Research Services Senior Professional

University of Colorado•Aurora, CO

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado Anschutz Campus seeks a full-time (1.0 FTE) Research Services Senior Professional (RSSP). The Research Services Senior Professional (RSSP) will provide direct professional support of daily research activities such as subject recruitment and management, participant screening, scheduling, conducting informed consent/assent/HIPAA activities, psychiatric and cognitive assessments, brain stimulation procedures, neuroimaging (including fMRI), data and biospecimen collection, data processing, research administration, IRB documentation, regulatory compliance, and study budgeting. The RSP will also assist with training and onboarding research staff and students. Their extent of involvement in these research duties will be assigned by their supervisor. This individual will be responsible for collaborating with various faculty and staff across campus, as well as interacting with study participants. The candidate should be organized, detail-oriented, professional in conduct, possess strong interpersonal and communication skills, work effectively as a team player, and be capable of managing responsibilities with minimal supervision.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in physical sciences, social/behavioral sciences, data science, public health, healthcare, or a directly related field from an accredited institution
2 year experience in quantitative neuroscience, neuroimaging, biomedical data science, computational neuroscience, biostatistics, neuroscience research, or another closely related area involving the analysis of complex scientific or biomedical data.
A combination of education and related technical, military, or paraprofessional experience may be substituted for a bachelor’s degree on a year-for-year basis.
An advanced degree (Master’s or Doctorate) may be substituted for experience on a year-for-year basis if the degree is in a field of study directly related to the work assignment.
Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.
Must complete and maintain applicable institutional research, human-subjects protection, information security, MRI safety, TMS safety, and other required training.
Occasional schedule flexibility may be required to support research data acquisition, grant deadlines, collaborative meetings, or scientific activities.
Occasional travel may be required to attend scientific conferences, collaborative meetings, or other research-related activities.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without requiring sponsorship.
We are unable to provide work visa sponsorship or employment authorization for this position now or in the future.
Advanced quantitative expertise: Advanced knowledge of quantitative research methodology and demonstrated ability to independently develop, evaluate, implement, and troubleshoot analytical approaches for complex neuroscience or biomedical research data.
Neuroimaging and neuromodulation expertise: Knowledge of neuroimaging methodology and analysis, with the ability to apply quantitative approaches to fMRI/MRI and integrate imaging information with neuromodulation, behavioral, and clinical research data.
Computational and reproducible research skills: Demonstrated ability to develop, document, validate, and maintain computational workflows using appropriate programming, scientific computing, data management, and version-control practices.
Scientific leadership and problem-solving: Ability to function as a subject matter expert, independently evaluate complex scientific and technical problems, develop solutions, and provide technical direction to investigators and research personnel.
Scientific communication: Ability to communicate complex quantitative concepts effectively, both orally and in writing, to audiences with varying levels of technical expertise and contribute to manuscripts, grants, presentations, and scientific reports.
Collaboration and mentorship: Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with faculty, scientists, research professionals, clinicians, trainees, and employees at all levels throughout the institution and to provide effective scientific guidance and training.
Organization, rigor, and service: Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, commitment to scientific rigor and reproducibility, and outstanding customer service skills in supporting investigators and collaborative research teams.

Nice To Haves

Masters degree in physical sciences, social/behavioral sciences, data science, public health, healthcare, or a directly related field from an accredited institution
Advanced experience with human neuroimaging analysis, particularly functional and/or structural MRI, including development and implementation of reproducible imaging analysis workflows.
Experience with neuromodulation research, particularly TMS, MRI-guided neuronavigation, individualized stimulation targeting, or integration of neuroimaging and brain stimulation data.
Experience developing scientific software, computational pipelines, or advanced quantitative workflows using programming and scientific computing tools such as Python, R, MATLAB, shell scripting, or related platforms.
Demonstrated experience contributing quantitative or methodological expertise to peer-reviewed publications, scientific presentations, and/or externally funded research proposals.

Responsibilities

Administer complex neuro-navigated brain stimulation and MRI experiments, balancing participant comfort and safety, data quality, protocol requirements, and sensitive instrument recordings.
Operate and maintain specialized research equipment, including brain stimulation, neuronavigation, and neuroimaging systems, in accordance with established research protocols and safety standards.
Troubleshoot poor imaging quality, inaccurate timing of interleaved brain stimulation and brain recordings, and hardware or software failures that may compromise research procedures or data quality.
Identify technical issues during research procedures and work with investigators, technical personnel, and equipment vendors as appropriate to resolve problems and ensure collection of high-quality research data.
Participate in all aspects of clinical research studies, including recruiting and enrolling participants, conducting participant screening, obtaining informed consent and HIPAA authorization, scheduling study visits, completing psychiatric, cognitive, behavioral, and mental health assessments, operating brain stimulation and neuroimaging equipment, collecting biological samples, and coordinating participant reimbursement.
Coordinate participant visits involving multiple research procedures, investigators, facilities, and specialized research resources.
Assist in the preparation of research recruitment materials, advertising campaigns, and participant outreach efforts.
Demonstrate professionalism and excellent communication skills when interacting with research participants, investigators, collaborators, and other research personnel, ensuring respectful, ethical, and participant-centered conduct at all times.
Manage study protocols to ensure compliance with institutional, federal, and sponsor requirements, including preparing and maintaining informed consent forms, study protocols, protocol applications, amendments, continuing reviews, and other regulatory documents.
Prepare and submit regulatory materials to COMIRB and maintain required study approvals and documentation.
Perform applicable OnCore research monitoring, documentation, and regulatory sign-off activities.
Maintain regulatory documentation and support compliance activities involving applicable federal agencies, including the FDA and DEA, when required by study protocols.
Collaborate with principal investigators and research staff to ensure studies are conducted in accordance with University policies, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), approved protocols, and all applicable regulatory requirements.
Maintain complete and accurate study records, create and manage regulatory and study binders, and ensure adherence to research quality and documentation standards.
Create, maintain, and perform quality control of research databases, including REDCap and other approved research data systems.
Conduct accurate and timely data entry, data processing, validation, and documentation while maintaining the integrity, security, and confidentiality of research data.
Apply computing, database management, and basic statistical skills to support research data management, quality assurance, study tracking, and reporting.
Identify missing, inconsistent, or potentially erroneous research information and work with appropriate study personnel to resolve discrepancies.
Maintain research records and documentation necessary to support data integrity, protocol compliance, monitoring, and reproducibility.
Support study administration by assisting with budget monitoring, drafting progress reports, and coordinating with investigators and administrative personnel on project management activities.
Perform administrative activities necessary for study operations, including scheduling participant visits, ordering research supplies, coordinating meetings and events, and preparing study documents and training materials.
Train and onboard research staff and students on study procedures, regulatory requirements, data collection methods, research equipment, and laboratory operations as assigned.
Provide cross-coverage for other research personnel to support continuity of research operations.
Participate actively in departmental, supervisory, principal investigator, laboratory, and research team meetings.
Contribute to study planning, protocol implementation, troubleshooting, and continuous process improvement.
Collaborate with investigators, research personnel, institutional partners, and external collaborators to support successful implementation of neuromodulation research studies.
Perform other research-related duties as assigned.