Research Coordinator 1 - Spine Surgical Outcomes

Job Description

The Department of Neurological Surgery has an outstanding opportunity for a Research Coordinator 1 to join their team.

About this Opportunity

Reporting to Dr. Anubhav Amin, the Research Coordinator 1 is responsible for coordinating spine patient outcomes and clinical research by tracking surgical patients over time, collecting and maintaining clinical and patient-reported outcomes data, ensuring data quality, and supporting research, quality improvement, and scholarly activities across the Department of Neurological Surgery. The role also supports regulatory compliance and IRB processes, collaborates with multidisciplinary clinical and research teams, and helps evaluate and improve the effectiveness, safety, and quality of spine care through outcomes-focused research and data analysis.

Key Responsibilities

Spine Patient Outcomes & Clinical Research Coordination – 60%

• Coordinate longitudinal clinical outcomes tracking for patients undergoing spine surgery across UW Medicine.
• Identify eligible patients for approved spine outcomes research, quality improvement initiatives, registries, and other outcomes-focused projects.
• Track patients across relevant preoperative, perioperative, postoperative, and longitudinal follow-up time points.
• Abstract and maintain clinical information from Epic and other approved data sources, including patient demographics, diagnoses, comorbidities, neurological status, surgical procedures, hospital course, complications, length of stay, readmissions, reoperations, and other relevant clinical outcomes.
• Coordinate collection and tracking of patient-reported outcome measures and other measures of pain, neurological function, functional status, recovery, quality of life, and treatment effectiveness, as applicable to departmental initiatives and approved research protocols.
• Monitor completeness of longitudinal outcomes data and proactively identify missing follow-up information or data requiring clarification.
• Enter, clean, validate, and maintain spine outcomes data in REDCap and other approved clinical or research databases.
• Perform routine data-quality reviews to ensure the accuracy, completeness, consistency, and integrity of patient-level outcomes data.
• Work closely with spine surgeons, advanced practice providers, clinical staff, and research personnel to clarify clinical information and resolve data discrepancies.
• Develop, maintain, and refine outcomes databases, data dictionaries, collection tools, and patient-tracking processes.
• Support evaluation of outcomes for complex spine and spinal oncology patients, including patients requiring multidisciplinary management across spine surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology, rehabilitation, and other specialties.
• Track measures related to the patient care pathway, including diagnosis, referral, imaging, multidisciplinary consultation, surgical treatment, postoperative care, and follow-up, as applicable to approved research and quality improvement initiatives.
• Prepare datasets, summaries, and basic reports to support faculty review of patient outcomes, surgical quality, clinical trends, and research questions.
• Support faculty and clinical teams in identifying trends, gaps, and opportunities for further clinical review, quality improvement, or research.
• Assist with implementation and evaluation of clinical protocols and quality improvement initiatives designed to improve the consistency, safety, timeliness, and effectiveness of spine surgical care.
• Support outcomes-focused clinical research examining surgical effectiveness, complications, functional recovery, patient-reported outcomes, patient experience, and other measures of quality and treatment effectiveness.
• Assist with data preparation and research activities supporting abstracts, presentations, manuscripts, grant submissions, and other scholarly work related to spine patient outcomes.

Regulatory & Research Compliance – 20%

• Assist with the preparation, submission, and maintenance of IRB applications for spine outcomes and related clinical research, including new applications, modifications, continuing reviews, and study closures.
• Maintain required regulatory documents and study files in accordance with UW, sponsor, and federal requirements.
• Track IRB approvals, reporting requirements, deadlines, and required study updates.
• Support compliance with human-subjects research requirements, patient privacy standards, data-security requirements, and approved research protocols.
• Assist with preparation and maintenance of research documentation and data-management procedures.
• Perform or support data-quality reviews and audits to ensure adherence to approved research protocols and established data standards.
• Coordinate with faculty investigators and departmental research personnel regarding regulatory requirements and study documentation.
• Maintain familiarity with applicable UW research policies, procedures, and systems and communicate requirements to project participants as appropriate.

Spine Outcomes Program & Departmental Support – 10%

• Serve as a liaison among spine faculty, advanced practice providers, clinical teams, trainees, and departmental research staff regarding patient outcomes data and related initiatives.
• Coordinate with multidisciplinary clinical partners involved in the care of complex spine patients, as appropriate to assigned outcomes and research projects.
• Support faculty review and discussion of clinical outcomes, quality measures, and patient-care trends.
• Assist with preparation of reports, presentations, abstracts, manuscripts, and other scholarly products related to spine patient outcomes and clinical research.
• Support residents, fellows, students, and other trainees participating in spine outcomes and patient-care research projects.
• Participate in meetings related to spine patient outcomes, clinical research, multidisciplinary care, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Assist with development and refinement of workflows that improve the efficiency, completeness, and usefulness of patient outcomes data.
• Support other programmatic activities that advance the Department’s spine outcomes, quality improvement, research, and patient-care missions.

Other Duties as Assigned – 10%

• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the Department of Neurological Surgery’s clinical research and patient outcomes programs.
• Provide support for other clinical outcomes studies and departmental research projects as operational needs require.
• Assist with other research-related departmental activities and projects as assigned.

Required Qualifications

To be considered for this opportunity your application must demonstrate you meet both the minimum qualifications and additional qualifications listed below. Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences, public health, biology, psychology, health sciences, or a related discipline and one year of relevant clinical research, clinical data, or healthcare experience.
• Applicants who do not meet these qualifications WILL NOT be forwarded to the Hiring Manager.

Additional Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience with clinical or research data collection, abstraction, entry, validation, and quality control.
• Ability to review, interpret, and accurately abstract information from electronic medical records and other clinical documentation.
• Strong attention to detail and demonstrated ability to maintain a high degree of accuracy when working with complex patient-level data.
• Ability to manage longitudinal data collection, multiple projects, competing priorities, and time-sensitive deadlines in a fast-paced clinical and research environment.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with physicians, advanced practice providers, clinical staff, researchers, trainees, and multidisciplinary partners.
• Sound judgment and demonstrated ability to independently identify data discrepancies, investigate issues, and appropriately escalate questions or concerns.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriately manage protected health information and sensitive research data.
• Ability to work in clinical environments, including operating rooms and other patient-care areas, as required.
• Must be able to obtain appropriate Operating Room clearance and maintain required immunizations and other clinical access requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting spine surgery, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, oncology, or another surgical outcomes program in an academic medical center or hospital environment.
• Experience collecting or managing patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and longitudinal clinical outcomes data.
• Experience abstracting surgical, postoperative, complication, readmission, reoperation, functional, or quality-of-life outcomes from electronic medical records.
• Experience with Epic, REDCap, or comparable electronic medical record and clinical research data systems.
• Experience supporting clinical outcomes research, quality improvement initiatives, clinical registries, or retrospective or prospective clinical studies.
• Familiarity with IRB submissions, human-subjects research requirements, and clinical research regulatory processes.
• Experience preparing clinical datasets, reports, abstracts, presentations, manuscripts, or other research outputs.
• Familiarity with spine surgical terminology, diagnoses, procedures, spinal oncology, and clinical outcomes is preferred.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary clinical teams and coordinating data or research activities across specialties is preferred.

Compensation, Benefits and Position Details

Pay Range Minimum:

$55,944.00 annual

Pay Range Maximum:

$58,992.00 annual

Other Compensation:

-

Benefits:

For information about benefits for this position, visit https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-uw-staff/

Shift:

First Shift (United States of America)

Temporary or Regular?

This is a regular position

FTE (Full-Time Equivalent):

100.00%

Union/Bargaining Unit:

UAW Research

About the UW 

Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives – on our campuses, in our state and around the world.

UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

Our Commitment 

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu. 

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.