The details are available here https://medicine.yale.edu/lab/chawarska/jobs/
Introduction of School/Department:
The Yale Social and Affective Neuroscience of Autism Program (SANA) will select highly qualified college graduates for research fellowship positions at the Yale Child Study Center (CSC). The Yale CSC is a leading institution for clinical diagnostic services and multidisciplinary research on autism involving behavioral neuroscience, physiology, neuroimaging, and molecular genetics. Through extensive interdepartmental collaborations, the SANA Program brings together experts in developmental psychopathology, infant neuroimaging, experimental psychology, eye-tracking, and psychophysiology as well as statistics and computational science. The program is directed by Dr. Kasia Chawarska and co-directed by Drs. Suzanne Macari and Kelly Powell, along with Angelina Vernetti. The mission of the SANA program is to discover biomarkers of social and emotional vulnerabilities and novel treatment targets in infancy and early childhood. Our highly interdisciplinary and collaborative research relies on integration of cutting edge clinical behavioral, neurophysiological, and imaging data in service of improving the lives of children living with complex developmental disorders. For more information about past and current studies and recent publications, visit the lab website: https://medicine.yale.edu/lab/chawarska/
Overview of the Position:
The position is associated with a new longitudinal research project focused on examining brain connectivity in neonates with and without a family history of autism and evaluating its links with later developmental outcomes. The study is led by Drs. Kasia Chawarska, Dustin Scheinost, and Laura Ment. The Developmental Psychopathology and Social Neuroscience Fellow will support the implementation of the new research protocol. The Postgraduate Associate will contribute to a range of aspects of clinical research including recruiting study participants, assisting in infant MRI imaging, and longitudinal follow-up of the study participants, thus gaining experience with neurodevelopmental conditions in very young children.
Education:
The position will provide ample opportunities to learn about autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. This training opportunity will prepare candidates to be competitive applicants for graduate and/or medical school with their experiences as active full-time members of the research lab. The Postgraduate Associate will learn about implementation of neuroimaging (fMRI) protocols, eye-tracking experimental protocols, data management and analysis, interview skills, and manuscript preparation.
Training:
The Postgraduate Associate will participate in implementation of neuroimaging (fMRI) and eye-tracking experimental protocols as well as data processing and analysis under the supervision of the research and data management team. In addition, the Postgraduate associate will acquire clinical and interview skills by interfacing with the study participants and their families under close clinical supervision. The PGA will acquire skills in data backup, entry, and quality checks, will contribute to data visualization procedures, and will assist in manuscript preparation and conference presentations. The PGA will assist in a variety of scientific activities in the lab and provide general assistance relevant to the functioning of the lab. The Fellowship’s curriculum also includes participation in weekly research and lab meetings, grand rounds, research tutorials and courses, and other didactic experiences at the Yale Child Study Center, and the Departments of Psychology, Pediatrics, Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, and Statistics.
Mentorship:
The Postgraduate Associate will be directly mentored by Drs. Chawarska, Scheinost, Ment, Macari, Powell, and Vernetti, and will be involved in a highly active and productive community of clinical research scientists. With research mentorship, the selected applicant will be expected to engage in a research project from the point of data collection through analysis and abstract and/or manuscript submission.
Location: This is not a remote opportunity. This position is located at the Child Study Center on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, CT. The position is one year in duration with a salary of $39,480.00 plus healthcare benefits, with a second-year appointment conditional on progress made in the first year. Postgraduate positions are open to those who will have received a bachelor and/or master’s degree before beginning the position, but not doctoral degrees. Anticipated start date is December 1, 2024.
Qualifications:
BA or BS required. Applicants with excellent interpersonal and communication skills and prior experience in research with clinical populations and/or with infants and young children and their families, experience with implementation of neuroimaging, behavioral, eye-tracking, and/or psychophysiological studies, as well as a strong background in statistical methods, will be reviewed favorably. Applicants must be proficient in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Priority will be given to those who have experience with database management systems such as Microsoft Access and statistical packages such as R, SPSS, or SAS.
Application Process
Application Deadline: September 30, 2024
Review of applications will begin immediately upon receipt and continue until the positions are filled. Application must include the following items, and be sent as a single document, preferably in pdf format, to sanalab@yale.edu:
1. A completed application cover page (below) – all sections are required.
2. A CV
3. Copies of undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) unofficial transcripts.
4. A 2-page personal statement containing biographic material, relevant experience, and career goals - can be single or double spaced
