The department of Health Behavior & Society is seeking a Drug Checking & Harm Reduction Specialist (DCHRS) for a mobile harm reduction intervention (‘Check It’) as part of a large research study. Check It is an innovative, low-barrier mobile overdose- and HIV-prevention intervention that provides mobile point-of-care drug checking, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), wound care, and other harm reduction services to people who use drugs in Baltimore and neighboring counties. Check It staff must operate within the principles of harm reduction.

The DCHRS will perform drug checking using a Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometer (FTIR) on our mobile van. In addition to running the instrument and interpreting spectra, they will engage directly with clients to provide results and counseling about harm reduction practices. This requires an ability to communicate technical subjects effectively with non-technical community members and to use respectful, non-judgmental language. In-depth training on operating the FTIR, its analytical software/compound libraries, and how to analyze data, as well as what is known about the composition of the local illicit drug use market, will be provided, as needed. The DCHRS will also help manage, analyze, interpret, and report data related to drug samples and service delivery, including presentation of findings to various audiences, including community members, colleagues, and academic/conference session attendees.

In addition to drug checking, this role requires harm reduction outreach engagement, which may include [harm reduction] supply management, distribution, and training. There will also be collaboration with external organizations and programs. The DCHRS will coordinate key training and reporting activities for program funders and support supply inventory through tracking and ordering. They will be expected to take independent initiative to complete tasks and be able to make independent decisions about the direction and conduct of the work.

This role will interact with all members of the Check It team (e.g., drug checking technicians, nurses, physicians, peer navigators, students, JHU faculty), as well as clients, including people experiencing homelessness and people who use drugs, and leadership and staff at partnering community-based organizations. This role will require community-based work at least 80% of the time.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Perform on-site point-of-care drug checking with FTIR and test strips on mobile van and/or at fixed sites in partnership with local harm reduction service providers.
• Collect and record data about the contents of samples.
• Contribute to standard operating procedures for drug checking.
• Engage with FTIR manufacturer to ensure optimal set up, ongoing operation, maintenance, technical assistance, etc.
• Ensure instruments (FTIR, computer, supplies, etc.) are transported, set up, and put away safely according to Standard Operating Procedures.
• Calibrate and validate the FTIR for optimal and accurate substance detection concurrently with partner labs using confirmatory technology.
• Contribute to data dissemination activities, including managing, collecting, cleaning, coding, analyzing, interpreting, summarizing, and presenting data for a variety of audiences.
• Establish and maintain community relationships.
• Engage in other harm reduction service delivery-related tasks on mobile van and/or in partnership with local harm reduction service providers, including packing and distributing supplies, including drug checking tools, safer use supplies, condoms, resource lists, hygiene items, clothes, snacks and seasonal items, conducting community outreach activities in and around Baltimore (may expand to other areas of Maryland over time), conducting overdose response trainings, HIV/STI testing, and harm reduction education. All necessary training will be provided prior to engagement in these activities.
• Research and develop harm reduction educational materials and public health alerts about novel psychoactive substances for program participants and other stakeholders.
• Develop and implement Check It communications and educational materials.
• Communicate regularly with faculty and senior staff to provide updates and feedback.
• Data management, including developing and implementing QA/QC procedures (including data checking and cleaning of data).
• Analyze data using a variety of standard techniques and platforms.
• Present and summarize analyses in various formats including raw output, tables, graphics, oral and written reports.
• Participate in field staff and analysis meetings.
• Support study implementation and overall instrumentation.
• Represent the project and actively participate in relevant external groups, such as the Alliance for Collaborative Drug Checking.

Secondary Duties & Responsibilities

• Conduct and coordinate overdose response training.
• Prepare funder reports.
• Coordinate wound care training courses for external audiences.
• Maintain local listserv.
• Oversee supply inventory.
• Oversee mobile van logistics.
• General clerical duties.
• Additional responsibilities at the discretion of the program leadership.

Special Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Valid driver’s license and ability to drive large vehicles.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 45 lbs.

• Bachelor's Degree in related discipline.
• Three years related experience.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

• Input information about the job qualifications and special skills you want your candidate to have aside from or on top of the minimum qualifications that are required for this position.
  
• Prior experience with drug checking and FTIR operation.
• Background in analytic chemistry or drug science.
• Prior outreach work experience with diverse populations, including people who use drugs strongly preferred.
• Excellent organizational, communication and writing skills.
• Lived experiences in sex work and/or drug use.

Classified Title: Research Data Analyst 
Job Posting Title (Working Title): Drug Checking & Harm Reduction Specialist   
Role/Level/Range: ACRP/04/MC  
Starting Salary Range: $48,000 - $84,100 Annually (Commensurate with experience) 
Employee group: Full Time 
Schedule: Monday to Friday: 9 am – 5 pm 
Exempt Status: Exempt 
Location: School of Public Health 
Department name: ​​​​​​​HBS-Research Projects  
Personnel area: School of Public Health