Skip to main content

Junior Specialist - ANCHOR and PEP Lab

We are no longer accepting applications for this recruitment. Browse open recruitments

Position description

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, Davis invitesapplications for a qualified Junior Specialist for a joint appointment in the ANCHOR and PEP lab on two projects titled “California collaborative network to promote data driven care and improve outcomes in early psychosis” & “Sex and pubertal influences on developmental trajectories of brain networks involved in schizophrenia.”

This position will be involved in interdisciplinary studies focusing on questions in investigating methods for improving treatments for individuals experiencing psychotic illness. Such studies may include cognitive neuroscience (fMRI) investigations of neural mechanisms underlying symptoms and social difficulties observed in psychosis, a statewide evaluation of established early psychosis programs (large scale services research), and implementation of mobile health technologies within clinical settings to enhance care and outcomes data collection within early psychosis clinics. The incumbent’s primary role will be to coordinate data collection, analysis, and management for individuals aged 12-40 with psychotic illness who are participating in clinical services or other research projects associated with the UC Davis Early Psychosis programs and programs across California. The position will require the incumbent to develop automated data analysis procedures for a range of data types (behavioral, clinical, neuroimaging) using existing software packages and development of analysis scripts in appropriate programs/languages (e.g., MATLAB, python). The position will also require the incumbent to travel (sometimes for multiple days or overnight via car or plane) throughout the state to conduct focus groups and feedback interviews with a diverse population of stakeholders. The incumbent will be responsible for engaging English and non-English speaking clients and family members/support persons and assist in their participation in these interviews (bilingual candidates preferred). Successful candidates will be involved in aspects of publishable research activities in the lab, inclusive of literature review, study design and implementation, data analysis and presentation, manuscript preparation, and conference submissions.

General responsibilities include:

I. RESEARCH ACTIVITY (70% EFFORT)

General duties include working closely with the PI and other project staff to assist in data collection, entry and quality control, study design and implementation, literature reviews and data analysis for preparation of manuscripts or conference presentations, and writing conference abstracts and manuscripts (e.g., methods and results sections, table and figure generation).
Specific duties include:

  • Interact with diverse patient populations and conduct research testing. Engage clients and family members/support persons and assist in their participation in various aspects of the study.
  • Travel to community sites across the state (via car or plane) to support study site engagement activities, participant recruitment, data collection, analysis and reporting.
  • Recruitment of study cohorts, including individuals at risk for psychosis and individuals with first episode psychosis.
  • Remotely consent and administer study materials to individuals at study sites, including surveys, research consenting, and payment forms.
  • Remotely administer clinical and cognitive behavioral batteries and/or qualitative interviews to participants, score assessments, and enter data into database.
  • Manage data, including clinical ratings, questionnaires, medical and demographic information, intelligence assessments, neuroimaging/fMRI data, and cognitive performance data.
  • Track data and ensure timely completion of baseline and follow-up assessments.
  • Develop automated data analysis pipelines using appropriate software packages (e.g. MATLAB, SPM)
  • Analyze data and generate reports of findings.
  • Maintain REDCap Database or other study related database
  • Maintain databases of all study data, including demographic, symptom, and cognitive data.
  • Maintain clinical IRB protocols. Ensure IRB and HIPAA compliance.

II. PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE AND ACTIVITY (15% EFFORT)

The ideal candidate will have strong interpersonal, communication, and decision-making skills as well as the ability to work well independently and as part of a team.

  • Develop and present reports of research findings, share results in meetings with researchers, clinicians or other stakeholders.
  • Participate in lab meetings, including presentation of preliminary data analyses, study proposals, and discussion of journal articles.
  • Present data in poster format at regional/national meetings in relevant fields (e.g. Society for Research in Psychopathology).

III. UNIVERSITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE (15% EFFORT)

  • Assist in mentorship of volunteer undergraduate research assistants.
  • Assist with daily lab maintenance

TERM OF APPOINTMENT:
12-month term appointment from start date at 100% time (full time).

SALARY RANGE:
Step 1 - $42,300 annual, or Step II - $45,100 annual, commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Yearly/hourly pay scales based on percentage of qualifying appointment. Step offered commensurate with the proposed candidate's qualifications and prior experience in title code.

TO APPLY:
To apply, please go to the following link: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF04235.

QUESTIONS:
Please direct questions to Valerie Tryon, Ph.D., vltryon@ucdavis.edu.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct.

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UCSC positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. More information is available http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify.

UC Davis is a smoke & tobacco-free campus (http://breathefree.ucdavis.edu/).

If you need accommodation due to a disability, please contact the recruiting department.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
  • Bachelor's Degree in psychology, psychobiology, neuroscience, or a related field
  • Ability to interact with various patient populations and conduct research testing
  • Knowledge of statistics and applications of statistics while organizing and analyzing behavioral data.
  • Advanced knowledge of Microsoft applications including Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, electronic calendaring, and e-mail software (Outlook).
  • Good oral and written communication skills to effectively work with physicians, patients, and families, clinical staff, research staff and other health care professionals.
  • Ability to manage multiple large tasks simultaneously while maintaining clear organization.
  • Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines and work in a stressful, goal-based environment.
  • Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
Preferred qualifications (other preferred, but not required, qualifications for the position)
  • Bilingual strongly preferred (Arabic, Armenian, Cantonese, Farsi, Hmong, Khmer, Korean, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, or Vietnamese).

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Cover Letter (Optional)

Reference requirements
  • 3-5 required (contact information only)
Apply link: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF04235

Help contact: tisxiong@ucdavis.edu

About UC Davis

UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus (http://breathefree.ucdavis.edu/).

We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals’ with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UC Davis positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. More information is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is committed to inclusive excellence by advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all that we do. UC Davis celebrates the multi-cultural diversity of its community by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment demonstrated through a variety of resources and programs available to academics, staff, and students. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are core values of UC Davis that are embedded within our Principles of Community and are tied with how to best serve our student population. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can best be fully realized by members of our academic community who share our commitment to these values, which are included in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Vision, our strategic plan: “To Boldly Go,” our Principles of Community, the Office of Academic Affairs’ Mission Statement, and the UC Board of Regents Policy 4400: Policy on University of California Diversity Statement. UC Davis is making important progress towards our goal of achieving federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offers a plethora of resources on their website, and the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (HEDI) has outlined similar goals in their Anti-Racism and DEI Action Plan.” There are a plethora of links available on the About Us webpage where you can learn more about our Administration, Diversity and Inclusion, Rankings, Locations, Native American Land Acknowledgement, Sustainability, Visiting UC Davis, UC Davis Health, and Campus Safety.

The university is consistently ranked among the top institutions in the world for campus sustainability practices by the UI Green Metric World University Rankings. UC Davis is focused on achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and repeatedly shown its commitment to preserving a healthy and sustainable environment for generations to come.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

2023 Forbes Award: Best Employers for Diversity 2023 Forbes Award: Best Employers for Women

Job location

Sacramento, CA