Research Professional 3

The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health's Program in Health Disparities Research is seeking a highly motivated, detail-oriented, and proactive Research Professional III (RP3) to support a diverse portfolio of research focused on reducing health disparities and improving population health outcomes.

The successful candidate will work closely with principal investigators, research staff, clinical partners, and community stakeholders to coordinate, manage, and implement multiple concurrent research projects. This role requires strong organizational skills, the ability to manage competing priorities, and a commitment to high-quality, community-engaged research.
Key responsibilities include overseeing day-to-day project operations; supporting study design and protocol development; managing IRB submissions and regulatory documentation; coordinating participant recruitment and data collection across clinical and community settings; and ensuring adherence to study timelines, budgets, and deliverables. The RP3 will also assist with data management and analysis, prepare reports and manuscripts, and contribute to grant writing and progress reporting.

This position will play a critical role in facilitating collaboration across multidisciplinary teams, including clinicians, implementation scientists, and community partners. The ideal candidate will have experience in health services research, implementation science, or community-engaged research, and demonstrate strong communication skills, cultural responsiveness, and the ability to translate research into practice. This is an excellent opportunity for a candidate seeking to contribute to impactful, equity-focused research while gaining experience in project leadership, stakeholder engagement, and real-world implementation of evidence-based interventions.

This is a temporary position expected to last through December 31, 2027 with the possibility of extension based on satisfactory performance, availability of work, and departmental/ grant funding.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Literature Review and Research Support (25%):

• Independently conduct comprehensive reviews of existing literature related to specified research topics, including scholarly articles, books, conference papers, and other relevant sources.
• Summarize and critically analyze literature to identify knowledge gaps, emerging trends, and opportunities for future research.
• Maintain organized and well-documented records of literature sources, summaries, and analyses for future reference, reporting, and manuscript development.
• Collaborate with investigators and the research team to integrate literature review findings into broader research projects and grant development efforts.

Data Collection, Analysis, and Study Coordination (30%):

• Lead and manage all aspects of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis, including oversight of primary data collection activities with research personnel.
• Continuously update, refine, and improve data collection tools, study materials, and research protocols to ensure quality and consistency.
• Oversee participant recruitment efforts, including the preparation of recruitment materials and coordination with clinic and community partners.
• Monitor study progress, recruitment milestones, and project deliverables to ensure timely completion of project goals and objectives.
• Work closely with investigators and community partners to support efficient project implementation and milestone management.

Regulatory Development and Compliance (25%):

• Provide regulatory oversight and support for research studies, including drafting and managing IRB protocols, consent and assent forms, continuing reviews, amendments, and required reporting documents.
• Ensure accurate and timely maintenance of study documentation in compliance with institutional, sponsor, and federal research policies and procedures.
• Support the development of standardized research workflows and documentation practices to improve study efficiency and regulatory compliance.

Team Collaboration and Scholarly Dissemination (20%):

• Participate in research meetings, prepare meeting agendas and notes, and support coordination across investigators, staff, and community partners.
• Assist with training, mentoring, and supervision of student workers and other research personnel.
• Contribute to and manage scholarly products, including manuscript preparation, conference presentations, reports, and dissemination materials.
• Assist with manuscript writing and dissemination activities when applicable to support timely research output and publication goals.
  
  

All required qualifications must be documented on application materials.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• BA/BS degree plus at least four years of relevant experience, or a combination of education and relevant work experience to equal at least eight years.
• Ability to work independently and with a team.
• Detail-oriented with excellent interpersonal, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience conducting qualitative research studies or being a project manager/research coordinator on a qualitative study.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct literature reviews, critically analyze academic articles, and synthesize information.
• Strong social sciences research methods skills, particularly with qualitative and quantitative data.
• Strong written and oral communications skills in terms of reporting out results.
• Strong teamwork skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience working with low-income audiences or diverse populations; a strong orientation to health equity work and research.
• Experience participating in data collection for research, including recruitment, survey development, and conducting interviews.
• Experience using analytical software programs (e.g., Excel, NVivo, Covidence, Stata, R, Python).
• Education or coursework in Public Health and/or Psychology related disciplines.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office, PCs, and various internet search engines.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse group of individuals, including graduate students, administrative staff, educators, and faculty.
• Exceptional organizational skills, planning, and problem-solving.
• Ability to be a self-starter and work independently.

The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota was created more than 50 years ago in response to a legislative mandate to train primary care physicians. Since then, we have been leaders in transforming the specialty through education, research, and patient care. We are the academic sponsor of seven family medicine residencies-five in the Twin Cities, two in Greater Minnesota. We are involved in medical student education activities across the Medical School's two campuses: Twin Cities and Duluth. We sponsor five fellowship programs-sports medicine, hospice and palliative medicine, behavioral medicine, clinical informatics, and human sexuality- and offer continuing medical education opportunities. We are regularly among the top National Institutes of Health-funded family medicine departments. Our faculty are actively researching health disparities, healthcare delivery, and population health. More at https://med.umn.edu/familymedicine.

Pay Range: $29.93-33.65 per hour; and we anticipate most offers will be around the midpoint of this range, depending on education and experience.

Time Appointment: 75% + appointment

Position Type: Civil-Service

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Voluntary Disability
• Employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by Forbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employer for Women (2023), and Best Employer by State (2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence & Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work-life flexibility.