Job Description

The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Iowa is seeking a Research Associate to join an amazing team in pursuit of the advancement and scientific efforts in the field of Huntington’s Disease. The research associate will provide scientific and technical skills in the management, design, and execution of a neuroimaging research program including a large multi-site study of Huntington’s Disease (HD).

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Assist in the investigation of brain changes in Huntington’s Disease through imaging studies, including developing methodology to analyze large numbers of scans, very accurately, within limited timelines.
• Utilize a wide variety of imaging tools, mainly from Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) including structural, functional, diffusion weighted, and spectroscopic sequences. This may include creation of new protocols, software, and statistical tools.
• Run statistical analyses to evaluate brain function measures such as cognitive tasks, behavior ratings and motor skill are related to gene expansion, and how they are related to brain structure and function.
• Investigate and implement means to ensure validity of data collected at numerous sites across extended periods of time, developing new protocols and image analysis methods where necessary to address these issues.
• Prepare research results for publication in reports, papers, journals, books and other media.
• Assist in managing regulatory (IRB) and financial aspects of research programs.
• Maintain and comply with all University, state, and federal regulations when required.
• Coordinate seminars, discussions, and lectures for dissemination of knowledge and results of research.
• Maintain liaison with sponsoring agencies and organizations as well as with other research and educational institutions.
• Serve as an expert consultant on brain anatomy and image analysis for researchers in the HD studies.
• Train local staff and external collaborators in all aspects of image acquisition and analysis.
• Maintain effective working relationships with faculty, staff, students, and the public, both locally and at all collaborating institutions.
• Establish and maintain standards of collaborative interaction among peers and employees that is characterized by respect, honesty and service; assure that all unit members are held to similar standards and ethics; constructively manages conflict.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Bachelor’s degree.
• 1 year of medical research experience preferably in brain imaging.
• Experience or familiarity with all current methods of structural and functional imaging software/methods.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.
• Experience managing numerous projects simultaneously, developing and enforcing strict QA requirements while processing high volumes of data.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
• Experience interacting with a team of post-doctoral scholars, graduate students, research assistants, undergraduate students, healthcare providers, and external collaborators.