Research Assistant

Texas A&M University System • College Station, TX

25d • $45,000 - $50,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Research Assistant will support and coordinate research projects in Dr. MacNamara’s Multimethod Affect and Cognition Lab (MAClab) in the Department of Psychology at Texas A&M University. The research examines emotion and cognition in health and psychiatric conditions, particularly anxiety and depression, and supports treatment-related research.

The position involves collecting psychophysiological, EEG, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from human participants; recruiting, screening, and interviewing participants; and supervising and supporting undergraduate research assistants. The Research Assistant also provides administrative support for grants and lab projects, including preparing IRB applications, grant documents, reports to funders, and other research materials. Additional research and laboratory tasks may be assigned as needed.

The position is grant- and/or contract-funded. Continuation is reviewed annually and depends on continued funding and satisfactory job performance. The salary is $45,000–$50,000, commensurate with the selected candidate’s experience.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Neuroscience, Biology, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to travel independently in an employee-owned vehicle to the MRI scanner on campus, approximately a 10-minute drive from the main campus.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience working in a psychology, psychiatry, or related-field research lab.
• Prior experience with emotion-focused psychophysiology research.
• Master’s degree in Psychology, Neuroscience, Biology, or a related field, completed by Fall 2026, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Statistical expertise.
• Ability to work independently, multitask, and work cooperatively with others.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Ability to interact positively and professionally with research participants and other lab members.
• Working knowledge of office software and strong computer skills.

Responsibilities

• Collect psychophysiological and fMRI data from human research participants.
• Supervise and support undergraduate research assistants in data collection procedures.
• Conduct phone screenings and interviews with participants experiencing anxiety and/or depression.
• Provide administrative support for grants and lab projects, including preparing IRBs and reports to funders.
• Recruit and screen potential research participants to determine eligibility.
• Assist with EEG and fMRI research studies and related data collection procedures.
• Prepare IRB applications, grant documents, and other research materials.
• Assist with additional research and laboratory tasks as needed.

Benefits

• Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life and AD&D, and long-term disability insurance, with Texas A&M contributing to employee health and basic life premiums.
• Flexible spending accounts.
• 12–15 days of annual paid holidays.
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month.
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
• Free exercise programs and release time for health and wellness.
• Free LinkedIn Learning training and webinars, plus limited financial support to attend conferences and workshops.
• Educational release time and tuition assistance for completing a degree while employed by Texas A&M.
• Access to the Living Well employee program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level