Staff Research Associate

University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA); Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The UCLA Brain and Body Lab (BABLab) within the Psychology Department seeks a Staff Research Associate (SRA) to coordinate and conduct a brain-gut study in youth funded by the NIH. The SRA will manage lab operations, recruit and schedule participants, run sessions, and assist with data analysis.

Under the PI Dr. Bridget Callaghan, you will design experiments, program tasks, maintain IRB documentation, and help prepare manuscripts or posters.

Qualifications

• Strong prior research experience in a lab setting within Psychology or related field.
• Experience with neuroimaging data acquisition and analysis, particularly FSL.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills for interacting with study participants and lab members.
• Excellent organization and attention to detail for adherence to protocols and lab management.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and conduct a research study on brain-gut function in youth.
• Oversee day-to-day lab operations, participant recruitment, and scheduling.
• Design and implement experiments; program experimental tasks and analyze data.
• Prepare IRB submissions and maintain lab databases.
• Assist with manuscript preparation and posters for publication.

Skills

Strong prior research experience

Interpersonal skills

Oral and written communication

Organizational skills

Computing skills (Mac/PC)

Understanding of lab methods

Prioritizing & multitasking

R, Python, Psychopy programming

Statistical background (R, SPSS)

FSL experience

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Psychology or related field

Tools

FSL

R

SPSS

Psychopy

Linux/Unix

Job description

Department Summary

The UCLA Department of Psychology is an exceptional department known for its excellence in research, teaching, and service. With a distinguished faculty comprising more than 60 ladder rank members, it is one of the nation's top psychology departments. Its undergraduate program is the largest within the Division of Life Sciences and the UCLA College, with 5000 undergraduate students enrolled across three majors: Psychology, Psychobiology, and Cognitive Science. The department also offers a comprehensive Ph.D. program with eight areas of study to approximately 200 enrolled graduate students.

Position Summary

A reliable, highly organized, independent, individual is sought for a full-time Staff Research Associate (SRA) Position in the Brain and Body Lab (BABLab), in the UCLA Psychology Department, under the supervision of the Principal Investigator (Dr. Bridget Callaghan). The SRA will be responsible for coordinating and conducting a research study on brain-gut function in youth funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health, as well as managing general lab activities. The BABLab studies emotional development and its relation to physical health across the lifespan (infancy to adulthood). We utilize behavioral (questionnaire, interview, and task performance), fMRI, and biological measures to understand how early experiences, particularly of adversity, shape cognitive, affective, and physical development, leading to health and disease outcomes. We are a close-knit team of postdocs, graduate students and undergraduates who value individuals with strong work ethic and a positive attitude. You can read more about the lab culture in our lab manual: https://bablab.github.io/lab_manual/ Under the supervision of Dr. Callaghan, the incumbent will be involved in managing a federally-funded, active research lab, and will participate in many aspects of the research process, including designing and implementing experiments, programming experimental tasks, recruiting and scheduling participants, running research sessions, and analyzing data. The SRA will also oversee the day-to-day operations of the lab, including developing and maintaining a database for participant recruitment and research data, preparation, submission, and maintenance of IRB applications, scheduling lab events and research meetings, and helping to supervise undergraduate research assistants. In addition, the SRA will have the opportunity to assist with the preparation of manuscripts for publication and posters, and support any revisions that are required.

Salary & Compensation

*UCLA provides a full pay range. Actual salary offers consider factors, including budget, prior experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business considerations. Salary offers at the top of the range are not common. Visit UC Benefit package to discover benefits that start on day one, and UC Total Compensation Estimator to calculate the total compensation value with benefits.

Qualifications

• Strong prior research experience in a lab setting within Psychology or related field. (Required)
• Experience with neuroimaging data acquisition and analysis, particularly FSL. (Preferred)
• Prior interest in, or experience with, working with developmental, or psychiatric, or special population groups. (Preferred)
• Excellent interpersonal skills for interacting with study participants, some of whom may be psychologically vulnerable due to their age (e.g. children or adolescents) or early experiences, as well as with other laboratory members. (Required)
• Excellent oral and written communication skills for communicating with research participants, representing the lab publicly, as well as when writing (e.g., updating the website, IRBs, scientific publications). (Required)
• Excellent organization skills and attention to detail required for adherence to study protocols, managing the lab, maintaining research equipment, curating database. (Required)
• Strong general computing skills (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite) in both Mac and PC). (Required)
• Understanding of lab research methods. (Required)
• Ability to effectively prioritize, multitask, and manage co-occurring deadlines, projects, and team members, and to display adaptive and responsive decision making and problem-solving skills. (Required)
• Ability to use standard office equipment, including multi-line telephones, recording equipment, and scanners. (Required)
• Statistical background, basic competence in statistical programming (R, SPSS), and programming skills in R, Python, Psychopy, linux/unix, or shell scripting. (Required)
• Demonstrated ability to maintain professionalism and good decision making when confronted with difficult people or situations, either on the telephone or in person. (Required)
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential materials with discretion. (Required)
• Knowledge of payment processing systems. (Cash-net and PCI). (Preferred)
• Knowledge of forms and submission procedures to obtain research approval from the UCLA Institutional Review Board and Office for the Protection of Human Subjects. (Preferred)

Education, Licenses, Certifications & Personal Affiliations

• Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Psychobiology, Neuroscience, Cognitive Science or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. (Required)

Special Conditions for Employment

• Background Check: Continued employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background investigation.
• Live Scan Background Check: A Live Scan background check must be completed prior to the start of employment.
• CANRA: The position is designated as a mandatory reporter under CANRA. The employee must sign the "Statement Acknowledging Requirement to Report Child Abuse".

Schedule

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Union/Policy Covered

RX-Research Support Professionals

Complete Position Description

https://universityofcalifornia.marketpayjobs.com/ShowJob.aspx?EntityID=38&JDName=Staff%20Research%20Associate%201%20(MI-DPT087500-JC009613-PD166586)