Research Associate Implementation Science

About the Role

RTI Health Solutions (RTI-HS) is seeking a motivated and highly collaborative Research Associate Implementation Science to support the growth and execution of our Implementation Science Program. This entry-level role is ideal for a candidate with a bachelor’s or master’s degree who is interested in implementation science, applied health research, healthcare delivery, or quality improvement. You will work closely with senior researchers to support project execution, literature synthesis, mixed-methods research, site-based activities, stakeholder engagement, proposal development, and coordination across multidisciplinary teams. You will receive guidance while building skills across the research lifecycle and contributing directly to high-quality client deliverables.

Key Responsibilities

Research Execution and Technical Contribution

• Support the design, implementation, and evaluation of implementation science projects.
• Conduct landscape assessments, literature reviews, environmental scans, and other evidence-synthesis activities.
• Assist with the application of implementation science theories, models, and frameworks to research questions and client challenges.
• Help develop logic models, implementation plans, evaluation measures, study protocols, interview guides, surveys, observation tools, and site-facing materials.
• Support qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods data collection and analysis under the guidance of senior researchers.
• Assist with identifying barriers and facilitators that may affect adoption, implementation, scale-up, and sustainability of therapies, programs, or healthcare solutions.
• Prepare draft evidence summaries, tables, figures, reports, presentations, and other project deliverables.
• Follow approved procedures for research ethics, participant confidentiality, data security, documentation, and quality control.

Project Coordination and Delivery

• Coordinate assigned day-to-day project activities, including scheduling, meeting materials, document management, task tracking, and communication of updates.
• Maintain project timelines, deliverable trackers, milestones, action items, and budget-tracking information.
• Monitor assigned activities and promptly communicate questions, risks, delays, or quality concerns to senior team members.
• Support site-based and multisite research through site communication, training and data-collection materials, recruitment tracking, documentation, and issue follow-up.
• Assist with Institutional Review Board (IRB) submissions, amendments, and maintenance of required study records.
• Facilitate collaboration and information sharing among multidisciplinary colleagues.
• Help prepare materials for project-team meetings, senior leadership briefings, and client discussions.

Client, Stakeholder, and Business Development Support

• Support collaboration with internal scientific experts and external stakeholders.
• Assist with stakeholder mapping, recruitment, engagement, meeting preparation, note taking, and follow-up activities.
• Participate in client and stakeholder meetings as assigned and communicate professionally.
• Contribute to proposal development through background research and preparation of draft methodology descriptions, work plans, timelines, staffing information, or past-performance materials.
• Assist in developing capability statements, slide decks, and other materials that communicate RTI-HS’s implementation science expertise.
• Conduct background research to support opportunity identification and program planning.

Scientific Communication and Dissemination

• Draft or contribute to study reports, client presentations, research summaries, manuscripts, conference abstracts, posters, and other scientific communications.
• Prepare presentation and supporting materials for workshops, scientific conferences, and client meetings.
• Organize references and source materials and help ensure that research outputs are accurate, clear, consistent, and appropriately documented.
• Communicate research findings and project information appropriately for the intended audience.

Program Development and Professional Growth

• Support the development and standardization of implementation science tools, templates, resources, and best practices.
• Help document lessons learned, emerging techniques, and opportunities to strengthen the Implementation Science Program.
• Maintain awareness of developments in implementation science, applied health research, healthcare delivery, and pharmaceutical development and share relevant insights with the team.
• Participate in mentoring, training, methods discussions, and other professional-development activities.
• Contribute to a collaborative, inclusive, and quality-focused team culture.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Proficiency with standard word-processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and virtual collaboration tools.
• Ability and willingness to learn new methods, software, therapeutic areas, and project-management processes.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in health sciences, public health, implementation science, health services research, psychology, sociology, anthropology, epidemiology, life sciences, social or behavioral science, or a related field.
• Foundational knowledge of qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods research gained through coursework, a thesis or capstone, an internship or practicum, a research assistantship, volunteer research, or professional experience.
• Demonstrated ability to organize information, maintain accurate documentation, manage assigned tasks, and meet deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare clear research summaries or other professional materials.
• Ability to work collaboratively across disciplines, receive direction, incorporate feedback, and contribute to shared deliverables.
• Careful attention to detail and a commitment to research quality, ethics, participant confidentiality, and data integrity.

Relevant preparation may be demonstrated through academic, internship, practicum, assistantship, volunteer, or employment settings. Extensive full-time post-degree experience is not required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting mixed-methods research, including qualitative and quantitative data collection or analysis.
• Experience coordinating a research project or maintaining timelines, action items, study records, and communications.
• Experience with site-based, multisite, clinical, community-based, or healthcare delivery research.
• Exposure to implementation science theories, models, frameworks, strategies, or outcomes.
• Experience conducting interviews, focus groups, surveys, observations, qualitative coding, descriptive analysis, literature reviews, or environmental scans.
• Exposure to pharmaceutical development, biotechnology, medical devices, real-world evidence, health economics and outcomes research, patient-centered research, market access, or quality improvement.
• Experience with relevant qualitative analysis, statistical analysis, survey, reference-management, electronic data-capture, or project-management software.
• Experience in a consulting, pharmaceutical, academic, healthcare, public health, or other applied research environment.
• A research work product, such as a thesis, capstone, report, manuscript, presentation, poster, or portfolio example.