Institutional Review Board Specialist

Position Summary

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) Specialist position will work in the Strategic Research and Analytics unit and report to the Dean of Student Success Research. The IRB Specialist will apply knowledge of the human subject research regulations and institutional policies to support the Institutional Review Board at Dallas College, ensuring compliance. The specialist will also organize IRB meetings, facilitate the review of IRB submissions, and develop and maintain the IRB website.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to analyze, interpret and explain policies, regulations, and guidelines to others.

• Strong computer skills, particularly with MS Excel, Word, and Adobe Acrobat, and familiarity working in a database environment.

• Strong, developed critical thinking, project planning, and time management skills.

• Excellent organizational skills (with the ability to prioritize and manage a large volume of work) and attention to detail.

• Ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and concisely.

• Ability to work cooperatively with others.

• Ability to develop new systems or procedures to resolve problems.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently and follow through on assignments with minimal direction or supervision.

• Demonstrated ability to complete projects within established time frames.

• Demonstrated organizational skills and high degree of attention to detail.

• High degree of personal integrity and ethics with uncompromising standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct pre-review analysis of Initial, Modification, and Renewal applications and evaluate and analyze them to identify human subjects research issues and ensure the submissions are ready for review.

• Review to include FDA-regulated research.

• Assist investigators by interpreting applicable policies, procedures, guidelines, federal regulations, and other compliance-related requirements and advising them on how to comply.

• Serve as a subject matter expert for investigators.

• Manage the administrative operations of the IRB.

• Oversee agendas for IRB committee meetings, quarterly IRB educational meetings, and weekly review meetings with the IRB Chair and Dean of Student Success Research.

• Identify outreach and educational opportunities for IRB members, SRA staff, and Dallas College investigators.

• Plan and present educational workshops and seminars on various IRB-related topics as assigned.

• Works with new IRB member orientation and training along with continuing education for current IRB, faculty/staff, and students.

• Review, recommend, and revise applicable policies, standard operating procedures, work instructions, guidance, checklists, forms, and other documents to ensure compliance with applicable ethical principles, standards, regulations, guidelines, and policies.

• Generate reports to track office operations, protocol submission trends, and reviewer efficiency, and provide input and suggest changes to workflow processes for all areas of responsibility to improve efficiency.

• Develops, maintains, and expands a working knowledge of current state and federal regulations, guidelines, and trends influencing the conduct of human subject research.

• Collaborates with developing, creating, and revising electronic submission forms in the online system.

• Develop and maintain the IRB website.

• Other projects as assigned.

• Completes required Dallas College Professional Development training hours per academic year.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Physical Requirements

Normal physical job functions are performed within a standard office environment. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with physical challenges to perform the essential duties and responsibilities.

Minimum Qualifications