Research Assistant

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We are looking for a full‑time Research Assistant for the Vanderbilt Stress and Early Adversity (SEA) Lab, a fast‑paced, highly collaborative interdisciplinary research group exploring brain development, caregiving, and interventions to improve child and family functioning. Under the supervision of Dr. Humphreys, the Research Assistant will play an integral role in the day‑to‑day operations of multiple ongoing longitudinal studies. The assistant will actively conduct data collection sessions with pregnant individuals, children, and families, including MRI and EEG acquisition, laboratory‑based parent‑child interaction assessments, home visits, and biospecimen collection.

Beyond data collection, the assistant will contribute to participant recruitment and retention, coordinate study visit scheduling across multiple protocols, assist with data auditing and management tasks, and support protocol development and refinement. This role provides opportunities to develop research coordination skills, oversight of study timelines and enrollment targets, training and scheduling of undergraduate and master’s student research assistants, and general administrative support for study operations.

The position balances independent responsibilities with collaborative teamwork, enabling the assistant to build competencies in participant engagement, technical research skills, data management, and scientific problem‑solving.

The Research Assistant will gain exposure to cutting‑edge developmental neuroscience methods and clinical translational research. This position offers excellent research preparation and substantial responsibility and mentorship, making it ideal for individuals planning to pursue graduate programs in psychology, neuroscience, public health, or medical school. An ideal candidate would commit to a minimum of two years, allowing sufficient time to contribute meaningfully to study milestones and develop advanced research competencies.

This position does have supervisory responsibility of undergraduate and master’s level research assistants; this position reports administratively and functionally to Dr. Humphreys.

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant academic area

• Demonstrated experience conducting research data collection with human participants, with preferred experience in neuroimaging and EEG
• Experience working with pregnant individuals, infants, or young children in research or clinical settings preferred
• Strong participant‑facing skills with ability to establish rapport, provide clear instructions, and create comfortable environments for sensitive or complex procedures
• Excellent interpersonal skills with warmth, professionalism, and cultural sensitivity when working with diverse populations

• Entry level

• Full‑time

• Research, Analyst, and Information Technology
• Industries:
  Higher Education