Research Assistant

Job Title: Research Assistant

Grade: 11

Salary: $45,119 - $53,897

This is an entry-level position.

The Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene Inc. (RFMH) is seeking a qualified candidate to fill a full-time Research Assistant (RA). The laboratory research assistant will perform several techniques to address causal relationships between serotonergic activity, neurophysiology, and behavior, to improve diagnosis, prevention, and treatment strategies in psychiatry.

The RA will be assisting in the following tasks with the estimated % effort per task: Animal handling and care 50 %, Assisting with behavior 30 %, Assisting during surgical procedure 5 %, Assisting with injections 10 %, Post-mortem mouse tissue processing 5%. A successful candidate should be able to organize and coordinate schedules and analyze data independently.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Research Assistant will be responsible for handling and care of experimental rodents, assisting with behavioral assessment, injecting pharmacological agents in rodents, optogenetic and fiber photometry data collection during rodents' behavior, post-mortem mouse brain tissue processing (immunohistochemistry), and assistance with surgical procedure such as fiber implantation in the rodent brain.

Minimum Qualifications:

1. A BA or MA degree in relevant fields (psychology, neuroscience, biomedical engineering, electrical engineering or related)
2. In lieu of the above, experience in each of the following areas will be accepted:

- Minimum of a 2-month experience in the lab at the undergraduate level.

- 1 year experience with rodent handling and injections is required.

- 1 year experience with data collection using optogenetic and fiber photometry during rodent behavior is highly valued.

Preferred Qualifications:

- 1 year experience with statistical programs is preferable but not required.

In addition, we would like to encourage candidates with experience in operant behavior in rodents to apply. Finally, prior experience with post-mortem tissue handling is also highly valued.

Work Location: 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032

To Apply: Submit an application through our website at https://nyspi.applicantpro.com/jobs/. Please note only applications submitted through our website will be considered.

The Mission of the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. (RFMH) is to promote the mental health of all New Yorkers, with a focus on providing hope and supporting recovery for adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances. Applicants with lived mental health experience are encouraged to apply. RFMH is deeply committed to supporting underserved individuals, organizations, and communities. To this end, RFMH is focused on implementing activities and initiatives to reduce disparities in access, quality, and treatment outcomes for underserved populations. A critical component of these efforts is ensuring that RFMH is a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees' unique attributes and skills are valued and utilized to support the mission of the Agency. RFMH is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

The Research Foundation is a private not-for-profit corporation and is not an agency or instrumentality of the State of New York. Employees of the Research Foundation are not state employees, do not participate in any state retirement system, and do not receive state fringe benefits. Excellent Benefits Package. Employer/Minority/Women/Disabled/Veteran Employer. VEVRAA 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) compliant.