Research Specialist Position @ University of South Carolina, Columbia SC

Applications are invited for a full-time Research Specialist position in the AffectiveSocial Cognition Neurodevelopment (ASCENT) Lab, directed by Dr. Xiaoxue (Jessie) Fu. The lab studies attention and executive function and their impacts on socioemotional and cognitive development. Our research implements behavioral, eye tracking (both mobile and screen-based), and neural (fNIRS and MRI) measures to study normative development and risk mechanisms contributing to difficulties in social communication (e.g., autism spectrum disorder) and socioemotional adjustment (e.g., anxiety).

The successful candidate will work on two projects. One project examines the impact of preterm birth on in-the-moment infant-caregiver coordinated visual attention and word learning. The study involves conducting mobile and screen-based eye tracking and behavioral assessments with infants at 12 and 18 months of age. The second project studies individual differences in attention and executive function development in children and adults using screen-based eye tracking and fNIRS. The position offers a great opportunity to work with participants with a wide age range and obtain hands-on training with a variety of research methodologies. The research specialist will be integrated into our active scientific communities in the Carolina Autism and Neurodevelopment Research Center and Institute for Mindand Brain. The position is ideal for highly motivated individuals preparing for graduate or medical schools.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Setting up data collection instruments
• Participant recruitment
• Data collection and administering experimental protocols, including eye-tracking and fNIRS tasks, lab observations, and questionnaires.  
• Data coding and post-processing
• Administrative work, including maintaining and updating lab documents, maintaining contact with families, and other lab logistics.

Qualifications:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Neuroscience, Biology, Public Health, or a related field
• Experience working with children (0-10 years) and their families
• Strong communication and organizational skills; attention to detail
• Willing to work a flexible schedule (evenings and weekends) to accommodate family schedules.

Preferred

• Experience in Developmental or Neuroscience research
• Experience with eye-tracking / EEG / fNIRS / MRI / fMRI data collection
• Knowledge in programming and statistical languages (MATLAB, Python, R, and SAS)
• Experience with questionnaire data collection platforms (e.g. REDCap)
• Experience in website and/or social media management

Click here for more information and to apply