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The Research Assistant (Term) will be part of Electrical and Computer Engineering Vanderbilt University. Responsibilities will include participant recruitment and coordination, assisting in data collection, programming/scripting for data analysis and data management, contributing to research studies and publications, and assisting with general laboratory operation.

Electrical Engineering has been primarily responsible for the information technology revolution that society is experiencing. The development of large-scale integrated circuits has led to the development of computers and networks of ever-increasing capabilities. Computers greatly influence the methods used by engineers for designing and problem solving.

NOTE: A Term position is a staff position that exists for a period longer than six months but is not expected to last beyond one year. Although a position may exist for a specified or indefinite period, staff who accept term positions are not guaranteed employment for the entire period; they are employed for indefinite periods within the limit of the appointment. There are no guarantees of continued employment, either within the term or when the term ends.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Participant recruitment and coordination for brain imaging experiments. This will involve:

• advertising via emails and flyers;

• communicating with research participants about the experimental logistics, and ensuring that paperwork is completed;

• reserving time for the experiments on the MRI scanner through the scheduling website;

• meeting participants at the Imaging Center when they arrive for the studies;

• managing consent forms

• ensure that participants are informed about the expectations and procedures of the study

• Assisting with setup / cleanup for EEG recordings – will involve helping to place and prepare the EEG cap on the research participant at the beginning of the experiment and cleaning up / storing the EEG system components at the conclusion of each experiment

• Oversee collection of MRI data – While the MRI scanning itself is performed by technologists at the Imaging Center, the position is expected to be present at the scans and communicate with the technologists to ensure that the specific details of our study are carried out in accordance with the lab’s experimental protocols

• Data transfer and management – following an experiment, the position will transfer all data files to the lab computers, and make sure that the files are clearly organized and readily accessible by others in the lab

• Place orders for lab supplies when needed

• Data pre-processing and quality assurance – responsible for running computer programs for pre-processing the data and communicating with the PI and others in the lab about any potential data quality issues, to ensure that high-quality data is being collected for our studies

• Participate in research, and in preparation of manuscripts, proposals, and presentations. This may include preparation of figures and diagrams, data analysis, attending project meetings, assisting with background literature review, and assisting with programming/scripting tasks.

• Other tasks as assigned

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s Degree in an engineering, computational, or basic science field is required by the start of the position.

• Careful attention to detail is required.

• Reliability, honesty, independence and demonstrated problem-solving skills are required.

• Excellent, responsive and clear communication, organization, and interpersonal skills are strongly preferred.

• Experience programming in Matlab or Python is strongly preferred.

• An interest in neuroscience is preferred.

• Experience with Unix/Linux, to facilitate data management, is preferred.

• Strong inter-personal skills and organizational skills.

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education.

Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Please note, all candidates selected for an offer of employment are subject to pre-employment background checks, which may include but are not limited to, based on the role for which they have been selected: criminal history, education verification, social media review, motor vehicle records, credit history, and professional license verification.

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