Assistant Project Scientist

Assistant Project Scientist Position

Brain Connectivity and Cognition Laboratory (BCCL)

Center for Cognitive Neuroscience (CCN)

Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA Semel Institute

The Assistant Project Scientist will conduct independent research investigating the neurophysiological and cognitive mechanisms underlying bilingualism, executive function, and brain organization in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The candidate will perform research-related activities including study design, data management, statistical analysis, and manuscript preparation in collaboration with faculty and lab members. The individual will participate in the scientific and research training activities of the UCLA Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and the Semel Institute.

Specific Duties:

* * Conduct cognitive, clinical, developmental, and network neuroscience research focused on cognitive flexibility and bilingualism in typical and atypical development.

* * Oversee study protocols and coordinate research staff involvement in data collection, participant recruitment, and study implementation.

* * Consult with research staff and collaborators to ensure data quality, participant safety, and adherence to regulatory and ethical standards.

* * Train research personnel in study procedures including participant recruitment, consent, confidentiality, and the administration and scoring of neuropsychological and behavioral measures.

* * Provide Spanish-language communication with participants and translation of research materials as needed to support inclusive study participation.

* * Perform statistical and computational analyses of behavioral and neuroimaging data using established and novel methods.

* * Prepare manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals and present findings at national and international conferences.

* * Contribute to the preparation and submission of grant proposals to support ongoing and new research initiatives.

Required Qualifications:

* * Ph.D. in Psychology, Neuroscience, or a related field.

* * Extensive experience conducting human subjects research, including behavioral and neuroimaging studies.

* * Strong publication record in areas relevant to bilingualism, executive function, or developmental neuroscience.

* * Demonstrated ability to independently manage research projects and mentor junior research staff.

* * Proficiency in Spanish, both written and spoken, for participant communication and translation of research materials.

Required Skills:

* * Expertise in statistical analysis software (e.g., R, MATLAB, Python, SPSS) and neuroimaging data processing tools.

* * Experience with participant recruitment, data quality assurance, and regulatory compliance (IRB protocols).

* * Ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary research teams.

* * Strong writing and communication skills for manuscript preparation, grant writing, and presentations.

Salary will be consistent with the UCLA Project Scientist Series. The posted UC salary scales (https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/compensation/index.html) set the minimum pay determined by rank and step at appointment. See Table 37-B. The salary range for this position is $76,700-$76,700 annually.

Interested applicants must submit: i) a cover letter outlining academic interests

ii) curriculum vitae with bibliography; and iii) contact information for three potential references to the application portal at https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF10715.

For more information, please contact Marlo at MDDuran@mednet.ucla.edu.

Cultural North Star. The shared values of the DGSOM are expressed in the Cultural North Star, which was developed by members of our community and affirms our unswerving commitment to doing what's right, making things better, and being kind. These are the standards to which we hold ourselves, and one another. Please read more about this important DGSOM program at https://medschool.ucla.edu/cultural-north-star

* * Ph.D. in Psychology, Neuroscience, or a related field.

* * Extensive experience conducting human subjects research, including behavioral and neuroimaging studies.

* * Strong publication record in areas relevant to bilingualism, executive function, or developmental neuroscience.

* * Demonstrated ability to independently manage research projects and mentor junior research staff.

* * Proficiency in Spanish, both written and spoken, for participant communication and translation of research materials.

* * Expertise in statistical analysis software (e.g., R, MATLAB, Python, SPSS) and neuroimaging data processing tools.

* * Experience with participant recruitment, data quality assurance, and regulatory compliance (IRB protocols).

* * Ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary research teams.

* * Strong writing and communication skills for manuscript preparation, grant writing, and presentations.

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

Applicants are requested to provide contact information for 3 potential references in their UC Recruit application. Upon selection as a potential candidate(s), identified references will be contacted for letters. Candidates may be contacted to provide alternate references.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California 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.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
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