Research Senior Technician

The Ohio State University • Columbus, OH

22h • Onsite

About The Position

The Research Senior Technician provides advanced research support by independently conducting standard laboratory and field research activities and supporting broader research projects. This role collects and processes data, conducts basic experiments, assists with the design and implementation of research projects, and performs preliminary statistical analysis. This position serves as a full-time lab manager supporting two research labs—the Social Problems and Action Lab (PI: Riana Brown) and the Motivation and Cognitive Science Lab (PI: Kentaro Fujita)—with responsibilities split across both labs. The former explores how people respond to evidence of social problems, understanding the ways people seek to (or not to) address them. The latter examines how motivation and cognition interact to influence decision-making and behavior in domains such as self-control, dealing with adversity, life transitions, and social change. The two labs share weekly lab meetings and there is extensive overlap between current personnel. The role oversees day-to-day research and administrative operations, including coordinating research activities, supporting participant recruitment, managing IRB submissions and maintenance, tracking expenses, and ensuring efficient lab operations. The Research Senior Technician works with a high level of autonomy on routine work, applies established procedures and precedent to resolve issues, and may provide guidance or training to less experienced colleagues. This position may also contribute to research activities such as literature reviews, survey programming, data analysis, and preparation of manuscripts. This is an ideal position for individuals seeking to gain research experience in preparation for graduate study in psychology or a related field.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• Relevant experience as demonstrated by one of the following: No prior experience required with a Bachelor’s degree; Two (2) years of relevant experience with an Associate’s degree; Four (4) years of relevant experience with a High School diploma
• Working knowledge of behavioral or social science research processes and tools, which may include participant-based research, survey platforms (e.g., Qualtrics), basic data analysis, and research documentation
• Ability to independently complete routine research and administrative tasks, manage multiple priorities, and support lab operations using established procedures and protocols
• Strong organizational and communication skills, with the ability to coordinate research activities, support participant recruitment efforts, and assist with data analysis, literature reviews, and preparation of research outputs

Responsibilities

• Independently conducting standard laboratory and field research activities
• Supporting broader research projects
• Collecting and processing data
• Conducting basic experiments
• Assisting with the design and implementation of research projects
• Performing preliminary statistical analysis
• Overseeing day-to-day research and administrative operations
• Coordinating research activities
• Supporting participant recruitment
• Managing IRB submissions and maintenance
• Tracking expenses
• Ensuring efficient lab operations
• Applying established procedures and precedent to resolve issues
• Providing guidance or training to less experienced colleagues
• Contributing to research activities such as literature reviews, survey programming, data analysis, and preparation of manuscripts

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision coverage, with Ohio State paying a significant portion of the cost
• Paid time off, including sick and vacation time and 11 holidays
• State retirement plan or an alternative retirement plan, both with generous employer contributions

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees