Non-Affiliate/Community IRB Member (Volunteer)

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Organizational Mission

The Office of Human Research Administration (OHRA) is a comprehensive administrative office designed to review, approve, assist, and oversee all research projects involving human subjects conducted by faculty, staff, and students across the Harvard Longwood Medical Area (LMA) Schools, including Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is a committee that functions as part of OHRA and is required by federal law to protect the rights and welfare of human subjects participating in research activities. The committee meets this mandate by reviewing proposed and ongoing human research activities, ensuring they meet specific criteria for approval. The Harvard LMA Office of Human Research Administration provides administrative support to two IRB panels: Harvard Faculty of Medicine (HMS/HSDM) and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (Harvard Chan School).

For more information, please visit our website: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/ohra/

IRB Membership Description, Expectations, and Responsibilities

We are seeking a Non-Affiliated/Community Member for the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health IRB panel. Members are expected to attend the majority of the meetings in person. Meetings are held once per month and are typically 1-2 hours; the full schedule can be found here. The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health IRB panel meets Wednesdays from 10:30AM-12PM.

Non-affiliated members are expected to provide input regarding their individual knowledge about the local community and be willing to discuss issues and research from that perspective. A non-affiliated member can have a scientific or nonscientific background, and would be expected to provide input on areas germane to his/her knowledge, expertise and experience, professional and otherwise. IRB members serve a 1-2 year term and are eligible for re-appointment at the end of each term. This membership is on a volunteer basis and does not include any salary, compensation, wages, or benefits.

The Non-Affiliated Member must not be a current employee, former employee, or student of Harvard University and its affiliate schools or hospitals. Additionally, this Member should not have an immediate family member who is a current employee, former employee, or student of any Harvard School or affiliate.

Additionally, the Non-Affiliated Member must:

• Regularly attend the majority of scheduled monthly IRB meetings and any ad-hoc meetings.
• Participate as a reviewer on applications to which they are assigned. Advanced preparation on meeting day is mandatory. Application assignment is based on expertise.
• Review and participate in a discussion of all applications and agenda items at each meeting.
• Keep abreast of regulations and policies governing IRB review of research and the conduct of ethical human subjects research.
• Participate in IRB educational activities (e.g. monthly education sessions, local offerings, webinars, industry conferences, etc).
• Complete required New IRB Member Training/Orientation.
• Complete CITI Human Subjects Training, and obtain refresher training every 3 years.
• Ability to maintain strict standards of confidentiality.
• Have excellent communication and analytical skills, both verbal and written.
• Be comfortable with an electronic environment/database, able to navigate email, download documents to computer, and have access to internet.
• Complete the annual member self-assessment (this annual survey is used to provide members the opportunity to reflect on their member experience, and identify potential learning needs and improvements to IRB operations).
• Build collegial working relationship with fellow committee members.
• Disclose any existing or potential conflicts of interest (financial, personal, scientific).
• Serve as an alternate IRB member, as needed.

To apply for this position, please send your resume and a cover letter describing your interest in the position and your qualifications to irb@hsph.harvard.edu.