Specialist, Research​/Development, Research Scientist

Position Description

Full Specialist
Department of Psychiatry
University of California, San Francisco

Candidate will support a major new research initiative under the leadership of Dr. Edward Chang, Neurosurgery, providing research‑quality phenotypic and behavioral assessments of children, adolescents, and adults with intractable epilepsy and developmental disabilities. The candidate will independently administer, score, and interpret results from a large panel of behavioral and cognitive assessments, contribute to the research team and program by modifying and assessing test performance of measures adapted for use in individuals undergoing intracranial recordings, and perform pre‑ and post‑assessment following surgical treatment of epilepsy.

The candidate will effectively coordinate and integrate activities within a multidisciplinary research team spanning Psychiatry, Neurosurgery, and Pediatrics.

• A doctoral level degree in an area of Psychology
• Knowledge and training in the conduct of multiple established assessments of intelligence, cognition, development, and behavior in children, adolescents, and adults with and without autism and other developmental disabilities sufficient for independent administration, scoring, and interpretation.
• Substantial experience in research testing of youth, including those with autism, Fragile X Syndrome, and Down syndrome.
• Knowledge and direct experience with the use of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methods, their application, use, analysis, and interpretation.
• Advanced statistical training suitable for analyzing the test performance of individual cognitive and behavioral tests, independently proposing modifications of tests, and assessing their precision.

• A PhD in psychology with emphasis on developmental disabilities research
• Familiarity and reliability training for a range of IQ tests (Mullen, Stanford‑Binet, Wechsler), autism diagnostic assessments (ADOS, ADI‑R), and cognitive testing (NIH Toolbox, language).
• Ability to draft documents reporting on methods used, statistical analysis and results, and interpretation for peer‑reviewed scientific publications.

• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Research
• Two professional references (contact information only)

• 2 required (contact information only)

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law. UCSF is committed to welcoming and serving all people, honoring the dignity of every individual without preference or prejudice, in support of its public mission and in alignment with its PRIDE values and Principles of Community.

San Francisco, CA

Reasonable estimate: $93,200 – $194,800