Position Description

The research assistant will engage in multiple initiatives that strive to improve the health and well-being of children and parents throughout Long Island communities and nationally. Our work falls into multiple domains: clinical research, community engagement, and health advocacy. The research assistant will be an integral member of our team in the Department of Pediatrics under Dr. Henry Bernstein, participating in all components of all projects.

Responsibilities

Clinical Research

Take the lead in managing and executing all facets of a clinical study.

• Research topics currently include: Breastfeeding promotion, Pediatric Vaccine Hesitancy.
• Recruiting, enrolling, and following patients for all study visits.
• Interacting with patients in the clinic to collect and manage data.
• Developing and modifying clinical flow (surveys, scripts, data collection methods).
• Participating in data analysis, presentation, and publication.

Community Engagement

Actively contribute to developing, implementing, and evaluating breastfeeding/chestfeeding promotion initiatives at multiple community-based practice sites.

• Support and distribute affordable and accessible breastfeeding/chestfeeding resources.
• Collaborate with healthcare practices, worksites, and community spaces to create lactation-friendly environments.
• Complete in-person site evaluations to monitor progress and outcome measures.
• Manage project-related marketing, community outreach, social media relations, and cross-collaborations.
• Provide support to the team, including scheduling and preparing for meetings, trainings, and presentations.

Academic Opportunities

• Draft and edit grant proposals and research study manuscripts.
• Review, edit, and write pediatric/ health policy/ health advocacy presentations and manuscripts, relating to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) policy, Grand Rounds, pediatric online resources, and more.
• Attend relevant training and conferences on pediatric health promotion and/or breastfeeding support.

Qualifications

Candidates for this position should have:

• Strong teamwork, communication, and organizational skills
• Excitement for pediatrics, women’s health, and public health policy work
• Meticulous attention to detail and strong writing skills
• Ability to be self-driven, work independently, and take initiative on multiple projects
• Willingness to adjust work hours and extend the workday to meet deadlines, attend meetings, and participate in evening and weekend activities
• Experience coordinating meetings, organizing meeting notes, creating agendas, and other administrative tasks
• Minimum 1-year commitment required
• Intent to apply to graduate or medical school

Preferred:

• Previous research experience
• Spanish proficiency
• Access to a car and a valid driver’s license

RA position is per diem at $20 per hour, without fringe benefits (e.g., health insurance).
Expected Start Date: Early June

Interested applicants should send their cover letter (addressed to Dr. Bernstein) and a resume to [email protected]. Please respond no later than February 10, 2025. Letters of Recommendation (2) may be requested. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Additionally, feel free to contact any of the current research assistants, Angela Cabrera ([email protected]), Anusha Panjwani ([email protected]), and Sara Popofsky ([email protected]), with any questions regarding the position.