Dependent Upon Qualifications Position Summary/Description:
Flexible work arrangements, including virtual/hybrid work locations, are an integral part of the School of Medicine's Working Forward initiative. As such, this position's work location is designated as hybrid. Please note that the designated work location is subject to change based on the unit's business needs. ShepsGME (Sheps Graduate Medical Education) Technical Assistance Centers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a portfolio of federal, state, and organization funded projects which develop, implement, and evaluate technical assistance infrastructure for supporting the development, expansion, and sustainability of graduate medical education ( GME ) training opportunities. The mission of ShepsGME is to reduce the maldistribution of physicians and dentists in rural and underserved areas by supporting the development of rural and health center residency programs. The Research Associate provides program management, project coordination, and outcomes evaluation support across a portfolio of externally-funded technical assistance and research programs at ShepsGME. The ShepsGME leadership team will rely on this position for the successful day-to-day management, monitoring, and evaluation of program activities. This position leads program and project management activities across multiple concurrent technical assistance projects, including coordinating tasks and timelines, monitoring deliverables against scope and budget, tracking grant and contract expenditures, and maintaining detailed project documentation such as work plans, reports, and meeting minutes. The Research Associate works independently to manage relationships with investigators, sponsors, partners, and program stakeholders, and coordinates and collaborates with complex, multi-institutional consortiums, multi-disciplinary units, and national organizations. Technical assistance process and outcomes tracking and evaluation are central components of program management and project coordination. As such, this position is responsible for developing and maintaining systems to track program performance and grant deliverables, collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data to assess program effectiveness, and preparing reports, dashboards, and presentations that communicate outcomes to funders, partners, and university leadership. The position also contributes to research activities that support this evaluation work, including literature reviews, survey and qualitative data collection, and assistance with manuscript and report preparation. This position must ensure adherence to federal, state, and university regulations.
Education and Experience:
Ideal candidate will have experience in graduate medical education, knowledge of best practices in program evaluation and performance monitoring, and demonstrated experience with evaluation and translational research principles, study design, and methods of data collection and analysis. Grant administration and proposal development experience and background in rural health is desired. Experience with project management platforms (e.g., Monday.com or similar) is highly preferred.
Essential Skills:
Qualified candidates must have excellent organizational and time management skills, with a proven ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities in a dynamic environment. Candidates must be familiar with quantitative and qualitative data analysis to support program monitoring and outcomes evaluation. Additionally, candidates must have the ability to handle changes in work volume and intensity; strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including the ability to present information clearly and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders; and strong problem-solving capabilities. Familiarity with grant-funded programs and federal reporting requirements is required. Proficiency in Microsoft Suite programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), project management/data tracking systems, and research databases is required.
AA/EEO Statement:
The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
