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TCAN Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience_Jr Specialist position

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Position overview

Salary range: A reasonable estimate for this position is $49,000 at Step 1 or $52,200 at Step 2

Position description

DESCRIPTION - The Translational Cognitive and Affective (TCAN) Laboratory studies the neural mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction in psychotic illness. This position is to serve a multi-faceted role as a study coordinator for several newly funded and ongoing grant-funded research projects under the direction of Dr. Cameron Carter. These ongoing grants include an investigation of inflammatory factors in the etiology of psychotic illness, MRI predictors of treatment response, the effect of brain stimulation on cognition and symptoms, and optimizing of cognitive tasks to better understand the impact of psychosis across diagnoses.

These projects utilize multiple cognitive neuroscience methodologies, including electrophysiology (EEG), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine high-level cognitive processing in both healthy adults and in individuals with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. As such, this position will provide training and the opportunity to gain proficiency in a variety of cognitive neuroscience data collection techniques as well as clinical interviewing.

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. Previous experience with programming, data collection, and processing, particularly with tDCS, EEG and/or MRI, is desirable for more technically oriented applicants. Clinical interviewing interest and experience is desirable for more clinically oriented applicants. The incumbent will join a large team of fellow research assistants involved in coordinating these projects and will coordinate a variety aspects of the research study, in collaboration with the team. These are summarized in the bullet points below.

DEGREE REQUIREMENT - Bachelor’s Degree in psychology, psychobiology, neuroscience, computer science, engineering, statistics, or a related STEM field

RESEARCH – 90%

Project Coordination
•Recruit and consent individuals to research study

•Coordinate the scheduling of research appointments with other junior specialists on the project and track completion of all research appointments for the study.

•Assign appropriate tasks and provide mentorship to research assistants and volunteers

•Attend weekly meetings with clinic staff, track consensus diagnosis and reconcile research data with ongoing clinical developments

•Coordinate advertising and recruitment of study participants using multiple methods (e.g., paper flyering, electronic postings).

•Ensure an adequate supply of study materials (e.g., blood tubes, latex gloves, etc.)

Data Collection and Organization

•Conduct behavioral assessments with research participants including computerized and paper-and-pencil tests of multiple aspects of cognitive functioning.

•Conduct tDCS, EEG and MRI scan sessions with all participants
•Maintain databases of all study data, including demographic, symptom, and cognitive data.

•Maintain organized records for all participants in locked filing cabinets

Data Analysis

•Receive training on and use knowledge of computer programming to perform data analysis of collected data using in-house scripts and commercial software
IRB Protocol Maintenance

•Maintain HIPAA and Consent documents for IRB, including adhering to required privacy laws
●Maintain accurate enrollment counts

●Calculate quarterly enrollment counts for submission to funding sources

Clinical Interviewing and Recruitment
• Use prior knowledge of mental health conditions (from college or graduate level education) and previous training in diagnostic assessments to complete phone evaluations with potential research participants and family members. Phone evaluations will examine mental health concerns and other psychosocial factors in order to determine if individual may be eligible for research.
• Use prior knowledge of mental health conditions to conduct outreach presentations to recruit research participants.
• Conduct in-person ratings of symptomatology for research purposes using structured interviews and under the supervision of faculty member.
• Use knowledge of mental health conditions and available treatment options to provide referrals to consumers who are not eligible for research study.

Other Research Activities
• Actively participate in weekly lab meetings, journal club presentations, presentations from outside speakers.
• Contribute to writing and review of relevant manuscripts.
• Creatively contribute to the research project by proposing alternative analysis strategies, generate novel projects with existing data, review literature for manuscript preparation, and the ability to submit data for presentation at relevant conferences, such as the Cognitive Neuroscience Society or Society of Biological Psychiatry (if funding is available).
• Participate in one or more of the following activities: appropriate professional/technical societies or groups, such as our weekly career development group; other educational and research organizations; review research proposals, journal manuscripts, and publications related to area of expertise.

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE –5% This position requires strong interpersonal, communication, and decision-making skills, as well as the ability to work independently, and as part of a team. The incumbent may have the opportunity to submit data for presentation at relevant conferences, such as the Cognitive Neuroscience Society or Society of Biological Psychiatry (if funding is available).

● Actively participate in weekly lab meetings, journal club presentations, presentations from outside speakers, and weekly workshops to help incumbents develop their career goals.

● Participate in appropriate professional/technical societies or groups and/or review research proposals, journal manuscripts, and publications related to area of expertise.

UNIVERSITY SERVICE - 5%
The incumbent will mentor undergraduate student assistants in the lab.

● Provide mentorship to undergraduate research assistants under the supervision of faculty
● Incumbent will participate in and help organize a variety of community outreach activities at the Imaging

Research Center

● Ensure lab volunteers are trained on appropriate lab procedures

● Assist with daily lab maintenance

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

• Bachelor's degree in psychology, psychobiology, neuroscience, computer science, engineering, statistics, or a related STEM field
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to work independently and execute primary support responsibilities
• Commitment to scientific research responsibilities and objectives
• Experience collecting and organizing data
•Scheduling and/or calendaring experience
•Demonstrated ability to manage multiple work demands simultaneously
• Effective interpersonal communication skills to maintain an effective, positive and cooperative relationship with staff, students, faculty, co-workers, public and outside contractors

Preferred qualifications (other preferred, but not required, qualifications for the position)

•Fluency in Spanish (oral & written)
•Previous experience collecting tDCS, EEG or MRI data
•Computer programming experience (e.g. R, python, Matlab, Unix shell)

Application Requirements

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

  • Cover Letter

  • Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion documented in the application file will be used to evaluate applicants. Visit https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/faculty-equity-and-inclusion for guidelines about writing a statement and why one is requested.

Reference requirements
  • 2-3 required (contact information only)
Apply link: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF05635

Help contact: jamunguia@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

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Job location

UC Davis Imaging Research Center, 4701 X Street, Sacramento, CA 95817