UNIV - Research Program Assistant - Psychiatry: Addiction Sciences Division-1

Medical University of South Carolina • Charleston, SC

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

The candidate will work with Drs. Squeglia and Gray as a Program Assistant on the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, a large-scale project to study child and adolescent health, behavior, and brain functioning. The candidate will be responsible for executing all tasks associated with the ABCD protocol which include neuroimaging, neurocognitive assessments, and clinical interview or self-report measures designed to assess eligibility criteria, psychopathology, medical health, social relationships, personality, and substance use. The candidate will work with both youth and their parents.

Requirements

• A high school diploma and three years of relevant program experience.
• Ability to perform job functions in an upright position.
• Ability to perform job functions in a seated position.
• Ability to perform job functions while walking/mobile.
• Ability to work indoors.
• Ability to fully use both hands/arms.
• Ability to perform repetitive motions with hands/wrists/elbows and shoulders.
• Ability to reach in all directions.
• Possess good finger dexterity.
• Ability to maintain tactile sensory functions.
• Ability to maintain 20/40 vision, corrected, in one eye or with both eyes.
• Ability to see and recognize objects close at hand.
• Ability to see and recognize objects at a distance.
• Ability to determine distance/relationship between objects; depth perception.
• Good peripheral vision capabilities.
• Ability to maintain hearing acuity, with correction.
• Ability to hear and/or understand whispered conversations at a distance of 3 feet.
• Ability to perform gross motor functions with frequent fine motor movements.

Nice To Haves

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Psychological & Brain Sciences, Neuroscience, or a related field is preferred.
• Prior research experience in a lab
• Knowledge of REDCap data entry, management, reporting tools
• Interviewing research participants
• Conducting structured clinical interviews
• Neuropsychological tests
• Collecting biospecimens – including drawing blood
• MRI assessments
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Experience working with adolescents and emerging young adults (ages 16-20).
• Excellent verbal communication and problem-solving skills.
• Attention to detail and the ability to work independently and assure accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Conducts clinical assessments, self-report surveys, neuropsychological testing, mobile activity monitoring, and careful assessments of environment, psychopathological symptoms, substance use, and social functioning to youth and parent participants in-person, via remote video conference, and via phone; Understands emergency procedures
• Describes study procedures, goals, assessment tasks, confidentiality limitations and potential risks thoroughly to participants; Answers participant questions; Obtains informed consent and assent from both parent and youth participants; De-briefs participants at the end of the visit; Maintains required documentation and record keeping. Tables at local community events to assist with dissemination and outreach.
• Runs participants through mock MRI scanner; Acts as second-chair at the Center for Biomedical Imaging (CBI) during neuroimaging protocol alongside a trained operator; Problem solves issues that arise during clinical session and MRI scanning and participates in trouble shooting and developing alternative approaches; Assists with data transfer; Executes E-Prime tasks.
• Collects biospecimens: including blood, urine, saliva, hair, and teeth to assess hormone levels, neurotoxin exposure, and genetics; processes and prepares for shipment. Performs data entry and maintains data files on research. Refers patients to resources available in community and social services; Participates in team meetings and provides updates on assigned tasks
• Schedules and communicates with research participants: Including on-site visits, video conferencing assessments, and phone interviews; Utilizes multiple calendars for scheduling; Answers questions that come through ABCD phone and email systems; Reminds participants of their upcoming appointments
• Miscellaneous tasks as assigned.

Benefits

• Medical University of South Carolina participates in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED