Job Details

Positive Emotion and Anxiety Staff Research Assoc. - 136591

Overview

UC San Diego Department of Psychiatry is one of the most innovative and productive academic departments in the country, offering challenging career opportunities in the diverse areas of advanced educational programs, cutting-edge research, and state-of-the-art clinical services. The department is committed to offering a dynamic learning environment and growing opportunities to its talented and dedicated employees.

Under supervision, the incumbent will work as a Staff Research Associate supporting the clinical research efforts for the Positive Emotion and Anxiety Research Laboratory and Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders Research Center. Incumbent effort will specifically be targeted on the following research studies involving subjects with clinically elevated symptoms of anxiety and/or depression: Pramipexole to Enhance Social Connections. Duties and responsibilities include updating and maintaining several databases; assistance with recruitment and screening of potential subjects; administration of structured clinical interviews; administering experimental protocols involving the collection of symptom, behavioral, and brain imaging data; administering standardized social affiliation tasks and overseeing personnel serving as confederates; assisting with preparing summaries for institutional review board and funding agency progress reports; recruiting and training research assistant student interns on study procedures; and coordination of ongoing research studies. Perform other duties as needed.

Responsibilities

As a Staff Research Associate, responsibilities include the following activities related to the clinical research efforts for the specified studies:

• Update and maintain databases for multiple projects and ongoing research; enter, update, verify subject and experimental data; use statistical software to process data.
• Recruit and screen potential subjects; administer structured clinical interviews; administer experimental protocols with symptom, behavioral, and brain imaging data; oversee confederates for social tasks.
• Prepare summaries for institutional review board and funding agency progress reports.
• Recruit and train research assistant student interns on study procedures.
• Coordinate ongoing research studies and assist with various study-related duties.
• Adhere to confidentiality requirements and maintain accurate records; schedule subjects for initial interviews and behavioral assessments; schedule blood draws, MRI scanning, and treatment visits as applicable.
• Train and oversee volunteer research assistants in administering protocols to study participants, including confederates for social affiliation tasks.
• Maintain current MRI Safety Training and Certification through the Center for Functional MRI as required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Theoretical knowledge of psychiatry, psychology, or related field, typically attained by a Bachelor's degree and/or equivalent education/experience.
• Strong computer skills (word-processing, databases, SPSS) and ability to maintain databases for several projects; ability to enter, update, verify data, and use statistical software.
• Basic knowledge of psychiatric diagnostic criteria.
• Experience maintaining and updating databases and creating new ones for ongoing research.
• Ability to schedule subjects for initial interviews and behavioral assessments; understanding of behavioral assessment processes.
• Effective interpersonal, oral and written communication skills; ability to administer research protocols and keep accurate records.
• Ability to organize and prioritize workload.
• Ability to administer clinical symptom surveys, screening interviews, and structured psychiatric interviews.
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality.
• Experience training and overseeing volunteer research assistants in administering research protocols, including confederates for social tasks.
• Ability to schedule subjects for initial interviews, behavioral assessments, and imaging sessions; MRI safety training and certification as required; ability to administer fMRI assessments.
• Experience administering questionnaires, behavioral assessments, and computer tasks, including social affiliation tasks.

Special Conditions

• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Must be able to drive to various research sites and have access to reliable transportation for subject recruitment across multiple sites.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed.

Pay Transparency

Annual Full Pay Range: $55,374 - $66,064 (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)

Hourly Equivalent: $26.52 - $31.64

The Hiring Pay Scale reflects the budgeted salary/hourly range for this position. Compensation takes into account experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business needs.

Additional Details

• Seniority level: Not Applicable
• Employment type: Full-time
• Job function: Research, Analyst, and Information Technology
• Industries: Higher Education

UC San Diego is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

UC San Diego Health is smoke and tobacco free. UC San Diego Health maintains a drug-free environment; a drug screening may be required.