Research Specialist

UPMC • Pittsburgh, PA

8h

About The Position

The Center for Adolescent Rewards, Rhythms and Sleep (CARRS), funded through an NIH-center grant, is examining sleep, circadian rhythms, brain function, mood, and behavior in adolescents. This research specialist would have a primary responsibility for assisting with laboratory operations within the Center for Sleep and Circadian Science. Duties would include data collection (behavioral tasks and fMRI scans, collecting and processing bio-samples, setting up and monitoring home study including actiwatch and EMA diaries), organizing study visits (consenting participants, communication with participants and relevant staff, scheduling visits, preparing materials), interacting with study participants during lab visits, and other lab organization (recruitment tasks, tracking participant payment, data transfer).
The Research Specialist will work closely with study coordinators, other research staff and students, and the data manager, as well as with the staff of the Sleep and Behavioral Neuroscience Center and the Magnetic Resonance Research Center. The ideal candidate has experience with or an interest in working with adolescents, and has an interest in psychological, psychiatric and/or bio-medical research. Additionally, this candidate will have excellent communication skills, is highly organized & detail oriented, enjoys working in a collaborative, inclusive work environment, enjoys new learning experiences and interacting with new people, treats others with respect, and embodies a professional work ethic: timeliness, dependability, adaptability, and leadership skills. The position requires evening and weekend hours.
This position is grant funded.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Psychology, Neuroscience, Social Work, Sociology, or related research field.
• Minimum of one year of work experience in a research project and/or related clinical setting is required.
• Familiarity with computers and common software packages required.
• Working knowledge of research methodology strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of DSM-5 preferred.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends (including potentially on some Saturdays and/or Sundays).
• Act 31 Child Abuse Reporting with renewal
• Act 33 with renewal
• Act 34 with renewal
• Act 73 FBI Clearance with renewal

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience with conducting clinical interviews and/or behavioral interventions is preferred.
• Previous experience with adolescents and/or families is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Organizing participant study visits.
• In-person and remote data collection and monitoring including: behavioral tasks, bio-samples collection, fMRI scans, clinical interviews, and home study.
• Assisting with participant recruitment, enrollment, conducting in-person study visits, and following participants through study completion.
• Maintain a flexible schedule to ensure participant data collection.
• Performs other research duties as assigned.
• Performs in accordance with system-wide competencies/behaviors.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level