Research Scientist, Perceptual Studies

UVA Health•Charlottesville, VA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS) at the University of Virginia School of Medicine seeks a highly motivated Research Scientist to coordinate and conduct research on autism, communication, and consciousness. The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary research team investigating extraordinary communication in nonspeaking autistic individuals using behavioral, phenomenological, and eye-tracking methodologies. The Research Scientist will work closely with the Principal Investigator and collaborators to oversee many aspects of the research project, including data collection, analysis, and dissemination of findings. The Division of Perceptual Studies is an internationally recognized research center within the University of Virginia School of Medicine dedicated to investigating exceptional human experiences that have important implications for psychology, neuroscience, medicine, and consciousness research. DOPS conducts rigorous interdisciplinary research using established scientific methods to examine questions surrounding human consciousness and related phenomena.

Requirements

Doctoral degree or master's degree with significant experience.
Experience conducting human subjects research.
Research design experience.
Data management experience.
Statistical analysis experience.
Strong organizational skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within an interdisciplinary research team.

Nice To Haves

Ph.D. in Psychology, Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, Psychiatry, Biomedical Sciences, Public Health, or a closely related discipline.
Project management experience.
Autism spectrum disorder research.
Consciousness studies.
Qualitative research methods.
Eye-tracking technologies.
Human behavioral research.
Scientific writing and publication.

Responsibilities

Coordinate data collection.
Ensure compliance with Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements and maintain all regulatory documentation.
Oversee collection and management of behavioral, qualitative, and eye-tracking data.
Perform data cleaning, coding, quality assurance, statistical analyses, and interpretation of findings.
Prepare scientific manuscripts, conference presentations, technical reports, and grant progress reports.
Assist with preparation of grant proposals and other funding applications.
Collaborate with investigators, clinicians, communication therapists, and external research partners.
Participate in weekly meetings and contribute to the overall research mission of the Division.