Recruitment Period

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, Davis invites applications for a qualified junior specialist for the AIR LAB, directed by Dr. Schweitzer. This position will involve interdisciplinary investigations on impulsivity, self-control, emotion and cognitive control in children, teens and adults with ADHD and neurotypical individuals with or without elevated impulsivity. Our work uses multiple modalities, including neuro-imaging, virtual reality or app-based interventions across several projects and the candidate may be required to work across several projects and modalities. The candidate will be trained on advanced methods and work under close supervision of senior lab members. Successful candidates will be involved with data collection, analysis of data, and preparation of results for presentation (posters and papers). Candidates will also be encouraged to perform their own research projects and present results at conferences and in papers, with our support and guidance.

RESPONSIBLITIES

Successful candidates will be involved with different aspects of data collection including scheduling subjects, running experiments and managing data, analysis of data, documentation, quality assurance, log keeping and preparation of data analysis results for presentations (posters and papers).

The candidate will primarily help with neuroimaging (fMRI) data analysis and data collection, but also involve other projects, such as data collection on a project assessing motor behavior, heart rate physiology in adults with ADHD and a project on attention using virtual reality technology and eye-tracking in children with ADHD.

Data Analysis will include running existing software and occasionally developing new software. The candidate will be trained on advanced methods and work under close supervision of senior lab members. They may also train other assistants.

The position may involve working weekends and evenings occasionally. The job may also involve interacting with participants, including children, as well as volunteers and strong inter-personal skills are desirable. Assistants must be available at least two to three weekends a month for at least one day. Assistants must be able to travel to the MIND Institute and Imaging Research Center on the weekend and evenings.

We strongly encourage, and provide support for, all members of our lab to conduct and present their own research – as per their inclination and initiative. We have a strong track record of successful presentations by lab-members at all levels, starting with under-graduate research assistants.

Responsibilities include:

I. RESEARCH ACTIVITY (80%)

• Data collection and analysis
• Scheduling Subjects
• Running experiments
• Managing data
• Analysis of data using existing software
• Occasionally developing new software and testing, documentation
• Training on advanced methods
• Documentation of methods and quality assurance activities
• Keeping detailed logs and updating existing manuals as required
• Receiving supervision from senior members of the lab, reporting, feedback

II. PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE (15%)

• Attend weekly lab meetings
• Training for AFNI and other image processing tools
• Training for other advanced technical skills as required
• Communicate with technical forums such as AFNI
• Prepare presentations for conferences and the community in collaboration with senior lab members, including conducting literature reviews, simple statistical analyses, and slide preparations, and, when appropriate, independently presenting to community organizations or agencies
• As needed, assist with preparation of grant applications, including conducting literature searches and simple analyses of pilot data
• Contribute to writing manuscripts for publication, including assisting with data cleaning, literature reviews, and synthesis of information for dissemination of research findings to the public
• Develop individual research question in collaboration with the PI and perform analyses of behavioral coding data collected as part of the research study to be presented at internal and/or professional conferences
• Participate and present during lab journal clubs, including leading the journal club at least once per year (selecting a journal article, presenting to the group, and leading discussion)
• Attend research presentations at the MIND Institute, including biweekly Research Seminar Series talks and Monthly Distinguished Lecture Series presentations

III. UNIVERSITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE (5%)

• Train other assistants and mentor undergraduate students
• Participate in Volunteer Day and other similar activities
• Establish and maintain positive relationships with, and provide outreach presentations

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in cognitive science, or a related field.
• Strong computational and mathematical skills
• Strong programming skills
• Minimum of 2 years of prior laboratory experience (including human functional brain imaging data collection or scanning, programming, data analysis and data presentation, such as poster presentations at national meetings)
• Demonstrated ability to maintain software and data, as well as conduct scans and interact with subjects

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must have significant computer programming experience - minimum 1 year directly related to imaging, and also with:
• UNIX/LINUX and shell scripting, MATLAB,
• Python, E-Prime
• Imaging data analysis platforms (ideally AFNI)
• Must be proficient with Windows, Mac and Linux based programming
• Experience administering fMRI scans
• The job may also involve interacting with participants, volunteers and strong inter-personal skills are required
• Assistants must be available at least two to three weekends a month for at least one day. They also must be able to travel to the MIND Institute and Imaging Research Center on the weekend and evenings.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Scanning MRI - completed Safety Training
• Experience in data collection working with children, adolescents and adults
• Demonstrated ability to learn new software paradigms and write, modify and maintain code
• Interest in developmental, cognitive or motivational brain systems
• Goal alignment - candidate is interested in acquiring advanced research skills and experience for their career goals.

POSITION AVAILABLE/CLOSING DATE:
This position is open effective 3/6/21 with an initial review date of 3/31/21. The posting will remain open until 4/30/21 or until filled.

TERM OF APPOINTMENT:
Short term, seasonal appointment based on the needs of the research project. Position is 100% (full time), with flexible work hours sometimes requiring evening or weekend availability.

SALARY RANGE:
Step 1 - $42,300 per year or $20.26 per hour*
Step 2 - $45,100 per year or $21.60 per hour*

*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:
For full consideration, applications must be received by March 31, 2021; however, the position will remain open until filled through April 30, 2021 or until filled.

To apply, please go to the following link: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF04035. Applicants should submit cover letter, CV or resume, and contact information for at least 3 references. Documents/materials must be submitted as PDF files.

QUESTIONS:
Please direct questions to Tishia Xiong, tisxiong@ucdavis.edu.

The University of California, Davis commits to inclusion excellence by advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all that we do. We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, and 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.

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 UCD 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.

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter (Optional)

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

• Saramento, Ca