Clinical Research Assistant

INTRODUCTION TO THE Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center (BHCRC): The BHCRC jointly houses Bradley Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital psychologists, child psychiatrists, postdoctoral fellows, psychology interns and research staff and provides a climate of active research and productive collaboration within the center and throughout the larger Brown Medical School affiliated hospital systems.

OPEN POSITION: The Adolescent Risk Prevention Research Lab in the BHCRC is looking for a full-time clinical research assistant (RA) to work on NIH-funded research projects related to emotion regulation and risk behaviors. Possible projects include Project LIVE, a Virtual Reality (VR) study aiming to understand physiological measures of emotion regulation (respiratory sinus arrhythmia) as predictors of sexual- and drug- risk behavior during early adolescence. Project ONTRAC focuses on preventing substance use among early adolescents involved in the child welfare system through a web-based intervention program. This program aims to teach skills related to emotion regulation, in an effort to reduce substance use behaviors. Project iTRAC-HERO is also developing an online intervention to prevent sexual risk among adolescents by teaching emotion regulation skills. The RA position includes a combination of research and clinical elements with a focus on middle school adolescents. Importantly, it also involves creating inclusive science that represents the communities these projects recruit from. A two-year commitment is preferred.

RESEARCH DUTIES: Duties may include presenting research opportunities to youth and families in school or community settings, completing research assessments and interviews, contributing to intervention development procedures, managing data entry, cleaning, and analysis, preparing Institutional Review Board (IRB) submissions, drafting study progress reports for funders, coding participant data, as well as collaborating with community partners. Project LIVE also involves collecting physiological data (ECG and RSA) and biological samples (saliva and urine). Participating in multidisciplinary discussions regarding research design and implementation is expected.

OTHER: Mentorship from PhD-level psychologists and opportunities to participate and assist with academic tasks (e.g., poster presentations, writing scientific articles for publication, and grant submissions) also occur in the lab. A strong academic record is important and past research experience is desirable.

QUALIFICATIONS: • Baccalaureate Degree in a Human Service field preferably in psychology, neuroscience, or related fields. • A career interest in clinical psychology or health-related field. • Excellent computer and communication (verbal and written) skills. • Past research project experience (preferred). • Strong organizational and interpersonal skills. • The ability to work well with adolescents and parents. • A strong sense of responsibility towards work. • A willingness to tackle complex tasks in an independent manner. • Proficiency in the use of Microsoft applications. • Knowledge of SPSS is not required but is desirable. • Possession of a car for participant home visits in Rhode Island will be required. • To accommodate schedules of families in the community, some availability in evenings and on Saturdays is required.

Note: We are actively trying to increase the representativeness of the Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center to match the community it serves. Applicants from diverse backgrounds and who speak Spanish are strongly encouraged to apply.

HOW TO APPLY: To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume/CV to David Koestler (https://forms.gle/kcsk9T2CEoC6moQ16), who is collecting applications on behalf of Christopher Houck, PhD. We will review applications as they are received and contact applicants to extend interview invitations. The position will be filled as soon as qualified candidates are found, with an anticipated start date in January 2026.