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Junior Specialist - Psychosis Study Technical

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Position description

The Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior at the University of California, Davis invites applications for a qualified Junior Specialist (JPF02193) to serve as a technically-oriented junior specialist for the Defining the Neural Circuitry of Agency Deficits in Psychotic Disorders study at the UC Davis Medical Center.

Research (90%)
This study is under the direction of Dr. Wilsaan Joiner and in collaboration with Dr. Cameron Carter’s Translational Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (TCAN) Laboratory. The goal of the study is to use tools from cognitive neuroscience to explore how disruptions in a person’s ability to distinguish external versus self-initiated actions may influence visual perception and contribute to positive symptoms of psychosis (e.g., hallucinations and delusions).

The incumbent will be fundamentally involved in the planning and execution of this newly funded research project. The incumbant will work collaboratively with the PI to identify the steps necessary to implement technical aspects of the research project, which includes using knowledge of programming and neuroimaging to help develop, test, and implement measures for use in the study. These measures will need to be developed and optimized for use in EEG and fMRI aspects of the study. Studies of this magnitude often require thinking creatively to design a protocol that can accommodate the study population, in this case individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The incumbent will be expected to be an active member of the research team in creatively adapting the protocol, which may include developing new experiments or modifying existing experiments and documenting changes as appropriate. Furthermore, the incumbent will have the opportunity to creatively contribute to the research project by proposing alternative analysis strategies, generate novel projects with existing data, and review literature for manuscript preparation. The incumbent will assist the PI in many aspects of the research study and work independently under supervision of the PI to insure adherence to study protocols, which includes executing and training others in the execution of EEG and fMRI tasks, as well as thinking creatively to develop tools that can be used to analyze and present the data. The incumbent will also assist in data management, as it pertains directly to the execution of the research project. The incumbent will contribute to writing and review of relevant manuscripts and will be acknowledged with authorship or in the acknowledgement section, as appropriate based upon the work completed. The incumbent will be actively and significantly involved in publishable research activities, including reviewing journal articles and engaging in discussions on research and the interpretation of research results with PI and others in the lab.

Professional Competence (5%)
The ideal candidate will have 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 Society for Neuroscience. Authorship order will be determined based on the effort contributed to the presentation. The incumbent is expected to actively participate in weekly lab meetings, journal club presentations, presentations from outside speakers, and weekly workshops to help incumbents develop their career goals. The incumbent will also participate in appropriate professional/technical societies or groups and/or review research proposals, journal manuscripts, and publications related to area of expertise.

Service (5%)
The incumbent will act as a mentor for undergraduate volunteers in the lab, and provide training in lab procedures.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
• Bachelor’s Degree in psychology, psychobiology, neuroscience, computer science, biomedical engineering, or a related field
• Experience collecting and organizing data
• Experience working in a team-oriented research environment
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple work demands simultaneously

STRONGLY PREFERRED
• Previous programming experience and/or coursework (e.g., shell scripting, Matlab, python, E-prime)
• Previous experience with Linux/Unix-based computers
• Previous experience and/or coursework in neuroimaging data collection and analysis (e.g. scanning, SPM, FSL, AFNI)

PREFERRED
• Previous experience working with adolescents and young adults with psychiatric disorders.

SALARY RANGE: Step I - $38,112 [100% annual] or Step II - $40,656 [100% annual], commensurate with qualifications and experience.

POSITION AVAILABLE/CLOSING DATE: As openings occur, appointments are made contingent upon availability of funding. The posting will remain open until April 30, 2019 to accommodate department needs. If you would like to continue to be considered after that time you will need to submit a new application when a new position is posted. Please note: The use of a junior specialist pool does not guarantee that an open position exists.

TERM OF APPOINTMENT: Short term, up to two years. Appointments may be made up to 100%.

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.

Application Requirements

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

  • Cover Letter

  • Statement of Contributions to Diversity - Diversity contributions documented in the application file will be used to evaluate applicants. Visit http://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/diversity/equity_inclusion/index.html for guidelines about writing a diversity statement and why one is requested.
    (Optional)

Reference requirements
  • 3 required (contact information only)
2023 Forbes Award: Best Employers for Diversity 2023 Forbes Award: Best Employers for Women

Job location

Sacramento, CA