Part - Time Community Engagement Coordinator I - MPS

Join the HJF Team!

HJF is seeking a remote bilingual (Korean and English) Part-Time Community Engagement Coordinator who resides in the D.C. metro area to support the 'Wero' study team. The successful candidate will leverage background knowledge of Korean community engagement and ethnic church settings to coordinate field activities for an American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)-funded task-shifting suicide prevention initiative. This is a 10 hour per week position that does not offer benefits aside from acrruing sick leave.

The Community Engagement Coordinator will assist in conducting a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a culturally and religiously tailored version of the "Soul Shop" outreach program, alongside the preliminary translation and adaptation of the "Engage Coaching" protocol for Korean American (KA) older adults experiencing social disconnection, loneliness, and depressive symptoms.

This position will support the Wero Study Team within the Suicide Care, Prevention, and Research Initiative (SCPR) Program in the Medical and Clinical Psychology (MPS) department within the Uniformed Services University Health Sciences (USUHS) in Bethesda, Maryland. The Suicide CPR Initiative is strategically in a unique position to focus on the problem of military suicide, given its origins at USU and its established partnerships with the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs, as well as national and international collaborators and stakeholders. Overall, the mission of the Suicide CPR Initiative is threefold: CARE: To develop effective interventions targeted at reducing suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors; PREVENTION: To save lives through education, intervention, science, and advocacy; RESEARCH: To advance suicide intervention science and practice.

The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (HJF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing military medicine. We serve military, medical, academic and government clients by administering, managing and supporting preeminent scientific programs that benefit members of the armed forces and civilians alike. Since its founding in 1983, HJF has served as a vital link between the military medical community and its federal and private partners. HJF's support and administrative capabilities allow military medical researchers and clinicians to maintain their scientific focus and accomplish their research goals.

Phase I Trial Operations, Assessment, and Cohort Retention (30% of Time)

• Coordinate on-the-ground research logistics for the Pilot RCT (N=50) evaluating the culturally adapted Soul Shop + Safety Monitoring and Management (SMM) protocol against SMM standalone conditions in local churches and senior centers.
• Administer focus groups and/or Pre-Training Assessments consisting of standardized clinical screeners for suicide literacy, suicide-related stigma, loneliness, and depressive symptoms.
• Track and manage participant data waves across monthly recruitment targets to maintain longitudinal cohort retention.
• Schedule and administer 1-month follow-up assessments evaluating changes in suicide literacy, stigma, social connection, and depressive symptoms.

Data Entry, Transcription Audit, and Mixed-Methods Analysis (30% of Time)

• Log, organize, and maintain digital participant folders and CONSORT study flow documentation per established trial protocols.
• Audit and verify the semantic accuracy of external Korean-to-Korean verbatim interview transcripts from faith leader focus groups and community informant sessions.
• Review project audio recordings to check adherence and deliverable fidelity to the adapted curriculum.
• Collaborate directly with the PI and Co-Investigator to review focus group data, write research memos, create inductive open codes, and extract themes using qualitative thematic analysis.

Faith Community Recruitment & Outreach Coordination (20% of Time)

• Liaise with Korean American churches to systematically distribute bilingual recruitment flyers through church announcements, bulletin boards, and senior ministry networks across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region.
• Build trusted, face-to-face rapport with older adults, church staff, and caregivers to confidently address inquiries and lower cultural help-seeking barriers associated with mental health stigma and shame-based norms.
• Conduct pre-screening eligibility interviews and execute formal informed consent procedures across phone, web-based, and face-to-face formats.

Administrative Compliance, Safety Monitoring, and CAB Support (15% of Time)

• Assist in executing the study's Safety Monitoring and Management (SMM) protocol; if a participant flags elevated risk or endorses suicidal thoughts, ensure rapid, confidential data flow to the project clinician for formal assessment and management.
• Support the administrative operation of the project's quarterly Community Advisory Board (CAB) meetings, capturing stakeholder feedback regarding linguistic tailoring, strength-based messaging, and visual communication aids.
• Maintain strict compliance with Institutional Review Board (IRB) confidentiality mandates and support the formatting of protocol amendments.

Phase II Adaptation & Reporting Support (5% of Time)

• Assist in formatting, translating, and organizing adapted Engage Coaching intervention manuals, training videos, and fidelity checklists for Phase II focus group reviews with KA faith leaders.
• Support the research team in assembling joint display tables and mixed-methods meta-inferences to inform future fully powered effectiveness trials.

Education and Experience

• High School degree required.
• 0 - 3 years experience required.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Minimum of 6 months of experience in human subject research coordination, or an equivalent combination of clinical, public health, or behavioral research experience.
• Full professional bilingual fluency (written and verbal) in both Korean and English.
• High level of comfort and deep cultural competence operating within regional Korean ethnic church ecosystems.
• Possession of independent, reliable personal transportation to travel to diverse church and community study sites across the DMV metropolitan region.
• Ability to maintain active eligibility for human subjects research by completing the Human Subjects Protection Program (HSPP) and NIH Good Clinical Practice training.
• Prior experience with qualitative analysis, inductive coding software, or running data integrity checks for behavioral health trials.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a T1/Public Trust background investigation.

Physical Capabilities

• Operating motor vehicle

Work Environment

• This position will take place primarily in an office setting.

Compensation

• The hourly pay rate for this position is $22.16.

Employment with HJF is contingent upon successful completion of a background check, which may include, but is not limited to, contacting your professional references, verification of previous employment, education and credentials, a criminal background check, and a department of motor vehicle (DMV) check if applicable. Any qualifications to be considered as equivalents, in lieu of stated minimums, require the prior approval of the Chief Human Resources Officer.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

Any qualifications to be considered as equivalents, in lieu of stated minimums, require the prior approval of the Chief Human Resources Officer.