Research Associate- Neurology

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.

NeuroMAP is developing a shared research infrastructure to advance longitudinal, multi-modal neurodegeneration and brain-aging research. This 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.

Working closely with the NeuroMAP Research Scientist, Directors, and program leadership, the incumbent will help develop and implement shared services, SOPs, training materials, inventories, tracking systems, and scalable workflows that enhance collaboration, operational efficiency, and the long-term growth of the NeuroMAP research program.

Responsibilities

• Participate in developing and implementing study goals and objectives.
• Design and conduct complex laboratory experiments, and perform advanced molecular, cellular, or other specialized techniques.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret research data.
• Assist in the development and refinement of methodologies, experimental designs, sampling techniques, and analytical approaches.
• Support research operations and coordination across NeuroMAP initiatives, and establish appropriate controls, criteria, and research standards.
• Critically review relevant scientific literature.
• Support the preparation of manuscripts, reports, and presentations for national and international conferences.
• Contribute to project documentation.
• Assist the principal investigator and NeuroMAP directors in preparing grant proposals to secure new or renewal extramural funding.
• Support the maintenance of standard operating procedures, research inventories, and operational workflows associated with NeuroMAP activities.
• Coordinate laboratory activities and work assignments for postdoctoral researchers, graduate and undergraduate students, and staff.
• Oversee routine maintenance and testing of laboratory equipment.
• Perform 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 associate’s degree, or 1 year of relevant experience required with bachelor’s degree.
• Prior experience in clinical, translational, laboratory, biomedical, or neuroscience-related research operations is preferred.
• Experience with biospecimen handling, imaging and assessment coordination, REDCap or other research data systems, inventory management, equipment oversight, and cross-functional collaboration is highly desirable.

Requires successful completion of a background check; qualified candidates may be asked to complete a pre-employment physical, including a drug screen.