Soc/Clin Research Specialist-CIDD

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks that include numerous retail and restaurant discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates for performing arts events.

Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education and research.

Patient care: We promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond.

Education: We prepare tomorrow`s healthcare professionals and biomedical researchers from all backgrounds by facilitating learning within innovative and integrated curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education to ensure a highly skilled workforce.

Research: We develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers and resources. We provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our university to support outstanding research. We foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic and population research.

Flexible work arrangements, including virtual/hybrid work locations, are an integral part of the School of Medicine's Working Forward initiative. As such, this position's work location is designated as hybrid. Please note that the designated work location is subject to change based on the unit's business needs.

Our goal is to help clinical care teams provide more efficient, effective, and family-centered care that optimizes quality of life and well-being for children with I/DD and their families. We are seeking to incorporate a team member with lived experience of raising and caring for a transition-aged 13-26 year old individual with diagnoses of Epilepsy and an intellectual/developmental disability ( IDD) to provide support for individuals and families served directly through the Whole Brain Health Clinic through the Department of Neurology. In addition, this Family Navigator (FN) will be linked to the CIDD Family Support Services team and will interface with the continually expanding network of UNC and NC based system family navigators via separate yet related projects .
This position will serve as system navigator and will have lived experience in the direct care of an individual(s) with I/DD and will have a strong working knowledge of the NC I/DD system. The FN duties and roles include and are not limited to the following: Supporting families (with emphasis on families served through the Whole Brain Health Clinic and whom are navigating transition from pediatric to adult healthcare, academic, vocational and community-based service systems) directly in their healthcare, I/DD, and Mental Health (MH) system navigation needs, work with relevant referring UNC pediatric medical providers, liaison and develop key partners in the relevant Managed Care Organizations and other key agencies such as NC START, area provider agencies (Easter Seals, ARC, ASNC, etc.), support the teaching of other UNC pediatricians, adult healthcare providers and resident physicians, medical students, and LEND trainees about the I/DD system and common I/DD support needs, and interface with other FNs from related projects at UNC, Duke, and elsewhere, assist in the ongoing development of FN training materials, assist in the tracking and monitoring and reporting of key outcomes. This position will also support a broader system of families through technical assistance, telehealth consultative services, resource sharing, and through podcast. Additional responsibilities include conducting needs assessment with patients and family to identify needed resources, communicate identified needs with practice staff, build and provide tailored support for practices, initiate and respond to contact from families and community service providers, receive and track referrals and outcomes of support provided, demonstrate accurate, clear, professional, and timely communication, and engage in regularly scheduled team meetings, peer support, and supervision. This position is part time, approximately 20 hours/week.

Bachelor's degree in a discipline related to the field assigned and one year of related training or experience; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Have 'lived experience' as a primary caregiver, decision maker, and navigation of the system for a child/adolescent/young adult with IDD. Have or be willing to obtain Family Peer Specialist Certification.

Preferred skills include proficiency using Microsoft Word, Microsoft Teams, and Excel, strong written and verbal communication skills, Spanish speaking, demonstration of personal and professional integrity and a willingness to be a part of a positive and collaborative work environment.

An interdisciplinary perspective is preferred along with experiences in culturally competent and family centered care, especially with medically underserved children/families. A background in professional development experiences, measurement and evaluation, data keeping, and experience in aspects of working with families and individuals with developmental disabilities and/or significant medical issues navigating systems of care.

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (919) 843-2300 or send an email to employment@unc.edu

Please note: The Office of Human Resources will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.