Research Fellow - Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences

Apply now (https://secure.dc4.pageuppeople.com/apply/822/gateway/default.aspx?c=apply&lJobID=523119&lJobSourceTypeID=801&sLanguage=en-us) Job no: 523119

Work type: Senior/Research Fellow (Amherst Only)

Location: UMass Amherst

Department:Speech Lang & Hearing Sci

Union:Non-Unit Exempt

Categories: Laboratory & Research, Temporary Non-Benefited, Research, School of Public Health & Health Sciences

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Description

UMass Amherst Researcher, Jill Hoover from the department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (SLHS), is conducting an NIH funded longitudinal study of language and cognition in children. The purpose of this multisite NIH funded research study is to investigate areas of overlap and distinction in children who have a diverse range of language and cognitive skills, including children with Developmental Language Disorder, Fragile X Syndrome, and Down syndrome. Children and their families are recruited to come to our lab twice over the course of the grant, which each visit spaced by 2 years. During each visit, children and their caregiver are asked to complete a comprehensive battery of standardized clinical and experimental tasks.

The research fellow will be trained as the primary participant recruiter and participant tester. Participant recruiting requires the research fellow to interface with community partners, and the public in an effort to spread the word about our study and recruit families to our lab on the UMass Amherst campus. Participating testing involves facilitating 6- to 8-hours of standardized clinical and experimental measures scheduled over one or multiple days, depending on families preferences. Participant testing also can involve some weekend day-time hours. The research fellow will also oversee training and management of undergraduate research assistantships, data entry, data sharing and data management with the second site of our study which is housed out of the University of Wisconsin Madison.

Duties include:

• Engaging in frequent community outreach for the purpose of recruiting our subject population.

• Scheduling research participants.

• Arranging travel (i.e., airfare, hotel and rental car) and reimbursements (e.g., meals) for research participants who are from out of state.

• Testing research participants in person in our on-campus research lab in Arnold House.

• Score. enter, and manage research data using Excel, SPSS, and RedCap.

• Train and manage undergraduate research assistants.

• Assist with data preparation for scientific meetings.

• Assist with annual NIH progress reports.

• Provide written reports of standardized clinical test results to research participants.

• Perform other duties as assigned by PI Jill Hoover.

  Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree earned by 2024.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for communication with families and community organizations, as evidenced by quality of application materials and interview.

• Excellent problem solving, organizational, and time management skills.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office software.

• Ability to learn how to use software programs used for data collection and data management.

• Ability to obtain proficiency in the administration of standardized tests of speech, language, and cognition with children.

  Preferred Qualifications

• Degree in a related field.

• Experience assisting with or conducting research or experience working with individuals who have disabilities or experience working with children and families.

• Experience working on grant funded research (either federal or foundation).

  Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Administrative work within a busy, collegial office setting and interactive work with study participants in a laboratory setting.

Additional Information

• Work collaboratively and effectively to promote teamwork, diversity, equality, and inclusiveness.

• Work in partnership with colleagues within the School of Public Health & Health Sciences community and across the campus to support the Dean's strategic priorities.

• This is a temporary, non-benefited position.

  Salary Information

• Commensurate with experience.

Applicant Instructions

Along with the application, please submit a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three (3) professional references. The search may remain open until a suitable candidate is identified.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.

Advertised: Apr 24 2024 Eastern Daylight Time

Applications close: Jul 28 2024 Eastern Daylight Time