Clinical Research Assistant in Neuroimaging and Eating Disorders (COUNTERACT)

Site: The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc.

 

Mass General Brigham relies on a wide range of professionals, including doctors, nurses, business people, tech experts, researchers, and systems analysts to advance our mission. As a not-for-profit, we support patient care, research, teaching, and community service, striving to provide exceptional care. We believe that high-performing teams drive groundbreaking medical discoveries and invite all applicants to join us and experience what it means to be part of Mass General Brigham.

 

 

Job Summary

The Multidisciplinary Eating Disorders Research Collaborative (MEDRC) at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Holsen Lab Brigham and Women’s Hospital is seeking a full-time post-bac clinical Research Assistant with a strong interest in neuroscience and quantitative methods, including data analysis or computer science. The individual will assist with a clinical trial focused on the impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) in adolescents on clinical, neuroimaging (fMRI/sMRI), and neuroendocrine metrics, and may have the opportunity to be involved in other clinical research studies in the MEDRC and Holsen Lab. Under the supervision of the principal investigators, the post-bac clinical research assistant will carry out a broad range of neuroimaging, biostatistics, and computer science-based research activities and procedures as indicated below. This is a great position for those wanting clinical research experience before applying for graduate school or medical school. Our team has a strong track record of mentoring research assistants who have gone on to pursue medical school or doctoral programs in clinical psychology, cognitive neuroscience, neuroscience, public health, and bioinformatics. You can find out more about our lab at https://holsenlab.bwh.harvard.edu/.

Fostering diversity in the scientific research workforce is a key goal of the MEDRC and the Holsen Lab. Thus, additional support and mentorship are available for individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups demonstrated to be underrepresented in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences.

 

Qualifications

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Please note, the functions below are representative of major duties that are typically associated with these positions. Specific responsibilities may vary based upon departmental needs. Similarly, not all duties that have been outlined will be assigned to each position.

• Interact with adolescent participants during clinical study visits in the MRI environment
• Collect neuroimaging data during clinical study visits
• Contribute to the collection, coding, management, and analysis of serologic and behavioral data
• DICOM unpacking, conversion of data to NIfTI (BIDS) format
• Creation of bash scripts for data organization
• Visual inspection of structural and functional data quality
• Editing and running MATLAB-based SPM12 preprocessing scripts
• Quality assessment of motion for functional data
• Editing and running first- and second-level models in SPM12 and fMRIPrep
   

ADDITIONAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Uploading data to the NIH Data Archive
• Preparing detailed agendas and data updates for meetings
• Conducting structured clinical interviewing for psychiatric disorders, including eating disorders, mood disorders, and suicidal ideation. Training and supervision with a clinical psychologist provided.
• Processing (aliquoting, centrifuging) blood samples collected during study visits
• Assist in logistical coordination and preparation before study visits

SKILLS/ABILITIES/COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:

• Have a strong background and interest in neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, psychology, biology, mathematics, statistics, or computer science
• Be in good academic standing with a strong GPA
• Strong computer and statistical skills
• Programming skills (previous R experience is required)
• Comfort with Linux environment
• Experience using R, MATLAB, SPM12, or fMRIPrep
• Careful attention to details
• Good organizational and communication skills
• Working knowledge of clinical research protocols
• Ability to demonstrate respect and professionalism for subjects’ rights and i