Research Assistant Position @ University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)

The Families, Affective Neuroscience, and Mood Disorders Lab (PIs Drs. Katie Burkhouse, Jennifer Suor, and Cope Feurer) at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Department of Psychiatry, is seeking a Benefits-Eligible Full-time Academic Research Associate.  Our lab seeks to identify socio-contextual processes and behavioral-brain markers, and their interplay, in predicting risk for child and adolescent depression. By combining multiple units of analysis, [i.e., behavioralelectroencephalography (EEG), electrocardiogram (ECG)], we explore different affective, cognitive, physiological, and behavioral mechanisms involved in the development and prevention of depression in youth, and in the transmission of depression from parents to their offspring. This position also involves assisting with participant recruitment, conducting diagnostic interviews (structured clinical interviews for children and adults), running lab experiments (EEG, ECG, behavioral tasks), and assisting with data management and preprocessing.  

Duties and Responsibilities:  

  • Employs various tools and recruitment efforts to enroll and retain mothers with major depression and no history of psychopathology, and their offspring (ages 5-16) (e.g., social media, digital advertising, referral management, advocacy outreach). 
  •  Learns to conduct diagnostic interviews to mothers and their offspring to assess history of psychopathology. 
  •  Performs lab experiments with electroencephalography (EEG), electrocardiogram (ECG), and behavioral methods, and collects saliva samples from participants. 
  •  Assists in study tasks (e.g., help with data entry, generating RED Cap reports for data analysis). 
  •  Preprocesses psychophysiological data. 

    Required Qualifications: 
  • Bachelor’s degree in psychology, neuroscience, or related field required. 
  • Experience working with children and families. 
  •  Good analytical skills, the ability to resolve technical or research problems and the ability to critically check data to prevent errors. 
  • Knowledge and adherence of clinical research methods and design, and clinical research protocols. 

Additional Qualifications:  

  • Experience working with diverse patients with mood disorders including familiarity with clinical assessments (e.g., SCID or K-SADS-PL), is preferred. 
  • Experience using SPSS, R, or other statistical software is preferred. 
  • Ability to work as part of a team (e.g., share duties with other research staff and graduate students when recruiting and running study participants; completes components of data analysis, slide presentations and manuscript preparations with the PIs). 
  • ·Careful attention to detail (required for data entry and processing of psychophysiological and behavioral data); Excellent planning, organization, and prioritization skills, with the ability to independently monitor and complete a variety of complex tasks; strong interpersonal and customer service skills and excellent communication, organization, presentation and computer/pc skills (word processing and excel). 

To Apply:

Please apply and submit your resume, cover letter, and contact information for two references to hiring manager, Dr. Jennifer Suor.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Suor.  Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials as soon as possible. Review will be on a rolling basis until the search is successful.  

The University of Illinois at Chicago is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer.  Minorities, women, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. 

The University of Illinois may conduct background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer. Background checks will be performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Type
  • Paid job
  • Professional development
  • Research
Timeframe
  • Post-graduation