Job Description

Job Summary:

Performs biomedical &/or social-behavioral research by administering tests &/or questionnaires following protocols. Collects, compiles, tabulates &/or processes responses; gathers information. Assists in the preparation of material for inclusion in reports. Completes all activities by strictly following Good Clinical Practices (GCP) & all relevant current local, state, & federal laws, regulations, guidance, policy & procedure developed by the NU Institutional Review Board (IRB), Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), & the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH).

Dr. Stewart Shankman is seeking a research study assistant for his lab at Northwestern University to assist on NIMH and/or industry-funded projects. Broadly, research in the lab examines (a) basic mechanisms and risk factors underlying mood and anxiety disorders, and (b) novel treatments for these conditions. Our lab utilizes multiple methods in this work, including behavioral, physiological, neural, and genetic tools. This candidate will have the opportunity to gain experience in experimental design, recruitment, data collection and analysis. Opportunities for co-authoring manuscripts and conference presentations will also be available. The position will also provide the opportunity to learn about psychophysiological and psychopathological theory and research more broadly.

Successful applicants will have experience in psychological, neuroscience (or related area) research and quantitative data analysis and have strong organizational and writing skills.

Please note:

Supervisor provides objectives, detailed deadlines and general instructions. Work is reviewed for technical accuracy and compliance with instructions, practice, policy and procedures. EE meets frequently with supervisor to obtain instructions regarding general phases of work and in some cases as to specific details.

Specific Responsibilities:

Technical

Recruits study participants.
Reviews & obtains informed consent.
Schedules study visits with participants.
Scores test results.
Collects survey data.
Facilitates communication with key personnel & participants to maintain project study flow.
Conducts formal assessments with participants, including diagnostic interviews and neuropsychological testing
Conducts experiments which will involve collecting electrophysiological and neuroimaging data (EEG, fMRI), running experimental tasks and data acquisition software, and session setup and cleanup
Administration

Maintains detailed records of results which may include collecting, extracting & entering data; &/or preparing basic charts & graphs.
Performs scientific literature searches in support of research.
Finance

May process reimbursements for travel expenses.
Supervision

May train other research staff to interview/test participants.
Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major such as social or health science or related; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
Must complete Northwestern's IRB CITI training before interacting with any participants & must re-certify every 3 years.
Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

Strong writing skills
Strong communication and interpersonal abilities
Excellent organizational skills
Highly motivated and ability to work independently
Preferred Qualifications:

2+ years experience in psychological research
Completion of an independent research project
Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

Experience with R, Excel, SPSS, and/or brain vision analyzer
Experience writing using APA format