Research Assistant - Full-time Term

Please note: This is a fulltime term position

The Research Assistant (RA) is part of the Computational Cognitive Development Lab within the Department of Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt University and is responsible for ensuring the smooth daytoday functioning of all research activities in the lab. The RA will supervise ongoing research projects which includes monitoring issues related to video coding and reliability anticipation of potential logistical problems in research progress research participant recruitment and testing undergraduate research assistant recruitment and supervision data management stimulus creation for experiments data entry and some data analysis and maintaining already established relationships with community partners (e.g. the Adventure Science Center). The RA will report directly to Dr. Deon Benton the Director of the Computational Cognitive Development Lab and faculty member in Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt University.

The RA will manage daytoday activities in the Computational Cognitive Development Lab. These responsibilities include but certainly are not limited to keeping track of the daily details that are necessary for successful progress in all of the research studies conducted by lab members. These data collection efforts take place in our research lab on campus in participants homes in the Nashville area in the surrounding childrens museums daycares and primary schools as well as remotely via the Children Helping Science platform. The RA will assist in assembling a team of lab members needed effectively and successfully to carry out this research. These research efforts include recruiting interviewing and training the undergraduate RAs needed to support all aspects of the research. In addition the RA will assist with data collection and management some data analysis and some writing up of the research findings. This position is ideal for individuals looking to pursue a PhD in developmental cognitive science (or related field). Thus the individual will work closely with Dr. Benton to develop and carry out their own research project. The successful candidate for this position will be expected to present this research at professional conferences and potentially to publish this research in a peerreviewed journal.

About the Work Unit:

The Computational Cognitive Development Lab consists of a group of researchers at different points in their educational preparation who contribute to the research process and ultimately the labs research progress in various ways. We are committed to creating and maintaining productive collaborative and congenial research community in which we support each other uphold diversity and recognize and embrace the differences that each member of our research team brings to the lab. We contribute to the educational mission of the Department of Psychology and Human Development by training undergraduate graduate and postdoctoral students in their intellectual development.

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

• Conduct studies with infants and children.
• Maintain established relationships with community partners (e.g. the Adventure Science Center)
• Schedule and call participants for appointments and to maintain contact with participants between visits.
• Maintain IRB approval and monitor human subjects (CITI training) and Protection of Minors training for undergraduate RAs.
• Assist with the screening recruiting and obtaining consent of study participants.
• Training and supervision of an undergraduate research team coordination with graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.
• Prepare distribute administer and process questionnaires and tests score test measurements and questionnaires and code data for computer entry.
• Maintain the lab websites.
• Type edit and organize data.
• Review and verify accuracy of database information and assist in making necessary corrections according to specific guidelines.
• Process study compensation payments and thank you letters to subjects upon completion of study activities. Assist with poststudy activities as needed.
• Ensure laboratory is prepared for experiments (maintain inventories maintain sterile conditions as required).

Supervisory Relationships

This position does have supervisory responsibilities: the RA supervises the work of the undergraduate RAs and assists the graduate students to carry out their research. The RA reports administratively and functionally to Dr. Deon Benton.

Qualifications

• Masters or Bachelors degree in Psychology Cognitive Science Education Developmental Psychology or related field is necessary.
• Interest in Cognitive Development is necessary.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and exceptional timemanagement skills is necessary.
• Experience with Adobe Director and Adobe Photoshop is strongly preferred.
• Experience with R is preferred (but not necessary).
• Experience with data entry data coding and (possibly) data analyses is necessary.
• 12 years of previous experience working in an infant and/or child development lab and collecting data with infants and children is necessary.
• Willingness to contribute to our research agenda on some nights and weekends is necessary.

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