Junior Specialist - Lesh Lab

The Department of Psychiatry at the University of California Davis, School of Medicine is recruiting for a full-time Junior Specialist interested in the clinical neuroscience of psychotic disorders.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESIGNATED AREAS OF EXPERTISE

The Junior Specialist will join the Lesh Lab, in collaboration with the Carter TCAN lab, working on ongoing grants that use functional, structural, and diffusion MRI to examine factors that may predict symptom improvement in individuals with psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Main areas of focus include exploring how neuroinflammation, cannabis use, dopamine function, and socioeconomic factors relate to clinical outcome. A major responsibility of the position includes fMRI, diffusion, and neuromelanin data collection and analysis using a variety of open source and in-house software. The incumbent will use their own programming skills and learn additional skills to analyze these data types. Additionally, the junior specialist will join a team of other junior specialists in running behavioral and MRI appointments, consenting participants, conducting interviews, and managing online databases. The junior specialist may also assist in study design and implementation, literature reviews and data analysis for preparation of manuscripts or conference presentations, and writing conference abstracts and manuscripts (e.g., methods and results sections, table, and figure generation) for a particular project.

The incumbent will work under the supervision of Dr. Tyler Lesh and must have the ability to work cooperatively and collegially in a diverse environment. The lab is committed to the professional development of our staff and all staff in the lab are highly encouraged to participate in our weekly professional development workshop that focuses on building the skills and application materials necessary for a competitive and successful application for advanced degrees (e.g. clinical psychology and neuroscience doctoral programs, M.D. programs, social work, etc.).

The incumbent will work in-person at the UC Davis Imaging Research Center and collaborate with other research personnel affiliated with research activities involving neuroimaging research in psychosis and related disorders. The junior specialist will perform lab activities required to accomplish the project. Specific duties may include:

1. Effectively plan and execute psychosis neuroimaging research projects.
2. Assist with grant preparation (e.g. pilot data collection and analysis).
3. Actively contribute to publishable research by collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data.
4. MRI and behavioral testing data collection and analysis
5. Maintain databases of all study data, including demographic, symptom, and cognitive data.
6. Maintain organized records for all participants in locked filing cabinets and encrypted files.
7. Maintain study databases, enrollment counts, and adhere to privacy laws
8. Coordinate advertising, recruitment, and consenting of study cohorts.
9. Conduct clinical interviews with research study participants.
10. Review journal manuscripts and/or other related to their area of expertise.
11. Assist with daily lab maintenance and purchasing of supplies

This position requires strong interpersonal, communication, and decision-making skills, as well as the ability to work independently, and as part of a team. The appointee will be expected to actively participate in the dissemination of scientific information and may have the opportunity to submit data for presentation at relevant conference, such as Society of Biological Psychiatry (as funding permits). They are also expected to participate and contribute to departmental and other seminars, journal clubs and other activities, as applicable.

The Junior Specialist may be expected to provide mentorship to undergraduate research assistants that rotate through the lab, under the guidance of the PI. They will be expected to participate and contribute to laboratory and group meetings, committee service, and other activities, as applicable.

• Bachelor's Degree (or equivalent degree) with a major in psychology, neuroscience, computer science, engineering, statistics or a related field
• Experience in a research laboratory in an above or related field
• Experience collecting and organizing data
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, take initiative, make critical decisions
• Demonstrated strong organizational and time management skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills

• Experience with programming languages (e.g. Python, SPM, FSL, Matlab, Linux).
• Experience collecting and/or analyzing human subject data in a research laboratory
• Experience MRI scanning or working with MRI-data

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
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