Neuroimaging Research Associate / Adjointe ou adjoint de recherche en neuro-imagerie

Position Information

Posting Number : AI24-004E Title : Neuroimaging Research Associate / Adjointe ou adjoint de recherche en neuro-imagerie Position Status : Regular Full-time FTE : 1.

0 Job Schedule : Days Department : Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families Union : Non-union Site : Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families Number of Vacancies : 1

About The Royal

Neuroimaging Research Associate

Reports to : Director, Clinical Research Status : Permanent, full-time Location : Ottawa, Ontario ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND Funded by Veterans Affairs Canada, the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families (formerly the Centre of Excellence on Post Traumatic Stress Disorders) was established in 2019 to provide better access to information, research, tools and expertise on PTSD and related mental health problems and illnesses.

The goal of Atlas is to create knowledge networks with researchers, service providers, veterans and their families across Canada to increase expertise on military and Veteran mental health, suicide prevention and substance use disorders.

Atlas will create new knowledge on Veteran mental health treatments that work and place it directly into the hands of mental health professionals and others working with veterans on a daily basis.

Atlas will share evidence-based treatment protocols and best practices among the Veterans Affairs Canada network of Operational Stress Injury Clinics, the Canadian Forces Health Services, and with mental health professionals across the country.

First responders, their families and other Canadians living with and affected by PTSD or a related mental health problem will also benefit from the information and knowledge developed at Atlas.

POSITION OVERVIEW Reporting to the Director, Clinical Research, Dr. Andrew Nicholson, the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families is seeking a who will work within the Clinical Research portfolio to support and lead the development and completion of neuroimaging research projects, assist with the collection and analysis of data, and report on findings through reports and manuscripts.

We are seeking highly motivated and talented researchers to join our multi-disciplinary team of neuroscientists, biophysicists, and clinicians.

The will collaborate with our team to conduct psychiatric research using neuroimaging modalities, including the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG).

Neuroscience and psychology, as well as engineering and biophysics technical backgrounds will be considered a strong asset as this individual will support launching several new neuroimaging projects at the Brain Imaging Centre within the Royal Ottawa Hospital. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Program, pilot, and set-up new clinical neuroimaging experiments and projects at the Brain Imaging Centre while adhering to research ethics standards;
• Participate in all aspects of neuroimaging data acquisition and analysis (., developing, modifying, and executing fMRI analysis protocols and paradigms);
• Prepare peer-reviewed publications, reports, manuscripts, and presentations on research findings and support the development of knowledge mobilization products related to research projects;
• Present at international scientific conferences, and publish results as first author in scientific peer-reviewed journals;
• Initiate, design, and lead a research program, including formulating research questions, generating & testing hypotheses;
• Teach / mentor graduate-level students on programing / coding neuroimaging paradigms and analyzing neuroimaging data;
• Write research proposals, submit proposals to external funding agencies, and secure funding to conduct research through grants and contracts;
• Develop inter-disciplinary, inter-institutional, and inter-sectoral research collaborations;
• Assist in conducting DSM-based clinical assessments for research purposes;
• Develop / enhance and maintain a working knowledge of current research (including researchers and institutes / organizations) in PTSD and trauma-related mental health concerns, particularly about Canadian Veterans and Families;
• Act as liaison between study stakeholders, including participants, peers and other professionals;
• Utilize clinical research equipment (including fMRI and EEG, etc) in accordance to safety standards and best practice;
• Troubleshoot problems at all stages of program development and implementation, and modify protocol or program procedures to address challenges;
• Oversee the design of data management systems.

SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES

• Expertise in human brain imaging, including but not limited to fMRI and EEG;
• Proven research experience in functional MRI analysis methods, ., resting-state, functional connectivity, task fMRI, etc;
• Expertise in advanced neuroimaging analysis techniques (., machine learning, neural modelling) is considered a strong asset;
• Experience with scientific computing, including but not limited to computational (Python, R, MATLAB) and statistical (AFNI, FSL, SPM) methods;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills;
• Ability to work effectively and independently across multiple projects simultaneously;
• Expertise in ethics best practices for research with human participants;
• Demonstrable success working in changing and results-oriented environments, in interdisciplinary teams, and in partnerships with groups such as policy makers, researchers, advocates, service providers, and people with lived experience
• Takes a solution-oriented approach and demonstrates ability to take initiative;
• Demonstrated respect for understanding of the life experiences of Veterans, Families and people living with mental health problems and illnesses and of diverse populations, and preferably experience working with people with first-hand experience of mental health problems / illnesses

QUALIFICATIONS

• A PhD or MD / PhD degree in Neuroscience, Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry, Biomedical Engineering, Biophysics, MR Physics, or related fields;
• A minimum of three years’ clinical research experience in neuroscience or a related area;
• Excellent academic credentials, including a strong publication record;
• Substantive training in the areas of adult mental health, trauma and PTSD;
• Expertise in knowledge translation and exchange, and sex and gender-based analysis (SGBA) in research;
• Experience communicating and collaborating with stakeholders;
• Fluency in French will be considered a strong asset

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Working standard office hours with start and end time flexibility (37.5 hrs / week).
• Must be comfortable working in open space and virtual environments
• Must be comfortable working in a research and / or medical lab environment
• Physical / cognitive demands include use of typical office equipment, prolonged periods of sitting and working on a computer / telephone, high degree of concentration and attention to detail
• Working with research participants with often severe comorbid mental and physics health concerns;
• Psychological demands include capacity to organize and prioritize own work, adaptable to change and ability to set and work towards performance and development goals.

Further questions regarding this position; please reach out to Director, Clinical Research, Dr. Andrew Nicholson (