Research Staff Assistant

Position Summary

Columbia University's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute unites world-class scientists across diverse academic disciplines to conduct groundbreaking research that transforms our understanding of the brain and its influence on the mind and behavior.

As a leading neuroscience institute, our mission is to decipher the mind and brain to better understand behavior. Our researchers are committed to foundational science, uncovering the principles that shape how the brain develops, functions, and recovers.

With more than 50 labs, the Zuckerman Institute serves as a hub for collaboration, bringing together Columbia?s top scholars to drive research in bold new directions. Located in Manhattanville, our state-of-the-art Jerome L. Greene Science Center provides an inspiring home for discovery in one of the world?s most dynamic cities.

The laboratory of Dr. Daniel Salzman in the Department of Neuroscience has an open position for a highly motivated Research Staff Assistant to gain proficiency in a dynamic, collaborative research environment studying neural mechanisms underlying cognitive and emotional processes in non-human primate (NHP) model systems.

This is a full-time grant funded role.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Under the direction of the PI and other scientists, train experimental subjects to perform tasks that engage cognitive and emotional processes.
• Under direction of the lab manager, perform general lab duties, including animal husbandry, ordering supplies, sustaining inventories and maintenance of instruments for laboratory procedures, assisting with administrative and documentation tasks that support experimental efforts.
• Under the direction of the PI and other scientists, help conduct electrophysiological experiments to discover underlying neural mechanisms that support cognitive and emotional behavior.
• Under the direction of the PI and other scientists, use software applications to process and analyze data sets.

The laboratory experience will provide opportunities for further scientific training and for scientific presentation, if desired and appropriate.

Minimum Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree in neuroscience, biology, or other related area of science or engineering is required. The willingness and ability to learn specific techniques for performing tasks is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• The ideal candidate must possess strong organizational skills, keep excellent notes, show sound judgment, and have a collaborative style that fosters teamwork and cooperation as well as the ability to work independently within a diverse and dynamic team environment.
• Prior experience in NHP, NHP handling and NHP behavioral training is desirable but not required.
• Prior Experience with Matlab and/or Python is desirable but not required.