Research Study Assisant

Department: MED-Psych & Behavioral Science
Salary/Grade: NEX/9

Job Summary:

Performs biomedical &/or social-behavioral research by administering procedures, tests &/or questionnaires following protocols. Collects, compiles, tabublates &/or processes responses; gathers information. Assists in the preparation of material for inclusion in reports. Completes all activities by strictly following Good Clinical Practices (GCP) & all relevant current local, state, & federal laws, regulations, guidance, policy & procedure developed by the NU Institutional Review Board (IRB), Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), & the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH).

The Precision Neuromodulation Lab (Dr. Ivan Alekseichuk) at Northwestern University is seeking a Research Assistant to support neuroscientific studies utilizing closed-loop transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) in healthy adults and clinical population.

Our lab conducts translational research in mechanisms of human emotional regulation and cognition using non-invasive neuromodulation and neuroimaging. Further, the lab develops novel methods for adaptive, personalized neuromodulation in psychiatry.

The Research Assistant will gain hands-on experience in experimental design, participant recruitment, data collection (including robotic, neuronavigated TMS and high-density EEG procedures), safety and regulatory compliance, and data analysis in human biomedical research. Opportunities for co-authoring scientific publications are available and encouraged, once on-the-job training is complete. This position offers a unique environment to develop expertise in transcranial brain stimulation and electroneurophysiology.

Successful applicants will have prior experience in human neuroscientific or biomedical research, basic proficiency with quantitative data analysis and computer systems, and very strong organizational and communication skills.

Prior experience operating TMS, EEG, or other advanced human research methods is preferred.

Specific Responsibilities:

Technical

• Recruits study participants.
• Reviews & obtains informed consent.
• Schedules study visits and procedures with participants and other research personnel.
• Facilitates communication with key personnel & participants to maintain project study flow.
• Conducts formal assessments with participants, including diagnostic interviews and neuropsychological testing.
• Conducts research experiments under the guidance of senior lab members, which includes collecting electrophysiological and neuroimaging data, administrating non-invasive brain stimulation, running experimental tasks, machines, and software, and experiment setup and cleanup.
• Maintains laboratory supplies levels.
• Maintains laboratory orderliness.
• Follows Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) guidelines and stay in compliance with the assigned training and certification.

Administration

• Maintains detailed records of results which may include collecting, extracting & entering data; &/or preparing basic charts & graphs.
• May perform scientific literature searches in support of research.
• May complete portions of grant applications &/or documents associated with current local, state, & federal regulatory guidelines, requirements, laws & research protocols.

Finance

• Processes reimbursements for research study participants.
• May process lab supplies purchases.
• May process reimbursements for travel expenses.

Supervision

• May train other research staff to perform tasks.

Miscellaneous

Performed other duties

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major such as neuroscience, psychology, biomedical engineering or related; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• Must complete Northwestern's IRB CITI training before interacting with any participants & must re-certify every 3 years.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Strong communication and interpersonal abilities
• Excellent organizational skills
• Confident writing skills
• Basic proficiency with computers and operational systems Windows, MacOS, and Linux
• Highly motivated and able to work independently

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• One or more years of experience in human research
• Completion of an independent research project

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Experience administrating transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
• Experience administrating electroencephalography (EEG) and analysing results
• Familiarity with Matlab, Python, and/or Bash scripting

Target hiring range for this position will be between $17.05 - 21.31 per hour. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

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