GENERAL SUMMARY/ OVERVIEW STATEMENT:

Our research laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital's Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging is seeking applicants who are interested in neurology and clinical neuroscience research.

This is an ideal position for pre-medical school students or pre-neuroscience graduate school students who are interested in gaining experience as a research assistant in the years between undergraduate commencement and medical or graduate school.

Our laboratory focus is on infection-associated health conditions such as Long-COVID, chronic fatigue syndrome, and post-treatment Lyme disease. Our laboratory is generally focused on neuroimaging, but we manage a number of projects analyzing blood, saliva, skin biopsy, and autonomic testing. Looking for someone to join the lab who is naturally organized, willing to do administrative work, confident with technology, compassionate with frustrated sick people, and detail-oriented. You would be hired as a clinical research coordinator (CRC) level 1 or level 2, depending on your previous lab experience.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conducting virtual, phone, and/or live screening and consenting of potential study participants, gathering medical history, and checking inclusion/exclusion criteria
• Scheduling and coordinating participant study visits to our Center and collaborating sites
• Going to different hospital buildings to work with MD collaborators, to facilitate proper collection and storage of skin biopsy and blood samples (MGH shuttle available for transportation)
• Creating, editing, and maintaining compliance documents such as IRB (institutional review board) protocols
• Administering study questionnaires to participants
• Holding virtual, phone, and/or live visits with study participants to help them correctly use take-home wearable sleep recording devices and saliva collection kits
• Helping on scan days: participant coordination, comfort and safety, sample collection, scanner setup, and data acquisition
• Acting as a study resource for patients (i.e., replying to their questions)
• Assisting with grant writing and manuscript preparation including generating graphs and reports
• Assisting with blood draws and processing, and with skin neuropathy biopsies and processing (e.g., pipetting, centrifuging, using -80 freezer)
• Opportunity to learn how to run an MRI or PET console; opportunity to learn MRI, fMRI, MRS, and PET analyses
• Data processing and analysis with potential opportunity for poster and manuscript authorship if there is a substantial intellectual contribution
• Working with undergraduate interns and helping to facilitate lab journal club meetings

SKILLS/ABILITIES/COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:

• Must have very strong written and verbal communication skills
• Must be driven to work productively under minimal supervision
• Must be proficient with computers and databases, and be able to troubleshoot and problem-solve independently
• Capable of being friendly and communicative with labmates and study participants, and assertive when confronted with obstacles
• Respectful of study participants' rights and individual needs
• Experience with Linux, coding, or neuroimaging is a plus
• Experience using a pipettor and general wetlab skills is a plus
• These are underserved patient groups, and special notice is given to applicants who are interested in a career that includes working with such patients
• Please write a cover letter that is specific to this lab's mission

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s degree required (neuroscience and/or pre-med preferred).

EXPERIENCE:

• New graduates with some relevant course/project work or those without any prior research experience will be considered for the Clinical Research Coordinator I position outlined above.
• Those with a minimum of 1-2 years of directly related work experience will be considered for a Clinical Research Coordinator II position.

Massachusetts General Hospital is an Equal Opportunity Employer. By embracing diverse skills, perspectives and ideas, we choose to lead. Applications from protected veterans and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged.