Research Assistant (Full‑time) Position @ Reactivity and Regulation Lab, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

The Reactivity and Regulation Lab at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, directed by Dr. Meredith Gruhn, is seeking a full-time Research Assistant to support multiple research projects examining early life adversity and emotion regulation in adolescents. The lab uses behavioral, physiological, and neuroimaging (fMRI) methods to investigate developmental processes related to mental health.

Job Description:

The Research Assistant will contribute to the daily operations of the lab and support ongoing studies involving adolescents and their families. Responsibilities include participant recruitment, data collection, data management, and administrative coordination. This position is ideal for individuals with strong organizational skills who are interested in developmental or affective neuroscience and planning to pursue graduate training.

Key Responsibilities:

• Recruit and schedule adolescent participants and their families
• Collect behavioral data through surveys and interviews
• Conduct interviews involving sensitive topics such as maltreatment and mental health
• Collect saliva samples and support physiological data collection
• Assist with fMRI data collection and preprocessing
• Support data analysis and data management procedures
• Mentor and supervise undergraduate research assistants
• Manage administrative tasks, including data organization, inventory, recruitment platforms, and lab website maintenance
• Conduct literature searches to support manuscript preparation
• Prepare and operate equipment for experimental protocols
• Lead IRB submissions, modifications, and continuing reviews, and ensure study compliance
• Work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, as needed

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, neuroscience, or a related field
• Prior experience working in a research laboratory
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a research team

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience or proficiency with coding or experimental software (e.g., E-Prime, PsychoPy, Python, R)
• Demonstrated interest in developmental or affective neuroscience
• Experience with fMRI research
• Familiarity with statistical or neuroimaging tools (e.g., SPSS, R, FSL, FreeSurfer)
• Experience using REDCap for survey design and data collection

Salary/Compensation:

• Full-time position
• Salary not specified

Application Deadline:

• Not specified; applications reviewed on a rolling basis

How to Apply:

Interested applicants should email a CV, cover letter describing relevant experience and interest, and contact information for three professional references to Dr. Meredith Gruhn.

Applications should be sent to meredith.gruhn@vumc.org with the subject line “Research Assistant Application.”

Additional information about the lab is available at www.regulatelab.com .