[Hiring] Research Support Assistant @Penn State University

Role Description

Biobehavioral Health is seeking applicants for a part-time Research Support Assistant position. This Research Support position assists with implementing a behavioral intervention study aimed at increasing optimism among midlife adults. The role involves:

• Delivering intervention sessions via Zoom
• Recruiting and coordinating participants
• Collecting and managing data
• Supporting day-to-day research activities under the supervision of the Principal Investigator and research staff

The research assistant will support a pilot study housed in the Biobehavioral Health Department at Penn State University. The study evaluates a new mind-body intervention designed to foster optimism, consisting of three components:

• Guided writing exercises
• Brief resistance training (air squats)
• Slow-paced breathing

The interventions are delivered remotely (via Zoom) for 30 minutes each day, five days a week, over a 4-week period for each participant. A primary focus of this role is to facilitate the Zoom sessions; therefore, candidates must be available for consistent 2-3 hour blocks each day (e.g., 5:00-8:00 p.m., Monday-Friday) and be willing to meet with participants occasionally on weekends.

Qualifications

• Interest in behavioral medicine and psychophysiology
• Strong interpersonal skills, particularly in virtual/Zoom-based communication
• Prior experience with participant-facing roles or data collection is preferred
• Reliability, professionalism, and attention to detail are essential

Requirements

• Deliver live, protocol-guided intervention sessions to participants via Zoom, including writing prompts, 2-minute air squats, and breathing exercises
• Recruit, screen, and schedule participants according to IRB-approved procedures
• Describe study goals, procedures, and privacy protections to participants; obtain informed consent as needed
• Collect self-report survey data and manage wearable data (e.g., fitness tracker output)
• Enter, clean, and organize participant data using REDCap or similar platforms
• Monitor intervention fidelity and participant adherence; maintain detailed records
• Attend weekly team meetings and contribute to study operations and troubleshooting
• Assist with IRB documentation and compliance tracking
• Perform other research-related activities as assigned by the Principal Investigator

Benefits

• The starting rate for this job is $18/hr.