Job Description

The Language and Cognition Lab in the Department of Cognitive Science is seeking a Research Assistant to work on a research project examining spatial and language development between the ages of 4-12 in typically-developing children, including behavioral and brain imaging studies. This is a grant-funded position; continued employment is contingent upon the availability of grant funding.

The research project is a collaboration between the JHU Language and Cognition Lab and the Learning and Development Lab at Georgetown University Medical School. All experiments (behavioral and imaging) are carried out at the Georgetown facility in Washington D.C.

The Research Assistant oversees data collection, data organization, and/or data management or similar functions/tasks for research study(ies) in support of a PI or a research team.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Run routine and ad hoc reports.
• Use standard tools and computer programs to review data.
• Assist with data cleaning measures to ensure accuracy of data and preparation of tables.
• Lead basic activities such as data collection and data entry.
• May lead specific tasks and develop processes to ensure study activities occur effectively and efficiently.
• May conduct literature searches to support faculty in research efforts.
• May design and format papers/publications.
• May assist PIs in writing summaries of papers for release as policy briefs or other channels.
• Other duties as assigned.

In addition to the duties described above

• Recruit and interact with child participants and their parents.
• Test child participants in behavioral and imaging experiments in the Georgetown lab.
• Perform administrative responsibilities associated with these experiments including maintaining lab records, uploading and organizing data, managing IRB documentation and reviews, and conducting preliminary analyses under the guidance of the project’s PIs.
• Maintain detailed written protocols of all experiments.
• Recruit undergraduate research assistants.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Cognitive Science, Psychology, or related field.
• Background in Psychology, Cognitive Science, or related fields, with a focus on children’s cognitive development.
• Experience conducting behavioral and/or imaging experiments with young children (ages 6 months to 12 years old), with at least one year of experience recruiting and testing such participants.
• At least two years’ experience in a Cognitive Science (or related) lab setting.

Technical Qualifications & Specialized Certifications

• Proficient with programming languages (e.g. Python, Java).
• Proficient with statistical software (e.g. SPSS, R).
• Strong organizational skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively on a research team.

Technical Skills & Expected Level of Proficiency

• Analytical Skills - Awareness
• Attention to Detail - Awareness
• Data Management and Analysis - Awareness
• Formatting and Layout Proficiency - Awareness
• Information Gathering - Awareness
• Oral and Written Communications - Awareness
• Organizational Skills - Awareness
• The core technical skills listed are most essential; additional technical skills may be required based on specific division or department needs

The core technical skills listed are most essential; additional technical skills may be required based on specific division or department needs.

On call or non-standard work hour requirements

• Occasional evening or weekend participant scanning may be required; RA's schedule will be flexed in consultation with supervisor to balance weekly work hours.

Classified Title: Research Assistant
Role/Level/Range: ACRO40/E/03/CD
Starting Salary Range: $17.20 - $30.30 HRLY (Commensurate w/exp.)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Monday - Friday / 8:30am - 5 pm
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Location: Remote
Department name: Cognitive Science
Personnel area: School of Arts & Sciences