Lab Assistant 3

Department Summary

The UCLA Department of Psychology is an exceptional department known for its excellence in research, teaching, and service. With a distinguished faculty comprising more than 60 ladder rank members, it is one of the nation's top psychology departments. Its undergraduate program is the largest within the Division of Life Sciences and the UCLA College, with nearly 5,000 undergraduate students enrolled across three majors: Psychology, Psychobiology, and Cognitive Science and a minor program, Applied Developmental Psychology. The department also offers a comprehensive Ph.D. program with eight areas of study to approximately 200 enrolled graduate students.

Position Summary

The lab manager will provide research and administrative support to the SPHERE Lab; and, will work with Dr. Wilson to manage different research activities occurring within the SPHERE Lab. The lab manager will participate in many aspects of the research process, including recruitment of research participants, development and maintenance of a database for participant recruitment and tracking, preparation and submission of IRB applications, data collection using a variety of methods, supervision of volunteer assistants, and data management and analysis. Research projects focus on stigma, substance use, sexual health and behavior, and mental health among racial/ethnic minority and LGBTQ populations. Methodological approaches employed in the SPHERE lab include field studies, intensive longitudinal measurement/ecological momentary assessment (EMA), experiments, including randomized controlled trials, biomarkers and physiological measurements, and qualitative methods. Another key area of work in which the lab manager will engage is completing administrative tasks related the SPHERE Lab, including assisting with lab presentations and manuscripts, purchasing necessary supplies and managing petty cash, and overseeing updates to the lab website.

Qualifications

• Experience working or volunteering in research lab settings. (Preferred)
• work in Research Design and Statistics. Understanding of longitudinal, field, experimental, mixed-methods, and other types of research methods. (Required)
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills to communicate effectively with research participants, students, staff, and supervisors from diverse and varying backgrounds. (Required)
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and skilled in multitasking and remaining highly organized. (Required)
• Skilled in effectively managing large teams, including setting priorities and adapting flexibly to changing needs. Proficient in public speaking and team meeting facilitation, including crafting meeting agendas and materials. (Required)
• Clear and effective verbal and written communication skills, including grammar, spelling, and punctuation. (Required)
• Computer skills including word processing, web applications, email, and spreadsheets (especially Excel, Word, Outlook). (Required)
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential materials with discretion. (Required)
• Familiarity with pre-registration processes and data collection platforms and databases (e.g., REDCap, Qualtrics). (Preferred)
• Skilled in using SPSS and/or R to manage databases and perform analyses. (Preferred)
• Experience in conference submissions, presentations, and paper publication. (Preferred)
• Knowledge of UCLA payment processing systems. (Preferred)
• Knowledge of forms and submission procedures to obtain research approval from the UCLA Institutional Review Board and Office for the Protection of Human Subjects. (Preferred)

Education, Licenses, Certifications & Personal Affiliations

• Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Psychobiology, or related field or equivalent experience/training. (Preferred)