Research Associate - POA

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Department

Psychology BE-RAD Lab

Job Summary

Job Description

Research Assistant, Baby's First Years Study, New Orleans

The Baby's First Years study team is seeking full-time Research Associate for Spring 2024 in the New Orleans, LA site. These individuals will be involved in collecting data at lab-based and occasional out-of-lab visits from 6-year-olds and their mothers. Please see below and attached for additional information.

Primary responsibilities include assisting with the development and pilot testing of study procedures (15%), successfully scheduling study participants for university-based data collection (15%), administering study visits (50%), uploading data (10%), and engaging in quality control procedures (10%). Individuals in this role may also train and manage research assistants. Duties may include light travel to participant homes.

Data collection at age 6 will include standardized assessments of children's cognitive development, measures of child brain activity (EEG/ERP), children's nail cortisol, epigenetics, maternal executive functioning, and administration of a survey.

Please direct any questions to Dr. Debra Karhson at e-mail: dkarhson@uno.edu.

Study Description

The Baby's First Years study is a pathbreaking random-assignment study of the impact of monthly unconditional cash gifts to low-income mothers of infants during the first four years of their child's life. The aim is to understand the causal effects of poverty reduction on early childhood development and family life. One thousand racially and ethnically diverse mothers were recruited from hospitals shortly after giving birth in each of four metropolitan areas - New York City, New Orleans, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, and Omaha, Nebraska. Participating mothers in each site were randomized to receive either $333/month or $20/month. More about the study, media coverage, and its motivation can be found here, here, and here.

Participating families completed questionnaires around the focal child's birthday at 12, 24, and 36 months. At 48 months, families will be invited to local university settings so that we may directly assess children's cognitive and emotional development and brain function. Data collection at 48 months will include standardized assessments of children's cognitive development, measures of child brain activity (EEG/ERP), maternal and children's hair cortisol, epigenetics, maternal executive functioning, and administration of a survey on health and family life.

Minimum Qualifications

The ideal RA candidate will be/have:

• Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Neuroscience, Child Development, or a related field

• Experience working in a research setting

• Experience working with young children.

• Able to commit to the position starting spring/summer 2024 full-time for at least 12 months.

• Willing to work weekends and flexible hours to accommodate study families.

• Extremely detail-oriented and adept at multitasking

• Trained in basic research methods.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience administering standardized cognitive assessments.

• Experience with EEG

• Experience working with families from low-income communities.

• Experience working with REDCap

• Understanding of Institutional Review Board operations

• Transportation for out-of-lab visits

• Individuals who are members of the local communities will be strongly considered.

• Bilingual in English and Spanish

There are two positions available.

Required Attachments

Please upload the following documents in the Resume/Cover Letter section.

• Detailed resume listing relevant qualifications and experience;

• Cover Letter indicating why you are a good fit for the position and University of Louisiana Systems;

• Names and contact information of three references;

• Diversity Statement (required for all Faculty positions and any Staff position of Assistant Manager and higher).

See Diversity Statement instructions by clicking this link: https://www.uno.edu/careers/diversity-instructions

Applications that do not include the required uploaded documents may not be considered.

Posting Close Date

This position will remain open until filled.

Note to Applicant:

Applicants should fully describe their qualifications and experience with specific reference to each of the minimum and preferred qualifications in their cover letter. The search committee will use this information during the initial review of application materials.

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

This position may require a criminal background check to be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions at the University of New Orleans may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.

The University of New Orleans is an Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected Veteran status, age if 40 or older, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.