Project Coordinator

About the Job

Position Overview:

The Luciana Laboratory in the Department of Psychology seeks to hire a project coordinator (8351SM, Research Professional 1 - Social Sciences Multi-Discipline) who will be responsible for executing a newly funded study. The study, which is a collaboration between the Department of Psychology and the Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, involves a behavioral and neuroimaging assessment of adults with chronic pain who do and do not use medical cannabis for treatment.

Participants will be recruited from the general community and from area clinics. Participants will complete neuroimaging protocols, neurocognitive assessments, clinical interviews and self-report measures designed to assess eligibility criteria, psychopathology, medical health, social relationships, personality, risk-taking behaviors, and substance use. Participants will also provide blood and urine samples for the quantification of cannabinoid levels.

This position requires in person work.

A cover letter is required for consideration.

Major areas of responsibility are as follows:

Job Duties/Responsibilities (include job buckets & percentages):

• Participant Recruitment and Scheduling (35%)
  
  • Responsible for overseeing all participant recruitment.
  
  • Maintain a secure recruitment database that includes private information. Help ensure compliance, access, and security in accordance with applicable policies and procedures.
  
  • Contact participants by phone for recruitment; screen study participants using detailed phone scripts.
  
  • Schedule participants' research study sessions, including coordination among several team members and research centers outside of the department (e.g., UMN Center for Magnetic Resonance Research); arrange logistical support (e.g., payment, parking).
• Data Documentation and Management (30%)
  
  • Review data to assure quality and accuracy; conduct routine quality control checks.
  
  • Ensure data files are accurately labeled and stored in their proper locations on the lab's dedicated server to facilitate access and analysis.
  
  • Process electronic data files from cognitive tasks to extract relevant variables of interest.
  
  • Create spreadsheets through which data can be entered and/or integrated.
  
  • Develop and implement data entry protocols and procedures.
  
  • Supervise data entry by undergraduate research assistants.
  
  • Ensure data collection and documentation deadlines are met in advance of grant submissions, conference presentations, and publication efforts. Ensure milestones and deadlines are met.
  
  • Responsible for accurate documentation of study visits, including recording of completion dates, completion checklists, and documentation of any deviations from protocol that occurred; also includes documentation of participant payments.
  
  • Assure that biological specimens are properly handled and stored according to protocol instructions; this involves supervision of team members who will execute this task.
• Data Collection (25%)
  
  • Administer paper-pencil and computerized neurocognitive assessments to collect behavioral data (i.e., examining aspects of learning, memory, executive functioning and language skills); paper-pencil measures include self-report questionnaires that are completed by the participants.
  
  • Assist with data collection during MRI sessions.
• Undergraduate Research Assistant Supervision (5%)
  
  • Hire, onboard, train, and manage performance of undergraduate research assistants.
  
  • Ensure adherence to study protocols.
• Lab Operations (5%)
  
  • Assist with ordering lab supplies.
  
  • Monitoring lab computer systems to assure continued full operation.
  
  • Printing lab documents, as needed.
  
  • Attend weekly lab meetings and meet weekly with project directors.

Required Qualifications:

• BA/BS in psychology or related field, or a combination of related education and work experience to equal 4 years.
• Prior coursework or work experience in the area of abnormal psychology/psychopathology.
• Prior research experience in an academic research setting that included interaction with research participants.
• Ability to maintain a flexible work schedule (some evenings…