Position Function:
The Senior Compliance Administrator, Research Integrity Officer serves as a member of a team of professionals employed to ensure that Mississippi State University maintains compliance with various federal regulations regarding university research. The Senior Compliance Administrator serves as the primary point of contact for the implementation of policies and procedures related to financial conflict of interest (FCOI) and Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). Additionally, the Senior Compliance Administrator coordinates with other members of the Research Compliance team to serve as a secondary point of contact for human subjects research, animal care and use, biological safety, and controlled substances. The Research Integrity Officer (RIO) serves as the institutional official responsible for administering MSU’s policy and procedures for addressing allegations of research misconduct in compliance with relevant federal regulations, guidance, or other sources of authority or sponsor requirements. The RIO has primary responsibility for ensuring that MSU takes all reasonable and practical steps to foster a research environment that promotes the responsible conduct of research, discourages research misconduct, and deals promptly with allegations or evidence of possible research misconduct.
Salary Grade: 16
Please see Staff Compensation Structure or Skilled Crafts and Service Maintenance Compensation Schedule for salary ranges. For salary grade UC, these positions are "Unclassified" and salary ranges are determined by the hiring department.
Department Profile:
The Office of Research Compliance and Security (ORC&S) provides support and protection for MSU's research enterprise with the highest standards of security, compliance, and ethics utilizing outreach, education, and effective, fair, and consistent customer service. ORC&S is a unit of the Office of Research and Economic Development. This office provides support and training in the regulatory requirements for the conduct of scientific research for University faculty members, researchers, and students. ORC&S oversees programs in human research protections, animal care and use, financial conflict of interest, responsible conduct of research, biological safety, controlled substances, export-control, and national security.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
• Fosters a research environment that promotes research integrity and the responsible conduct of research, discourages research misconduct, and deals promptly with allegations or evidence of possible research misconduct in accordance with MSU’s compliance obligations as a recipient of federal funds and its dedication to realizing the University’s mission with regard to excellence in research;
• Maintains acute awareness of any regulatory, guidance, or policy changes and develops deep knowledge of related best practices in the handling of research misconduct cases;
• Serves as the primary institutional resource regarding research misconduct and detrimental research practices;
• Leads the development and delivery of RCR programming/training and other research integrity initiatives;
• Provides training for the MSU community to promote a culture of compliance with Federal regulations and institutional policies relevant to the position;
• Manages the protocol review process for IRB, IACUC, and IRB by reviewing applications, communicating with Principal Investigators (PIs), and coordinating supplementary materials for committee deliberations;
• Documents meeting minutes and assists with agenda and meeting preparation for compliance committee meetings;
• Assists with activities to maintain the University's accreditation programs for human subjects (AAHRPP) and animal care and use (AAALAC);
• Assists with post-approval monitoring of IRB, IACUC, and IBC protocols;
• Participates in policy development and recommends changes to increase efficiency and effectiveness;
• Participates in quality assurance activities by identifying deficiencies and recommending solutions and procedural changes;
• Provides guidance to researchers by interpreting applicable regulations (e.g.: ORI, OHRP, FDA, OLAW, USDA, FDA, and sponsoring agency);
• Responsible for ensuring that compliance records are maintained appropriately; and
• Interacts professionally with a wide variety of internal and external contacts such as Principal Investigators, Division and Department Heads, federal and state agency representatives, site visitors, and sponsors of research.
• Other activities related to the goals of the office may be assigned as necessary.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in related field and seven years of relevant experience. Professional certification in a related field.
Preferred Qualifications:
Master’s degree in related field. Preference will be given to applicants with experience in the areas of Financial Conflict of Interest, Responsible Conduct of Research, research misconduct, and/or experience conducting complex investigations.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Proven experience conducting complex investigations, including in accordance with the time constraints associated with federal regulatory requirements.
• Knowledge of current best practices in addressing research misconduct and fostering research integrity and familiarity with applicable federal regulations.
• Ability to perform basic forensic analysis of evidence/data and use forensic applications (e.g., to analyze/detect alleged image manipulation and plagiarism).
• Demonstrated dedication to ensuring due process in research misconduct proceedings.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, superior writing and documentation skills, and the ability to interact effectively and efficiently with a variety of internal and external individuals or agency officials/representatives.
• Ability to interpret federal regulations and related guidance, as well as to distill and explain the requisite information to different audiences (e.g., institutional leadership, general counsel, or parties in cases).
• Ability to provide guidance and instruction to others.
• Ability to address highly sensitive and potentially emotionally challenging situations with tact, discretion, and integrity.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to manage multiple, ongoing, and complex projects.
• Excellent judgment, discretion, personal maturity, integrity, and ability to maintain neutrality in challenging situations.
• Keen intellect and issue-spotting capability, strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and an appreciation for detail and thoroughness.
• Demonstrated commitment to serving a diverse population with cultural competence, diplomacy, and sensitivity.
Working Conditions and Physical Effort
• No unusual physical requirements. Requires limited lifting of files and records and nearly all work is performed in a comfortable indoor facility.
• Frequent external imposed deadlines; set and revised beyond one’s control; interruptions influence priorities; difficult to anticipate nature or volume of work with certainty beyond a few days; meeting of deadlines and coordination of unrelated activities are key to position; involves conflict-resolution or similar interactions involving emotional issues or stress on a regular basis.
• Job frequently requires walking, sitting, reaching, talking, hearing, handling objects with hands.
Instructions for Applying:
Link to apply: http://explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/
Link to apply: http://explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/
Restricted Clause:
Position is contingent upon continued availability of funding.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
MSU is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy, gender identity, status as a U.S. veteran, and/or any other status protected by applicable law. We always welcome nominations and applications from women, members of any minority group, and others who share our passion for building a diverse community that reflects the diversity in our student population.
What do I do if I need an accommodation?
In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with Mississippi State University, please contact the Department of Human Resources Management at tel: (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu.
If you have any questions regarding this policy, contact the Department of Human Resources Management at (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu. Upon request, sections of this job listing are available in large print, and readers are available to assist the visually impaired.
