Job location: Stephen A. Levin Building - 2nd Floor

Employment Type: Full-time
Posted data: 2021-02-24
Req: JR00029673
University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Research Specialist, Computational Memory Lab

Job Profile Title

Research Specialist A

Job Description Summary

The Computational Memory Lab at the University of Pennsylvania seeks to recruit a research specialist to assist with a multicenter project aimed at identifying patterns of brain activity that predict when memory will succeed or fail, and using these patterns to guide closed-loop stimulation protocols aimed at boosting memory in patients with brain injury or neurological disease. The successful candidate will join a multi-disciplinary team of researchers, clinicians, data scientists, and engineers to carry out research under several federally funded grants. The ideal candidate will possess exceptional organizational and interpersonal skills, a sound foundation of technical skills and a strong desire to further build those skills during their tenure in the lab, and a passion for research aimed at understanding the neural basis of human memory. This is an ideal position for someone interested in pursuing future graduate training in cognitive/systems/computational neuroscience or bioengineering, and provides an excellent opportunity to work with clinical researchers, neurologists, and neurosurgeons at top medical research centers across the country. The position requires familiarity with Python, MATLAB, or similar programming languages, and comfort working in a Unix environment. Exceptional candidates will have experience in data analysis and programming and a strong record of academic achievement. A 2-year commitment is expected. Position is contingent on continued funding.

Please see http://memory.psych.upenn.edu for more information about the lab and its projects.

Job Description

Duties:

Administer custom, computerized neurophysiological tests, set-up custom clinical research equipment, and acquire electrophysiological recordings from patients in a hospital setting.

Annotate and pre-process behavioral, electrophysiological, and neuroradiological data; generate and quality check electrode localization and reports containing standard analyses.

Conduct scientific research by analyzing behavioral and physiological data, develop new cognitive tasks, and develop software for use in lab’s research studies.

Travel to remote clinical sites to assist in training research teams and to facilitate data collection activities.

Assist in preparing, coordinating, and tracking regulatory submissions and perform regular data quality audits to ensure protocol compliance.

Assist with general research coordination and management of lab activities.

Perform additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, bioengneerng, or related field, and 0 to 1 year of experience.
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Experience with human subjects research, especially in a clinical setting.
• Familiarity with Python, MATLAB, R, or other languages, and familiarity with Linux environments.
• Ability to travel up to 20% of the time and work flexible hours as needed.
• A two-year commitment is desired.

Working Conditions
Office, Library, Computer Room; Requires extensive safety

Physical Effort
Typically sitting at a desk or table; Occasional lifting 25 lb. or less

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

School of Arts and Sciences

Pay Range

$35,568.00 - $57,600.00

Affirmative Action Statement 
Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.

Special Requirements 
Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.