurate and complete documentation of study activities in accordance with protocol requirements. Identifies and resolves routine participant and workflow challenges in real time. Data Collection Team Leadership and Coordination Serves as a lead member of the data collection team, supporting day‑to‑day coordination of study activities. Assists with scheduling data collection activities and adjusting plans to meet enrollment and staffing needs. Provides guidance to other research assistants during data collection, helps with troubleshooting issues, and maintains consistency. Acts as a point of support for problem solving related to participant availability, protocol, coordination, and fieldwork challenges. Elevates issues appropriately while independently implementing practical solutions when possible. Operational Ownership and Independent Study Support Demonstrates strong ownership of assigned study tasks, requiring less direct supervision than an entry‑level research assistant. Anticipates study needs and proactively communicates potential challenges or solutions to the project team. Ensures readiness for data collection by confirming materials, schedules, and participant communication in advance. Supports smooth implementation of study protocols through reliability and consistent follow‑through. Contributes to maintaining momentum during high‑volume or time‑sensitive data collection periods. Quality Assurance and Protocol Adherence Maintains a high standard of data quality through careful review of collected data and documentation. Identifies missing or inconsistent data and takes corrective action or escalates concerns appropriately. Ensures adherence to IRB‑approved protocols, consent procedures, and study guidelines. Models best practices in ethical research conduct and participant interaction for other team members. Team Communication and Study Support Communicates clearly and effectively with supervisors and team members regarding study progress and challenges. Shares insights from fieldwork to support continuous improvement in recruitment and data collection strategies. Assists with onboarding or informal mentoring of newer research assistants as needed. Contributes to a collaborative team environment that supports efficient and high‑quality research execution. TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES Our Academic Enterprise is one of the nation’s longest serving and most prestigious academic medical centers. Through its historic bond with Vanderbilt University and integral role in the School of Medicine, Vanderbilt Health cultivates distinguished research and educational programs to advance a clinical enterprise that provides compassionate and personalized care and support for millions of patients and family members each year. World‑leading academic departments and comprehensive centers of excellence pursue scientific discoveries and transformational educational and clinical advances across the entire spectrum of health and disease. Aligning with Vanderbilt Health’s Strategic Directions, the Office of Research provides shared research resources, administrative expertise and professional guidance to enable the trans‑disciplinary environment and highly collaborative culture that advances discovery and training for all the research faculty, trainees, students and staff. Core Accountabilities Organizational Impact: Executes job responsibilities with the understanding of how output would affect and impact other areas related to own job area/team with occasional guidance. Problem Solving/Complexity of work: Analyzes moderately complex problems using technical experience and judgment. Breadth of Knowledge: Has expanded knowledge gained through experience within a professional area. Team Interaction: Provides informal guidance and support to team members. Core Capabilities: Supporting Colleagues Develops Self and Others: Invests time, energy, and enthusiasm in developing self/others to help improve performance and gain knowledge in new areas. Builds and Maintains Relationships: Maintains regular contact with key colleagues and stakeholders using formal and informal opportunities to expand and strengthen relationships. Communicates Effectively: Recognizes group interactions and modifies one's own communication style to suit different situations and audiences. Core Capabilities: Delivering Excellent Services Serves Others with Compassion: Seeks to understand current and future needs of relevant stakeholders and customizes services to better address them. Solves Complex Problems: Approaches problems from different angles; identifies new possibilities to interpret opportunities and develop concrete solutions. Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Provides ongoing support and coaching in a constructive manner to increase employees' effectiveness. Core Capabilities: Ensuring High Quality Performs Excellent Work: Engages regularly in formal and informal dialogue about quality; directly addresses quality issues promptly. Ensures Continuous Improvement: Applies various learning experiences by looking beyond symptoms to uncover underlying causes of problems and identifies ways to resolve them. Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Understands all aspects of providing a safe environment and performs routine safety checks to prevent safety hazards from occurring. Core Capabilities: Managing Resources Effectively Demonstrates Accountability: Demonstrates a sense of ownership, focusing on and driving critical issues to closure. Stewards Organizational Resources: Applies understanding of the departmental work to effectively manage resources for a department/area. Makes Data Driven Decisions: Demonstrates strong understanding of the information or data to identify and elevate opportunities. Core Capabilities: Fostering Innovation Generates New Ideas: Proactively identifies new ideas/opportunities from multiple sources or methods to improve processes beyond conventional approaches. Applies Technology: Demonstrates an enthusiasm for learning new technologies, tools, and procedures to address short‑term challenges. Adapts to Change: Views difficult situations and/or problems as opportunities for improvement; actively embraces change instead of emphasizing negative elements. Position Qualifications Certifications Work Experience Relevant Work Experience Experience Level Education This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well‑being and professional growth. Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. EOE/Vets/Disabled. PEOPLE ARE AT THE HEART OF ALL WE DO. Great health care takes great people. We’re looking for like‑minded individuals driven to make a difference. We invite you to explore careers at Vanderbilt Health, where we value collaboration, embrace continuous learning and foster an environment where everyone can thrive. We’re the largest private employer in Middle Tennessee, with a growing team and an expanding footprint across towns and communities throughout the region. We employ more than 43,000 people who work in inpatient and outpatient clinical care, research and graduate medical education. Our employees also serve in critical supporting roles in administration, information technology and informatics, finance, legal and community affairs, communications and marketing, fundraising, groundskeeping and facilities, and many other departments. Our growing academic health system has more than 2,100 licensed hospital beds at eight hospitals: Vanderbilt University Hospital Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital Vanderbilt Tullahoma‑Harton Hospital Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital Vanderbilt Health is the Mid‑South's largest provider of specialty care, with hundreds of outpatient clinic and surgical locations throughout the region, and Tennessee’s only National Cancer Institute‑designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for adults and children. We are one of the nation's busiest critical care centers, home to Middle Tennessee’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and Burn Center for adults and children, and Middle Tennessee’s only Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. We are the nation’s largest transplant center, and last year we performed the most heart transplants than any center worldwide. Vanderbilt Health is an epicenter for biomedical research, winning over $1 billion in annual research awards from government, industry, foundations and donors. We are also a national leader in medical training and education, with the largest clinical training center in the Mid‑South and the only training center in Tennessee for many adult and pediatric specialties. We’re honored to be consistently considered among the nation’s best hospitals for quality, safety and patient satisfaction. Three of our hospitals — Vanderbilt University Hospital, Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital and Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital — have been awarded a Five‑Star Quality Rating from Medicare. We support each other and encourage excellence among every member of our workforce. High‑achieving employees stay at Vanderbilt Health for professional growth opportunities, competitive compensation and benefits, and a sense of community and purpose. Join us in advancing health care. Our vision: The world leader in advancing personalized health Our mission: Personalizing the patient experience through our caring spirit and distinctive capabilities #J-18808-Ljbffr Montgomery College