Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Junior Specialist Research Assistant Positions


The Translational Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience laboratory (PI: Dr. Cameron Carter), is recruiting for three to four Junior Specialist (research assistant) positions at the UC Davis Medical Center, with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2018 or earlier. Our research focuses primarily on studying the neural mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction in psychotic illness with additional interests in neuroimmune models of psychosis and mental health services research. Our three positions are described in brief below and applicants are encouraged to apply to one or more of the positions depending on interest level and qualifications. You can only be considered for the positions for which you apply, so please read the detailed descriptions available via each link. Positions have a one year appointment with an additional year based on performance, and we strongly consider applicants who are able to consider a two year commitment. Deadline for application review is slightly different for each position, please see the posting for the deadline.

 

Applications can only be accepted via the UC Davis Recruit website.  For any additional questions about the positions, please contact Erika Steinbauer (esteinbauer@ucdavis.edu).

 

Psychosis Study Coordinator (please apply by 5/30/2018)

 

This study is under the direction of Dr. Wilsaan Joiner and in collaboration with Dr. Cameron Carter's Translational Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (TCAN) Laboratory. The goal of the study is to use tools from cognitive neuroscience to explore how disruptions in a person's ability to distinguish external versus self-initiated actions may influence visual perception and contribute to positive symptoms of psychosis (e.g., hallucinations and delusions). The incumbent will be fundamentally involved in the planning and execution of this newly funded research project. The incumbent will work collaboratively with the PI to identify the steps necessary to implement the research project, which includes IRB submission, identification and development of measures for use in the study, and successful implementation of those measures in the study itself. Furthermore, the incumbent will have the opportunity to creatively contribute to the research project by proposing alternative analysis strategies, generate novel projects with existing data, and review literature for manuscript preparation. Studies of this magnitude often require thinking creatively to design a protocol that can accommodate the study population, in this case individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The incumbent will be expected to be an active member of the research team in creatively adapting the protocol and documenting changes as appropriate. The incumbent will assist the PI in many aspects of the research study and work independently under supervision of the PI to ensure adherence to study protocols, which includes consent procedures, clinical interviewing, and behavioral testing. The incumbent will assist in data management, as it pertains directly to the execution of the research project. The incumbent will contribute to writing and review of relevant manuscripts and will be acknowledged with authorship or in the acknowledgement section, as appropriate based upon the work completed. The incumbent will be actively and significantly involved in publishable research activities, including reviewing journal articles and engaging in discussions on research and the interpretation of research results with PI and others in the lab.

 


 

 

Psychosis Study Technical (please apply by 5/30/2018)

 

This study is under the direction of Dr. Wilsaan Joiner and in collaboration with Dr. Cameron Carter's Translational Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (TCAN) Laboratory. The goal of the study is to use tools from cognitive neuroscience to explore how disruptions in a person's ability to distinguish external versus self-initiated actions may influence visual perception and contribute to positive symptoms of psychosis (e.g., hallucinations and delusions). The incumbent will be fundamentally involved in the planning and execution of this newly funded research project. The incumbent will work collaboratively with the PI to identify the steps necessary to implement technical aspects of the research project, which includes using knowledge of programming and neuroimaging to help develop, test, and implement measures for use in the study. These measures will need to be developed and optimized for use in EEG and fMRI aspects of the study. Studies of this magnitude often require thinking creatively to design a protocol that can accommodate the study population, in this case individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The incumbent will be expected to be an active member of the research team in creatively adapting the protocol, which may include developing new experiments or modifying existing experiments and documenting changes as appropriate. Furthermore, the incumbent will have the opportunity to creatively contribute to the research project by proposing alternative analysis strategies, generate novel projects with existing data, and review literature for manuscript preparation. The incumbent will assist the PI in many aspects of the research study and work independently under supervision of the PI to ensure adherence to study protocols, which includes executing and training others in the execution of EEG and fMRI tasks, as well as thinking creatively to develop tools that can be used to analyze and present the data. The incumbent will also assist in data management, as it pertains directly to the execution of the research project. The incumbent will contribute to writing and review of relevant manuscripts and will be acknowledged with authorship or in the acknowledgement section, as appropriate based upon the work completed. The incumbent will be actively and significantly involved in publishable research activities, including reviewing journal articles and engaging in discussions on research and the interpretation of research results with PI and others in the lab.

 


 

 

STEP Psychosis Study Coordinator (job pending, will update when available)

 

This position is to serve as the study coordinator for the Staged Treatment in Early Psychosis (STEP) project at UC Davis Medical Center under Dr. Cameron Carter. The goal of this study is to investigate the most effective way of treating young people who may be at risk of developing a psychotic disorder. Specifically, the study is a clinical trial that tests the effect of a sequential treatment approach for at-risk young people, including cognitive behavioral therapy, omega-3 fatty acids ("fish oil"), and potentially an antidepressant. The incumbent will coordinate many aspects of the research study. The incumbent will use knowledge of mental health conditions to conduct phone evaluations to determine study eligibility of potential participants. The incumbent will also consent study participants, schedule all of their research appointments, monitor progress through the study procedures, and interface with the UCDMC pharmacy. The incumbent will conduct clinical interviews for research purposes under the supervision of a faculty member and will conduct behavioral testing sessions. The incumbent will manage the study IRB protocols, adhering strictly to privacy and confidentiality laws. The incumbent will also manage data collection and organization, including mentoring undergraduate volunteers in the input of data to multiple databases. Furthermore, the incumbent will be expected to actively participate in weekly lab meetings, journal club presentations, presentations from outside speakers, and weekly workshops to help RAs develop their career goals. Depending on their contribution and role in the lab the incumbent may have the opportunity to contribute to writing and review of relevant manuscripts. Furthermore, the incumbent may have the opportunity to creatively contribute to the research project by proposing alternative analysis strategies, generate novel projects with existing data, review literature for manuscript preparation, and the ability to submit data for presentation relevant conferences, such as Society of Biological Psychiatry or Society for Neuroscience (if funding is available).

 

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