Research Coordinator I

Research Coordinator

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Keck School of Medicine

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Southern California is seeking a Research Coordinator I to help execute grant-funded research on substance use and other health-related behavioral and psychosocial domains with veterans and young adults under the supervision of Eric Pedersen, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

The Research Coordinator I will contribute to research efforts on projects aiming to decrease hazardous substance use behavior (e.g., heavy alcohol and cannabis use) and alleviate mental health symptoms (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder, disordered eating behaviors) through innovative brief online and mobile-based interventions with young adults and veterans. Current projects include a randomized controlled trial of a brief alcohol intervention targeting disordered eating behavior and heavy drinking among college students, a randomized controlled trial of an app that combines cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia and brief alcohol intervention content to help veterans improve their sleep and reduce their drinking, a randomized controlled trial of a brief online intervention to reduce prenatal cannabis use, and a longitudinal survey study examining substance use and mental health outcomes among women and racial/ethnic minority veterans.

There will be multiple opportunities to collaborate with researchers across the University of Southern California; primarily, with researchers in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, the Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, and the Institute for Addiction Science (IAS; ias.usc.edu). The start date is flexible, but priority will be given to candidates that can start on or before June 1, 2026.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Contribute to research endeavors, specifically for NIH-funded research projects related to brief online substance use interventions for veterans and young adults.

• Data collection, recruitment, online and in-person interviews, and survey data management.
• Data cleaning, measurement scoring, and preliminary data analyses.

• Perform comprehensive literature reviews and contribute to the preparation of peer-reviewed manuscripts, grants, and reports (opportunities for significant publications)

• Assist and perform statistical analysis and evaluation of research results.
• Design/program assessments using online survey software.
• Manage undergraduate and medical student research assistants.
• Manage tasks related to journal publications (e.g., copyediting)
• Oversee IRB submissions.
• Assist with administrative tasks, such as scheduling and note taking, and grant submissions.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Psychology or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum one-year research experience with a strong understanding and verifiable application of research methodology and data analysis.
• Strong writer in APA style.
• Familiarity and experience using online survey software (e.g., Qualtrics) encouraged.
• Demonstrated computer competency and knowledge of data cleaning. Familiarity with conducting data analysis and using data analysis software preferred.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively.

In your application, please include the following:

Cover Letter Statement of research interests Writing sample that best exemplifies your writing skills Resume/Curriculum Vitae  

Please also arrange to have three letters of recommendation if requested. You can read more about the research studies conducted in Dr. Pedersen’s lab at https://thepearl.usc.edu/

Work Location

This position is full-time, hybrid on-site, and the employee must report to work at the USC Health Science Campus in Los Angeles, CA when scheduled. Work hours and on-site days may be subject to change depending on business needs. 

Compensation

The hourly rate range for this position is $32.01 - $37.17 per hour. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations

USC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying. 

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at [email protected]. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

• Notice of Non-discrimination
• Employment Equity
• Read USC’s Clery Act Annual Security Report
• USC is a smoke-free environment
• Digital Accessibility

If you are a current USC employee, please apply to this  USC job posting in Workday by copying and pasting this link into your browser: