EPI Interviewer II

The Public Health Institute (PHI) is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health, well-being, and quality of life for people throughout California, across the nation and around the world. As one of the largest and most comprehensive public health organizations in the nation, we are at the forefront of research and innovations to improve the efficacy of public health statewide, nationally, and internationally.

PHI was distinguished as one of the top 50 "Best Non-Profit Organizations to Work For" by the Non-Profit Times in a national search.

SUMMARY

The EPI Interviewer II will work on an established research team conducting a longitudinal study of sober living houses (SLHs) in Los Angeles (LA) County. All study participants will have recently entered a sober living house in LA County within the past 30 days. This NIH-funded project will examine how cannabis use is related to recovery outcomes among SLH residents, assess why individuals who live in SLHs use cannabis and how this aligns with their recovery, and identify the range of current cannabis use policies and practices in SLHs.

This study will interview approximately 400 SLH residents across three timepoints over 12 months (baseline, 6-month follow-up, and 12-month follow-up), with additional contact verification at 3 and 9 months. A subsample of 30 residents will also participate in qualitative interviews. The EPI Interviewer II will also coordinate with house managers to collect information about participating houses, including qualitative interviews with up to 35 house managers.

The ability to comfortably interact and develop trust with a diverse range of people is essential for this position. Interviews will include questions about sensitive and personal information including substance use, mental health, sexual orientation, criminal justice involvement, and medical history. Participants have the right to skip any question and to withdraw at any time, and interviewers must communicate and uphold these rights throughout the study. Having the initiative to locate hard-to-find respondents and the ability to conduct interviews in a variety of locations, including SLH facilities, participants' rooms, private areas within SLHs, community locations such as coffee shops and parks, and by phone, will be important.

This is a full-time position eligible for benefits.

This position is home-based but requires regular travel to SLH sites throughout the LA area and surrounding communities. Standard work schedule is primarily Monday-Friday during business hours (40 hours/week), with flexibility for some evenings and weekends.

Full pay range for this position: $24.15 to $33.65 per hour. The typical hiring range for this position is from $24.15 (minimum) to $28.90 (midpoint) per hour. The starting wage is determined using a variety of factors, such as the candidate's knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as internal equity consideration and budget availability.

Employment Type: Full Time

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

• Recruits houses to participate as recruitment sites for the study, regularly contacts houses to find out about new residents, and advertises study within the houses.
• Conducts in-person, phone, and video interviews with SLH residents at SLH facilities, community locations, or other settings chosen to ensure participant privacy and comfort; reschedules appointments if a suitable private space is unavailable.
• Administers quantitative surveys via a secure web-based data collection platform, entering all data under the participant's unique study ID.
• Conducts semi-structured qualitative interviews with a subsample of residents and with house managers; manages audio recording equipment and uploads recordings promptly to the study's secure SharePoint site.
• Obtains informed consent from all participants prior to any study procedures, clearly communicating the voluntary nature of participation, confidentiality protections, compensation, and participants' right to skip questions or withdraw at any time without consequence to their housing status.
• Collects and maintains participant locator information in the study's HIPAA-compliant participant tracking platform, under strict confidentiality protocols.
• Contacts participants at 3 and 9 months to verify and update contact information, and schedules and conducts follow-up interviews at 6 and 12 months.
• Locates hard-to-find respondents for follow-up interviews using multiple contact methods including phone, email, locator contacts, and other approved tracking strategies.
• Coordinates with house managers to maintain good relationships and facilitate access to participating SLHs; clearly communicates to house managers that study participation is voluntary and not a condition of residency.
• Disburses and tracks participant compensation in accordance with Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols and PHI financial procedures; submits reimbursement requests within 30 days of incurring an expense.
• Follows the study's crisis response protocol, including providing crisis resources and notifying the Principal Investigator (PI).
• Maintains strict confidentiality of all participant information; stores all data on PHI-approved, encrypted platforms; never stores identifying information on personal devices; refers to participants by study ID only in communications and documentation.
• Uses only PHI-approved, study-issued devices for all study activities; never accesses, stores, or transmits participant data on personal devices or personal email accounts; ensures study devices are password-protected and never left unattended or unsecured in the field.
• Accesses participant identifying information only to the extent necessary to perform assigned study duties (minimum necessary standard).
• Promptly reports any actual or suspected breach of participant confidentiality or data security to the PI.
• Understands the study's Certificate of Confidentiality and its implications, including the prohibition on disclosing participant information in response to legal demands except as required by law.
• Completes all required training prior to initiating study activities, including CITI human subjects research training, PHI-specific confidentiality training, study Manual of Procedures (MOP) training, and any additional training required by the IRB or NIH.
• Signs and adheres to a study confidentiality agreement prior to accessing any participant data or study materials.
• Reviews completed questionnaires and data for accuracy; assists with data management and general administrative tasks.
• Adheres to all IRB-approved protocols, PHI policies, and the study Manual of Procedures (MOP).
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Minimum Qualifications

• 1 year of research experience conducting in-person interviews in community or fieldwork settings.
• High school diploma.

Other Qualifications

• Experience administering psychosocial research measures including standard measures of substance use, mental health, criminal justice history, demographics, and sexual behavior.
• Experience tracking and locating hard-to-find respondents for longitudinal follow-up.
• Experience with human subjects research protocols, informed consent procedures, and IRB compliance.
• Familiarity with HIPAA confidentiality requirements and experience handling sensitive participant data.
• Comfort interviewing individuals about substance use, mental health, and other sensitive topics in a non-judgmental manner.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of participant information and follow data security protocols, including use of secure, encrypted platforms.
• Must complete CITI human subjects research training and study-specific confidentiality training prior to study initiation.
• Must sign a confidentiality agreement as a condition of employment on this study.
• Ability to work independently in a wide variety of community settings while maintaining professional and ethical standards.
• Strong organizational skills with high attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to develop trust with a diverse range of participants.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (including SharePoint), web-based data collection platforms, and ability to troubleshoot basic computer issues.
• Creative, resourceful, and self-motivated.
• Must maintain a valid California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) driver's license, reliable personal vehicle, vehicle registration, and minimum statutory insurance liability coverage as required by the state law. Proof of valid driver's license and personal auto insurance required upon hire.
• Must have the ability to travel throughout Los Angeles County to conduct interviews at various community locations, including sober living homes and other off-site facilities. Mileage reimbursement will be provided.
• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Must be able to pass the background checks required by this position.

The Public Health Institute is committed to a policy that provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition including genetic characteristics, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identification and expression, sexual orientation, and to make all employment decisions so as to further this principle of equal employment opportunity. To this end, the PHI will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition including genetic characteristics, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identification and expression, sexual orientation, and will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are offered employment and employees are treated during employment without regard to these characteristics.

For further information regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, copy and paste the following URL into your web browser: http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf

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We're so pleased the Public Health Institute is an organization you would like to work with. Do you have questions about this opportunity? If so, email our recruitment team at Recruitment@phi.org.

Additional information about PHI's benefits and compensation offerings can be found here.

The Public Health Institute is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Recruitment Team at least 48 hours in advance at Recruitment@phi.org.