Job Description

The Johns Hopkins Center for Substance Use and Infectious Diseases Care Integration (CSUIDCI) seeks to reduce gaps in linkage to care for substance use and viral infectious disease prevention and treatment. We are partnered with the Frederick County Health Department's Street Safe Program (SSP), where we deliver telemedicine-based medical care. We are seeking a Peer Recovery & Research Assistant who will support the implementation of a social networking intervention called SPRUCE: SSP and Peers in Rural Areas Connecting. SPRUCE is designed to train SSP clients in key knowledge about hepatitis C & HIV prevention, testing, and treatment, overdose prevention and treatment for substance use disorders, so that they can support their communities with health knowledge, and increase accessibility to available telemedicine-based health care at the SSP, and the substance use services available at the Frederick SSP. The research implementation aspect of the role will be supported by the Hopkins CSUIDCI researchers.

Importantly, this role will function as a Peer Recovery Specialist with the on-site Frederick Health Department's SSP team, with day-to-day supervision by the SSP's Peer Supervisor. The position is through Johns Hopkins and governed by Hopkins employee benefits, research, and clinical regulations. While supervision at the day-to-day level is provided by the Frederick SSP Peer Supervisor, management of the role is through Hopkins and includes management of the position's research implementation responsibilities and the quality of the Peer's work at the SSP by the CSUIDCI program manager.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Act by Johns Hopkins' research, clinical, and privacy regulations, as well as professional standards.
• Reduce gaps in linkage to substance and viral infectious diseases care through engaging and educating clients about available services and working to retain them in care.
• Learn about and share information on the prevention, testing, and treatment of HIV and hepatitis C.
• Learn about and share information on available treatments for opioid and alcohol use disorders.
• Conduct rapid HIV and hepatitis C testing.
• Understand available local resources that address Social Determinants of Health (e.g., housing, food, transportation, insurance, general medical care, legal services) and provide warm linkage and follow-up to SSP clients.
• Assist the SSP staff with Hopkins telehealth patient needs, including transportation, linking clients to the telemedicine visits, visit reminders, and related support.
• Support the existing SSP workflow and ensure the implementation of the intervention/s is accessible, respectful of, and relevant to the sites and clients' needs.
• Order and maintain inventory of Johns Hopkins-funded supplies.
• Provide services as a member of the SSP team, as directed/indicated by the SSP's on-site Peer Supervisor.
• Participate in regular supervision, meetings, and training with the SSP staff and Hopkins team.
• Support day-to-day clinical, research, and administrative responsibilities of SPRUCE.
• With training, support, and close coordination with the Hopkins CSUIDCI team, act as on-site representative and research assistant for the SPRUCE (SSP and Peers in Rural Areas Connecting) study.
• Promote accessibility of SSP-based services and programs through engaging community stakeholders.
• Schedule and coordinate meetings with stakeholders per research protocol and with support from the CSUIDCI team.
• Schedule and coordinate Community Advisory Board (CAB) meetings, in-person and via Zoom, with support from CSUIDCI team.
• Provide and accurately record compensation to SPRUCE study participants, as per protocol.
• Distribute HIV self-test kits to SPRUCE study participants.
• Provide information about research opportunities and schedule appointments with potential new SPRUCE study participants.
• Share directions, maps, and other SSP-specific information with new SPRUCE study participants.
• Secure space for initial training sessions for SPRUCE study participants and refresher courses promptly.
• Learn about the SPRUCE intervention and support SPRUCE study participants in the intervention.
• Execute study needs by IRB-approved research protocol.
• Assist the provider with updating and gathering information to submit programmatic progress reports.
• Assist with research tasks: data entry, careful, timely, and consistent documentation per protocol, scheduling participant appointments, and other related duties as assigned.
• Learn and use the secure online study database, REDCap.
• Maintain all Hopkins-required regulatory certifications, including CITI and GCP certifications.

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Two years of related experience.
• Applicants must possess or obtain certification within two years of employment. Training, volunteer/employment hours, and supervision are required for certification provided through employment.

• Experience working with people who use drugs.
• Peer Recovery Specialist Certification in Maryland.
• Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Zoom, and Adobe Acrobat.
• Lived experience of mental health concerns, substance use, or a co-occurring disorder that is in remission for a minimum of two years.

• Motivated, exceptional work ethic.
• Must be able to focus on tasks requiring attention to detail.
• Must be able to consistently document required activities.
• Lived experience with HIV, HCV, SUD, MHD.
• Demonstrated maturity and capacity to work well in a diverse and demanding environment.

Classified Title: Research Program Assistant II
Job Posting Title (Working Title): Peer Recovery & Research Assistant
Role/Level/Range: ACRO40/E/02/CC
Starting Salary Range: $15.70 - $26.25 HRLY ($50,000 targeted; Commensurate w/exp.)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Location: School of Medicine Campus
Department name: SOM DOM Infectious Disease
Personnel area: School of Medicine

Total Rewards
The referenced base salary range represents the low and high end of Johns Hopkins University's salary range for this position. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. Exact salary will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, market conditions, education/training and other qualifications. Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here:

Education and Experience Equivalency
Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines: JHU Equivalency Formula: 30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.

Applicants Completing Studies
Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester/quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.

Background Checks
The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Johns Hopkins is committed to hiring individuals with a justice-involved background, consistent with applicable policies and current practice. A prior criminal history does not automatically preclude candidates from employment at Johns Hopkins University. In accordance with applicable law, the university will review, on an individual basis, the date of a candidate's conviction, the nature of the conviction and how the conviction relates to an essential job-related qualification or function.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion.

Equal Opportunity Employer
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

EEO is the Law

Accommodation Information
If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit

Vaccine Requirements
Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine does not apply to positions located in the State of Florida. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. This change does not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID-19 vaccination and provide proof of vaccination status. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit and all other JHU applicants should visit

The following additional provisions may apply, depending upon campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.
The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.

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