Clinical Research Assistant in Neuroimaging and Eating Disorders (COUNTERACT)
About The Position
The Multidisciplinary Eating Disorders Research Collaborative (MEDRC) at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Holsen Lab Brigham and Women’s Hospital is seeking a full-time post-bac clinical Research Assistant with a strong interest in neuroscience and quantitative methods, including data analysis or computer science. The individual will assist with a clinical trial focused on the impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) in adolescents on clinical, neuroimaging (fMRI/sMRI), and neuroendocrine metrics, and may have the opportunity to be involved in other clinical research studies in the MEDRC and Holsen Lab. Under the supervision of the principal investigators, the post-bac clinical research assistant will carry out a broad range of neuroimaging, biostatistics, and computer science-based research activities and procedures as indicated below. This is a great position for those wanting clinical research experience before applying for graduate school or medical school. Our team has a strong track record of mentoring research assistants who have gone on to pursue medical school or doctoral programs in clinical psychology, cognitive neuroscience, neuroscience, public health, and bioinformatics. You can find out more about our lab at https://holsenlab.bwh.harvard.edu/. Fostering diversity in the scientific research workforce is a key goal of the MEDRC and the Holsen Lab. Thus, additional support and mentorship are available for individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups demonstrated to be underrepresented in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences.
Requirements
- Have a strong background and interest in neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, psychology, biology, mathematics, statistics, or computer science
- Be in good academic standing with a strong GPA
- Strong computer and statistical skills
- Programming skills (previous R experience is required)
- Comfort with Linux environment
- Experience using R, MATLAB, SPM12, or fMRIPrep
- Careful attention to details
- Good organizational and communication skills
- Working knowledge of clinical research protocols
- Ability to demonstrate respect and professionalism for subjects’ rights and individual needs
- Ability to work independently and as a team player
- Analytical skills and ability to resolve technical problems
- Ability to interpret acceptability of data results
- Working knowledge of data management program
Responsibilities
- Interact with adolescent participants during clinical study visits in the MRI environment
- Collect neuroimaging data during clinical study visits
- Contribute to the collection, coding, management, and analysis of serologic and behavioral data
- DICOM unpacking, conversion of data to NIfTI (BIDS) format
- Creation of bash scripts for data organization
- Visual inspection of structural and functional data quality
- Editing and running MATLAB-based SPM12 preprocessing scripts
- Quality assessment of motion for functional data
- Editing and running first- and second-level models in SPM12 and fMRIPrep
- Uploading data to the NIH Data Archive
- Preparing detailed agendas and data updates for meetings
- Conducting structured clinical interviewing for psychiatric disorders, including eating disorders, mood disorders, and suicidal ideation. Training and supervision with a clinical psychologist provided.
- Processing (aliquoting, centrifuging) blood samples collected during study visits
- Assist in logistical coordination and preparation before study visits
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
