Research Specialist ; Yamagami​/ECE

Position Summary

The Yamagami Lab in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rice University is seeking a full‑time Research Specialist I to support interdisciplinary research within the Rice Digital Health Initiative. The Research Specialist will collaborate with engineers, clinicians, and research participants with disabilities to develop and evaluate technologies that support rehabilitation goals. Working under the supervision of the principal investigator and research team, the Research Specialist will coordinate human‑subject research activities, facilitate experiments, organize participant and study data, and perform preliminary data cleaning and analysis.

The position will also support the administrative and operational needs of the lab’s research projects.

The ideal candidate is dependable, organized, and attentive to detail. They communicate clearly, plan and schedule effectively, and work collaboratively with engineers, clinicians, research staff, and study participants. They are comfortable balancing participant‑facing responsibilities, research coordination, and preliminary data analysis in a highly interdisciplinary environment.

This position is exclusively on‑site at Rice University’s Bioscience Research Collaborative in Houston, Texas. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

$42,925 – $45,000. Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

The anticipated start date is between now and September 2026.

This is an initial one‑year, term‑limited position funded by grant, soft, and/or restricted funds, with the possibility of renewal based on satisfactory performance and continued funding availability.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field
• 1+ years of related laboratory experience

• Strong listening, verbal, and written communication skills
• Good scientific and numerical skills with meticulous attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to work collaboratively, participate actively, and contribute effectively in a team environment
• Research coordination, data collection, organizational, and problem‑solving skills
• Ability to perform preliminary data cleaning and analysis
• Ability to interact professionally and respectfully with research participants, including individuals with disabilities
• Ability to plan, schedule, and manage multiple research activities effectively

• Introductory experience or basic familiarity with hardware and software development tools, such as Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or soldering
• Statistical or graphical analysis experience and/or computer programming skills in MATLAB or Python
• Good scientific and numerical skills with meticulous attention to detail and accuracy

• Conducts specialized human‑subject research and experiments, including coordinating participant schedules and study logistics and supporting the setup, execution, and documentation of study procedures
• Collects, tracks, organizes, and analyzes participant and research data using spreadsheets, databases, and other research tools; performs preliminary data cleaning and analysis in accordance with study protocols and institutional requirements
• Communicates research activities and results through verbal updates, presentations, written reports, and other research documentation in collaboration with the principal investigator and research team
• May assist in the administration of research projects, including maintaining study records, coordinating research materials, tracking project activities, and supporting participant engagement
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please get in touch with Rice University’s Human Resources Office via email at facstaffada for support.