Bilingual Research Project Coordinator

Position Details

Dept Number/Name: 121900 – Communication Sciences & Disorders

Location: USF Tampa

Salary Plan: Administrative

Job Code/Title: 4728 / Clinical Research Associate

Hiring Salary/Salary Range: $51,000 - $60,000 

Position Number: 100051173

Work schedule: Onsite                                                                                         

Organizational Summary: 

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and USF Health. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF with its highest overall ranking in university history, as a top 50 public university for the seventh consecutive year and as one of the top 15 best values among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in the highest tier, placing it as one of the top 16 medical schools in the nation and inside the top 10 among public universities. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $750 million in research funding in 2025 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of nearly $10 billion for the state of Florida. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

University of South Florida's Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) is home to a world-class, multidisciplinary faculty of speech-language pathologists, audiologists, sign-language interpreters, linguists, hearing scientists and speech scientists. Together, we serve the diverse and growing Tampa Bay community through culturally and linguistically responsive care delivered across schools, medical centers, private practices and community settings. Our vision is to be a global leader in improving the quality of communication for people across the lifespan and promote access and inclusion within their communities. 

Position Description: 

The Bilingual Research Project Coordinator reports directly to the Chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and supports the daily coordination of research involving a new grant on the identification of language and reading disorders in 6-year-old children and communication with their families for the project LQYSQ. The coordinator develops and maintains relationships with schools, after-school programs, pediatric offices, libraries, community centers, family-serving organizations, and other local partners that can help connect eligible families with the study.

The coordinator communicates with families in English and Spanish, supports screening and enrollment, schedules study activities, maintains recruitment and participant records, coordinates research assistants and volunteers, and monitors progress toward enrollment goals. The position also supports REDCap records, IRB documentation, data quality, and general study organization. The employee must be energetic, approachable, culturally responsive, highly organized, and comfortable working independently in both office and community settings.

This position requires on-site presence and regular travel to locations within the community. The work should include regular daytime office coverage and flexibility for afternoon, evening, or occasional weekend community events, with corresponding schedule adjustments.

This position is grant funded and will be reviewed on a yearly basis.

Community outreach and relationship development

Develops and maintains relationships with schools, after-school programs, libraries, pediatric offices, community centers, family-serving programs, cultural organizations, and other community partners. Represents the study at meetings, presentations, family events, health fairs, and community activities. Explains the study in English or Spanish using approved information; distributes IRB-approved materials; identifies appropriate outreach opportunities; maintains a current community contact list; and conducts professional follow-up with community partners. Travels regularly to locations throughout the region.

Family engagement, screening, and enrollment support 

Communicates with interested and enrolled families in English and Spanish by telephone, email, text, video meeting, or in person. Responds to inquiries, conducts approved eligibility screening, schedules appointments, sends reminders, answers routine study questions, and supports participant retention. When appropriately trained and authorized under the IRB-approved study protocol, conducts the parental permission, child assent and assessment process. Documents family contacts accurately and maintains a welcoming, respectful, and culturally responsive experience.

Project organization and daily operations

Coordinates study calendars, participant appointments, rooms, supplies, equipment, outreach materials, and research assistant assignments. Maintains recruitment logs, participant files, REDCap records, enrollment dashboards, and weekly task lists. Tracks progress toward the study goal of 120 child-parent participants, including the English-speaking and Spanish-speaking/bilingual groups. Provides regular progress updates to the Department Chair and follows up on incomplete tasks or pending family contacts.

Research documentation, data quality, and team support 

Maintains current IRB-approved recruitment, screening, consent, assent, and study materials. Enters and reviews study information, performs routine quality-control checks, protects confidential information, and follows applicable IRB, HIPAA, university, and study requirements. Provides functional guidance to research assistants and volunteers, helps organize training and assignments, and recommends practical improvements to outreach, participant tracking, and study workflow.

Performs other duties as assigned.

• Minimum Qualifications: 
• Professional fluency in spoken and written English and Spanish. The employee must be able to communicate comfortably and clearly with English- and Spanish-speaking and bilingual families.
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in a field related to the position’s responsibilities, such as Communication Sciences and Disorders, Public Health, Education, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, Linguistics, Communications, Marketing, Family Studies, or a related field. 
• Demonstrated experience working directly with community members through employment, internships, service-learning, volunteer work, student organizations, schools, family programs, health programs, community organizations, or similar settings.
• Strong interpersonal, public-speaking, relationship-building, organization, and follow-up skills.
• Ability to initiate conversations, establish trust, maintain professional relationships, and represent the study positively in the community.
• Ability to travel locally and work occasionally in the afternoon, evening, or weekend events as needed.

• Ability to maintain confidential records and complete required research and university training.

   

• Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.
  • Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
  • SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
  • A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
  • (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
  • (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
  • (c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
  • (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
  • (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
  • Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
  • Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

Preferred Qualifications:

• The ideal candidate has a record of meaningful community involvement and can provide specific examples of building relationships, supporting children and families, presenting information, or helping connect people with services or programs. Experience working with children, parents, Spanish-speaking or bilingual families, schools, health care settings, cultural organizations, or family-serving programs is preferred.
• The ideal candidate is outgoing, dependable, culturally responsive, and comfortable initiating conversations with unfamiliar people. Strong public-speaking, interpersonal, organizational, follow-up, and problem-solving skills are preferred. 
• Research experience and familiarity with Microsoft Office, Teams, shared calendars, spreadsheets, REDCap, IRB documentation, social media, or research operations is helpful but may be learned through training.

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and USF Health. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF with its highest overall ranking in university history, as a top 50 public university for the seventh consecutive year and as one of the top 15 best values among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in the highest tier, placing it as one of the top 16 medical schools in the nation and inside the top 10 among public universities. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $750 million in research funding in 2025 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of nearly $10 billion for the state of Florida. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.