Position Overview 

The Cognition and Neurodevelopmental Studies Lab in the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MIDB) at the University of Minnesota is currently conducting multiple research studies examining brain and behavioral development in young children between birth and 6 years of age. The candidate will assist the Principal Investigators in managing/coordinating and conducting various aspects of this research. We are seeking someone with knowledge of  child development theory and research who has sufficient experience to ethically recruit participants, schedule  participants for MRI scans and behavioral assessments, acquire informed consent from participants, conduct participant  assessments (e.g., semi-structured parent interviews, behavioral testing with children), acquire MRI data (learn to safely  operate the scanner console), perform quality control / quality assurance procedures on behavioral and MRI data,  purchase materials as needed, supervise undergraduate RAs, enter and manage data in the labâ™s LORIS database, and  generate scientific products (e.g., professional presentations, empirical publications). The is a civil service position for 40  hours a week and requires a minimum 2-year commitment. The position will provide primary support for the IBIS  Network study.  

This position is in-person at the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain. Per UMN policy, work may be done remotely  when appropriate and approved by your manager. All UMN employees are expected to follow applicable public health  and safety procedures.  

Job Responsibilities 

Research Study Coordination (45%)

• Complete Human Subjects ethics training 
• Assist PI with maintaining study protocol 
• Recruit, schedule, and acquire informed consent from participants 
• Purchasing study materials and ensuring compliance with purchasing procedures/documentation 
• Communicate regularly with local and national collaborators regarding study progress 
• Attend regular IBIS network meetings 
• Organize weekly recruitment/enrollment report 
• Manage organization and storage of data 
• Reliably administer standardized behavioral tests on young children (e.g., Bayley Scales for Infant & Toddler  Development, Autism Observation Schedule for Infants, Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales, etc) 
• Reliably administer experimental behavioral assessments for young children (e.g., DJAA, MEFS, etc.)
• Reliably administer semi-structured and standardized parent interviews (e.g., Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales,  etc.) 
• Acquire familiarity with eye tracking hardware and software and conduct eye tracking assessments 
• Acquire front-end functional familiarity with LORIS database, including tasks such as entering data, performing  queries, examining quality control metrics, and extracting data for analyses 
• Perform basic data analyses using statistics software (Excel, SPSS, R, SAS) 

Developmental Imaging Acquisition (45%) 

• Complete CMRR safety training to be able to independently operate the 3T and 7T scanner consoles 
• Learn the CNS Lab developmental neuroimaging standard operating procedures well enough to train new  members  
• Attend MRI sessions and assist PI and other staff with the collection of MRI data 
  • Should plan to dedicate a up to 3 nights a week to night scanning (typically between 7-11pm) 
• Personnel Training/Management  
  • With support from the PI, overseeing the responsible conduct of research training and CMRR specific training for all lab members who participate in our developmental neuroimaging procedures 
  • With support from the PI, overseeing the recruitment and retention of research assistants (RAs) who  contribute to our developmental neuroimaging procedures 
  • Training lab personnel on how to interface between MRI data collection and our project/data  management system (LORIS) 
  • Training collaborators and MIDB Neuroimaging core personnel on CNS Lab developmental neuroimaging  procedures and establish SOP for such training 

Laboratory Responsibilities & Professional Development (10%) 

• Attend weekly lab meetings 
• Participate in the broader intellectual environment to augment professional development ● Contribute to and generate scientific products 
• Undergraduate RA supervision (data entry, coordination of âœsib-sittingâ, visit observation & recording) ● Supporting the broader lab team as needed 

Required Qualifications

• BA/BS plus at least 4 years of experience or advanced degree plus 2 years of experience or a combination of related education and work experience to equal eight years; often the senior-most individual contributor in a department to whom other more junior employees go to for technical guidance. 
• Ability to collaborate effectively with people from a variety of communities, backgrounds, and identities. 
• Proficiency with computer software in PC or Mac (i.e. Microsoft Office, Google Suite) 
• Strong written and spoken language skills 
• Previous experience coordinating recruitment and data collection in longitudinal research studies 
• Experience in managing and supervising undergraduate students or employees 
• Demonstrable experience working with young children and their families 
• Demonstrable interest in learning about MRI and its application to infant/toddler brain development  

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelorâ™s degree in Neuroscience, Psychology, Educational Psychology, or related field
• A minimum of 4 years of experience in a laboratory/research setting 
• Proficiency with computer programming software (e.g., R, Python, Matlab, SQL, etc.) 
• Proficiency with statistics software (e.g. R, SAS) 
• Prior experience with MRI 
• Prior experience working with eye tracking data 
• Prior experience conducting clinical / behavioral assessments with children 
• Independent problem-solver 
• Demonstrable leadership ability 
• Comfortable interacting with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents 
• Demonstrated ability to be personable, flexible, and well-organized 
• Demonstrable data management and archiving skills 
• Knowledge of IRB regulations and best practices in human subject protection 
• Understanding of accounting and record keeping best practices 
• Prior experience managing web content and/or direct communications (e.g., website, newsletters) 

About University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

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