Research Associate- Neurological Institute

About the role

The Department of Neurology seeks a Research Associate to contribute to the planning, design, execution, and management of research projects in a foundational biological/health science laboratory investigating neurodegenerative disease and related translational neuroscience research. The position will strengthen operational capacity by coordinating logistics across research pillars, standardizing documentation and processes, and ensuring readiness for study visits, laboratory activities, equipment utilization, and biospecimen workflows. The role will support NeuroMAP-wide data integration efforts by facilitating the linkage of clinical, imaging, neuropathologic, and molecular data, while serving as a central resource for day-to-day research operations and implementation support.

Responsibilities

• Participates in developing and implementing study goals and objectives
• Designs and conducts complex laboratory experiments
• Performs advanced molecular, cellular, or other specialized techniques
• Collects, analyzes, and interprets research data
• Assists in the development and refinement of methodologies, experimental designs, sampling techniques, and analytical approaches
• Supports research operations and coordination across NeuroMAP initiatives
• Establishes appropriate controls, criteria, and research standards
• Critically reviews relevant scientific literature
• Supports the preparation of manuscripts, reports, and presentations for national and international conferences
• Contributes to project documentation
• Assists the principal investigator and NeuroMAP directors in preparing grant proposals to secure new or renewal extramural funding
• Supports the maintenance of standard operating procedures, research inventories, and operational workflows associated with NeuroMAP activities
• Coordinates laboratory activities and work assignments for postdoctoral researchers, graduate and undergraduate students, and staff
• Oversees routine maintenance and testing of laboratory equipment
• Performs other tasks as assigned to advance the research mission, including facilitating collaboration across NeuroMAP's research pillars and ensuring operational readiness for ongoing studies

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience required
• 3 years of relevant experience required with an associate’s degree, or 1 year of relevant experience required with a bachelor’s degree
• Successful completion of a background check required
• May be asked to complete a pre-employment physical, including a drug screen

Qualifications

• Prior experience in clinical, translational, laboratory, biomedical, or neuroscience-related research operations
• Experience with biospecimen handling
• Experience with imaging and assessment coordination
• Experience with REDCap or other research data systems
• Experience with inventory management
• Experience with equipment oversight
• Experience with cross-functional collaboration

Skills

• Advanced molecular and cellular laboratory techniques
• Data collection, analysis, and interpretation
• Experimental design and methodology development
• Grant proposal writing and funding support
• Standard operating procedure (SOP) development and maintenance
• Research inventory and equipment management
• Coordination and supervision of laboratory personnel (postdocs, graduate/undergraduate students, staff)
• Collaboration across multidisciplinary research pillars
• Preparation of scientific manuscripts, reports, and conference presentations
• Project documentation and data integration (clinical, imaging, neuropathologic, molecular)
• Training material development and implementation