Lab Coordinator Term

Position Summary:

Under the supervision of Dr. Brown-Schmidt the Lab Coordinator is part of the Conversation Laboratory in Psychology and Human Development Department at Vanderbilt University and is responsible for coordinating and overseeing laboratory research. The Lab Coordinator will assist in supervising research assistants stimulus development experimental design data collection and analysis initial interpretation of results preparation of publications as well as other administrative tasks. The Lab Coordinator will be responsible for making sure the equipment in the lab is up to date and running correctly and will assist in coordination with the Dr. Duff Lab (at VUMC) once experiments have been prepared for running on patients and comparisons. The coordinator is a key contributor responsible for every aspect of research in the lab including recruiting participants running participants coding and analyzing data supervising undergraduate assistants and purchasing and maintaining lab equipment.

About the Work Unit:

The Peabody Department of Psychology and Human Development is a group of scholars who work to increase understanding of basic psychological functioning and neuropsychological development in family school and other social contexts.

Severalprograms which are included in the Psychological Sciences major offered jointly with the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Science include clinical science cognitive and cognitive neuroscience developmental science neuroscience and quantitative methods and evaluation.

The department also is the home of Master of Science programs in Cognitive Psychology in Context and Quantitative Methods as well as undergraduate majors in Language Sciences Cognitive Studies and Child Studies. The research efforts ofthedepartment are focused on increasing understanding of basic psychological processes in different contexts.

Department faculty are accomplished and nationally known. Many serve as editors of psychological journals members of national review panels and leaders in national organizations. All are authors of numerous scientific articles and chapters. While faculty members in Psychology share a common interest in psychological processes and their development our specific interests and expertise are diverse. Some are committed to increasing understanding of basic psychological processes while others emphasize implications for clinical social and educational issues.All arecommitted to building a diverse and inclusive department.

The Conversation Lab in the Department of Psychology and Human Development investigates the cognitive and neural underpinnings of everyday language use including ongoing projects on conversation language perspective-taking and the impact of brain damage on these processes. The lab uses a variety of methods including referential communication tasks eye-tracking and visual world paradigms research with patient populations brain imaging and reading experiments.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

• PARTICIPANT RECRUITMENT AND OUTREACH:Publicizing study scheduling and consenting participants attending various events in the community to disseminate our work.

• ADMINISTERING COGNITIVE TESTING: Administering experiments as well as standardized cognitive tests. May require use of specialized computer software.

• DATA MANAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS:Data scoring and entry data management analyzing behavioral performance and data quality checks.

• SUPERVISING RESEARCH ASSISTANTS:Hiring new assistants training and coordinating assistants that aid in various lab duties such as administering experiments and coding.

• VARIOUS ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES:Maintaining information technology website purchasing cash advances and bookkeeping coordinating visitors facilitating and attending lab meetings.

• ASSISTING WITH REPORTS:Helping with periodic review reports for Institutional Review Board and for granting agencies. Assist in preparation of research papers for publication.

• Recruiting and running participants for studies in the lab.

• Coding and analyzing data

• Supervising undergraduate assistants

• Purchasing and maintaining lab equipment.

• Organizing lab resources including:

• Managing research assistant hours lab meetings and the laboratory experimental schedule.

• Managing IRB compliance forms and consent form paperwork.

• Helping to design studies and prepare stimuli.

• Assisting in grant and manuscript preparation.

• Keeping inventory of supplies and computer equipment.

Supervisory Relationships:

This position has supervisory responsibility managing undergraduate students who work in the lab. This position reports functionally to Sarah Brown-Schmidt and Melissa Duff at VUMC.

Education and Certifications:

• A Bachelors degree in Psychology or a related field from an accredited institution of higher education is necessary.

Experience and Skills:

• Experience in coordinating behavioral research studies is necessary.

• Experience with computer software including media office database and basic statistical applications is necessary.

• Experience working in a research lab in Psychology or a related field is necessary.

• Experience supervising research assistants is preferred.

• Experience in institutional review board processes is preferred.

• Experience overseeing personnel excellent organizational and interpersonal skills is preferred.

• Skills in computer programming are preferred.