Field Research Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

The Field Research Supervisor leads the clinical research activities of protocols under the Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine investigating Long COVID and the clinical course of acute COVID-19. The incumbent supervises daily field operations for observational and interventional studies, including field activities conducted in household settings throughout the San Francisco Bay Area involving recently COVID-positive index cases and their close contacts. The Supervisor trains and oversees study staff, coordinates day-to-day operations, and accounts for the overall administration of assigned protocols, exercising a high degree of autonomy and independent judgment. The position reports to, and may be supported by, Program Managers overseeing broader related study portfolios.

The Supervisor directs Clinical Research Coordinators, data analysts, and study clinicians to meet project deliverables and ensures compliance with human-subjects protocols, standard operating procedures, Good Clinical Practice, and applicable regulations. Working with the project team, the Supervisor resolves operational issues, monitors team progress, sets priorities, and holds regular staff meetings to provide training and quality assurance. 

The Supervisor maintains study-related forms and procedures and updates them as operations evolve. Partnering with Program Managers across the Division, the Supervisor ensures projects are accurately represented and appropriately prioritized, and coordinates with the finance team on budget management, monthly invoice review, and participant-reimbursement oversight. 

The incumbent may have central responsibility for ensuring IRB approval and compliance, contract generation, negotiation and approval, subject recruitment, appropriate study testing, and adequate enrollment of multicenter clinical trials, longitudinal cohort studies, local investigator-initiated studies, and biorepository efforts. This is a position of leadership whose main purpose is to ensure that clinical research commitments are met and that the programs maintain a reputation for excellence in all activities.

Department Overview:

ABOUT DIVISION OF HIV, INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND GLOBAL MEDICINE

The Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) is an internationally recognized global leader in clinical care, research, and education. With its home-base located at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (ZSFG), the Division has been ranked as the top facility in the country for AIDS care since 1983. The Division's work is featured frequently in the media, and it is often visited by numerous international, national, state, and local dignitaries and delegations. The Division consists of approximately 36 faculty members, 11 fellows/postdoctoral scholars and 170 academic and staff employees.  It is the largest Division of the Department of Medicine (DOM) at ZSFG, with a total expenditure budget of approximately $52 million dollars.

Required Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training

• 3+ years of relevant experience with 1+ years of management/supervisory experience

• Working knowledge of safety, legal, cultural and regulatory requirements relative to field research responsibility

• Demonstrates skills in report preparation and research protocols

• Solid analytical and problem-solving skills              

• Demonstrated communication skills with research partners and project team members

• Experienced in phlebotomy and biological sample collection          

• Fluent in Spanish

• Ability and willingness to travel to participant homes and community settings to conduct in-home study visits

• Ability to travel to and work in person at multiple UCSF sites including 333 Gellert Blvd, Daly City, CA 94105

Required Licenses and Certifications:       

• California Certified Phlebotomy Technician 1 (CPT-1) or equivalent license to perform phlebotomy in the State of California

• Legal Driver's license

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training preferred

• Working knowledge of research discipline, principles, concepts, analysis and / or operations being conducted at field / remote sites

• Demonstrated knowledge of local customs, facility management and operations at field / remote sites

• Skills in budget preparation and monitoring, record-keeping and equipment inventory control

• Demonstrated skills in interpersonal communication, motivation of staff and team building

• Demonstrated computer competency

• Demonstrated supervisory skills in hiring new employees, salary actions, terminations, and performance ratings

• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strategic relationships and partnerships with remote research partners

• % 

  of time

  Essential Function (Yes/No)

    

  Key Responsibilities

  (To be completed by Supervisor)

  50

  Yes

  Study coordination and field-based clinical research operations

  • Identify, screen, recruit and consent eligible participants, including those with COVID-19, into research studies. Clearly explain study timeline and requirements in Spanish and English.
  • Safely conduct home specimen collection (blood; nasal swabs and stool) visits for study subjects who reside in the SF Bay Area using a car rental.
  • Conduct study visits in participant homes and/or clinic settings, including collection of study data, completion of source documentation, and protocol-required assessments.
  • Perform phlebotomy, specimen collection, and handling, and ensure all collected specimens are delivered to appropriate laboratories for processing.
  • Attend meetings with sponsors, program managers, and Principal Investigators to provide study updates, discuss project progress, address operational challenges, and support ongoing study coordination and communication.

  20

  Yes

  Staff supervision

  • Supervise and support Clinical Research Coordinators and field staff during study visits and daily research operations.
  • Provide training and guidance on study protocols, participant interactions, specimen collection, documentation, and regulatory compliance.
  • Conduct performance check-ins, provide ongoing feedback, and contribute to annual performance evaluations for direct reports.
  • Participate in hiring decisions, including interviewing candidates and onboarding new Clinical Research Coordinators and field staff.
  • Assist with staff scheduling, workflow coordination, and quality assurance for field-based research activities.

  10

  Yes

  Regulatory - IRB, study sponsor requirements

  • Assist PI and PM in maintaining and updating regulatory documents, study binders, informed consent forms, and protocol-related materials.
  • Assist with IRB submissions, protocol amendments, continuing reviews, protocol deviations, adverse event reporting, and sponsor-required regulatory documentation.
  • Generate study updates, reports, and correspondence for investigators, sponsors, and regulatory entities.
  • Ensure timely reporting of serious adverse events (SAEs) and unanticipated problems involving risks to subjects or others within IRB- and sponsor-required timelines.

  10

  Yes

  Financial Management

  • Ensure appropriate and accurate charges are applied to the correct study fund. Work directly with accounting department to set up new systems for funding needs as they arise, including developing purchase orders for necessary goods/services.
  • Setup and maintain petty cash fund as well as check requests for research subject stipends. Follow proper subject reimbursement procedures.
  • Assist with budget tracking, invoice preparation, and financial reporting related to study operations.
  • Support effort reporting and grant-compliance documentation for federally funded studies (NIH and other sponsors).

  10

  Yes

  Inventory Management

  • Manage inventory of study supplies, medications, laboratory kits, and field equipment required for participant visits.
  • Monitor stock levels and coordinate ordering, restocking, and distribution of study materials, while ensuring proper storage.

  100%

   (To update total %, enter the amount of time in whole numbers (without the % symbol - e.g., 15, 20) then highlight the total sum (e.g., 1%) at the bottom of the column and press F9. The total sum should add up to 100%.)