Psychology Research Assistant, Department of Surgery, Thomson Lab

Unit: School Of Medicine MBU

Department: Surgery

Duties & Responsibilities:

Dr. Thomson, Director of Research at the Injury and Violence Prevention Program (IVPP) at Virginia Commonwealth University is seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic Research Assistant to join our Injury and Violence Prevention Research Lab. The successful candidate will work closely with faculty, graduate students, and research staff to support a variety of projects aimed at understanding and preventing violence, including externalizing disorders among youth.

Responsibilities

Research Support

• Assist in the implementation of research protocols. 
• Collect data using surveys, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews.
• Conduct literature reviews on topics related to violence prevention and developmental psychopathology. 
• Data entry, cleaning, and preliminary analysis using statistical software.
• Coordinate with external agencies and stakeholders involved in research projects to schedule intervention implementation.
• Use of virtual reality in research assessment and intervention 

Administrative Support

• Schedule and manage participant appointments.
• Assist with grant applications and project reports.
• Organize and maintain databases, research files, and materials.
• Ensure compliance with ethical standards and IRB protocols. 

Communication

• Assist in the preparation of manuscripts for publication. 
• Develop materials for presentations at academic conferences.
• Liaise with community partners and organizations participating in research projects.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.
• Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Social Science, or a related field.
• Prior research experience, particularly in violence prevention or a related field, is highly desirable.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and experience with statistical software (e.g., SPSS, R). 
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Institutional Review Board (IRB) procedures and ethical guidelines for human subjects research
• Publications/presentations in violence prevention and/or externalizing disorders (conduct disorder, callous-unemotional traits).
• Interest/experience in virtual reality Docusign Envelope ID: 92A52ECD-C10D-4647-BCBE-EC022894A1E1
• Interest/experience in psychophysiology
• Graduate degree in psychology or related field

Salary Range: 40,000 - 50,000

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave granted up front, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Non-Exempt

Hours per Week: 40

Restricted Position: Yes

ORP Eligible: No

Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully Onsite

University Job Title: 34001N - Clinical Research Assistant 1

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