Job Description

Visitors Program Specialist

At Houston Methodist, the Visitors Program Specialist position is responsible for administering, coordinating and managing the logistics, compliance, and support services for visiting researchers, scholars, and fellows participating in the Houston Methodist Academic Institute (HMAI) medical research programs. This role facilitates the integration of those visitors into the research environment, ensuring compliance with institutional, federal, and international regulations while promoting a productive and enriching experience.

The Visitors Program Specialist manages the end-to-end lifecycle of visiting researcher appointments, including intake review, submission of IT request access, collaboration with wellness/employee health, submission of background checks, onboarding, creation of badge requests in collaboration with facilities team, and offboarding process. They coordinate with internal departments (HR, Legal, Research Compliance) to ensure all institutional and federal requirements are met. The specialist maintains accurate records of visiting scholars, including visa status, research activities, and institutional affiliations.

Visitors Program Specialists work closely with principal investigators, department leadership and chairs to align visitor goals with institutional research priorities. They ensure compliance with visa regulations, institutional policies, and NIH or other funding agency guidelines. They also ensure adherence to institutional policies, IRB protocols, and federal regulations. The specialist serves as the primary point of contact for visiting researchers, providing orientation, and cultural integration support. They collect feedback from participants to improve program quality and impact.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

The Visitors Program Specialist requires a bachelor's degree and two years of experience in a related discipline to include one year of project management experience. Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language is necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security. The specialist must demonstrate the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations.

Strong analytical and interpersonal skills are required, along with advanced spreadsheet skills, intermediate word-processing and presentation software skills, and strong project and time management skills. The specialist should exhibit resourcefulness, independent action and judgment that are position appropriate. Professional handling of exposure to confidential/sensitive information is also necessary. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and database management systems is required, and knowledge of NIH or other federal research funding mechanisms is preferred. Familiarity with U.S. immigration regulations and research compliance regulations is preferred.

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