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

Medical University of South Carolina•Charleston, SC

4d•Onsite

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.
Must be able to work evenings and weekends, as these are the times children are typically available to participate in the study.

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 and 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.