Research Assistant I or II, 40 Hours, Women's Health - Partners HealthCare System : Job Details

Research Assistant in Neuroimaging and Eating Disorders

The Multidisciplinary Eating Disorders Research Collaborative (MEDRC) at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital is seeking a full-time post-bac clinical Research Assistant (I or II) with a strong interest in neuroscience and quantitative subjects including data analysis or computer science. The individual will assist with a study focused on the neurobiology of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) in adults, including clinical, neuroimaging (fMRI/sMRI), and neuroendocrine metrics, and may have the opportunity to be involved in other clinical research studies in the MEDRC. Under the supervision of the principal investigators, the post-bac clinical research assistant will carry out a broad range of neuroimaging, biostatistics, and computer science-based research activities and procedures as indicated below. This is a great position for those wanting research experience before applying for graduate school or medical school. Our team has a strong track record of mentoring research assistants who have gone on to pursue medical school or doctoral programs in clinical psychology, cognitive neuroscience, neuroscience, public health, and bioinformatics.

Fostering diversity in the scientific research workforce is a key goal of the MEDRC. Thus, additional funding, support, and mentorship is available for individuals from a diverse background, including those from groups demonstrated to be underrepresented in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Please note, the functions below are representative of major duties that are typically associated with these positions. Specific responsibilities may vary based upon departmental needs. Similarly, not all duties that have been outlined will be assigned to each position.

* Interact with participants during clinical study visits in the MRI environment

* Collect neuroimaging data during clinical study visits

* Contribute to the collection, coding, management, and analysis of serologic and behavioral data

* DICOM unpacking, conversion of data to NIfTI (BIDS) format

* Creation of bash scripts for data organization

* Visual inspection of structural and functional data quality

* Editing and running MATLAB-based SPM12 preprocessing scripts

* Quality assessment of motion for functional data

* Editing and running first- and second-level models in SPM12 and fMRIPrep

ADDITIONAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

* Uploading data to the NIH data archive

* Preparing detailed agendas and data updates for meetings

* Training new staff members in neuroimaging analyses

* Contribute to the process of structured clinical interviewing for psychiatric disorders, including eating disorders, mood disorders, and suicidal ideation. Training and supervision with a clinical psychologist provided.

SKILLS/ABILITIES/COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:

* Have a strong background and interest in neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, psychology, biology, mathematics, statistics, or computer science

* Be in good academic standing with a strong GPA

* Strong computer and statistical skills

* Programming skills (previous R experience is required, with a combination of MATLAB, bash, python)

* Comfort with Linux environment

* Experience using R, MATLAB, SPM12, and fMRIPrep

* Familiarity with BIDS format

* Careful attention to details

* Good organizational skills

* Ability to follow directions

* Good communication skills

* Working knowledge of clinical research protocols

* Ability to demonstrate respect and professionalism for subjects' rights and individual needs

* Ability to work independently and as a team player

* Analytical skills and ability to resolve technical problems

* Ability to interpret acceptability of data results

* Working knowledge of data management program

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION:

* Bachelor's degree in neuroscience, computer science, psychology, cognitive science, or related field required

EXPERIENCE:

* New graduates with some relevant course/project work will be considered for the Research Assistant I position.

* Those with a minimum of 1-2 years of experience working in a research lab with neuroimaging will be considered for the Research Assistant II position.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

* A Research Assistant I or II may assist with hiring, supervising, and mentoring clinical research interns.

* A Research Assistant II may assist with the training and orientation of new staff members.