Employment Opportunity:
The Precision Psychopathology + Dynamic Immunopsychiatry (PPDI) Lab is seeking a full-time post-baccalaureate research assistant to manage the daily in-person activities of the lab. The position will start in the summer of 2025, with an initial appointment of two years and the possibility of renewal depending on performance and funding availability.
The PPDI lab is set to begin multiple studies focused on the application of precision medicine principles in mental health research, with a focus on depression and immunopsychiatry (i.e., the interplay between the immune system and mental health). Broadly, studies will involve a mix of naturalistic data collection, lab-based stress studies, and clinical research in collaboration with mental health clinics. As this is a new lab, there will be many opportunities for learning how to set up and organize new studies that will be valuable for planning and acquiring funding for training fellowships and grants in graduate school and beyond.
The candidate will work directly with Dr. Daniel Moriarity and lab coordinator Andrea Miller, as well as other members of the team and collaborators both within and outside the University of Pennsylvania on the tasks listed below, and beyond as the needs of the lab develop. Importantly, there will also be opportunities for scientific involvement in all aspects of research projects in the lab, including conference presentations and the opportunity to lead the writing of journal articles dependent upon satisfactory mastery of other high priority lab tasks. Given the lab’s focus on methodology, there will also be formal opportunities to sharpen the candidate’s statistical and coding skillsets. As such, this is an ideal position to increase competitiveness for graduate school in psychology (esp. clinical psychology) or related fields.
Responsibilities
Primary responsibilities include (but are not limited to):
· Conducting blood draws as well as pre-processing, storing, and shipping blood samples
· Assisting with participant screening, data collection, management and analysis
· Training and coordinating the work of volunteer research assistants
· Coordinating the packaging and shipping of study materials
· Updating lab website
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
· BA/BS in Psychology, Neuroscience, Biology, or similar field completed by July 2025
· 0-1 years of research experience (e.g., data collection, participant scheduling/recruitment)
· Blood pre-processing experience
· Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills
· Detail-oriented, motivated, and able to work independently
· Flexible work availability (some study visits will be run on weekends)
Preferred Qualifications:
· Experience with venipuncture blood draws
· Experience processing both wet and dried blood samples
· Experience using EEG
· Experience using REDCap.
· Experience using Microsoft Excel
· Experience with statistical analysis software (R, SPSS)
Applications for Undergraduate Research Assistants Are Now Open!
Would you like to gain valuable psychology/psychiatry research experience and help support a research project? We welcome motivated research assistants to help with survey creation, data collection, data entry and cleaning, shipment of study materials, and laboratory maintenance.
In exchange for a commitment of at least 10 hour per week, for at least 2 semesters, you will receive:
1) Letters of recommendation upon request
2) Feedback on application materials for jobs/internships/graduate school
3) 60-minute professional development seminars
4) An invitation to attend virtual Precision Psychology + Dynamic Immunopsychiatry Lab meetings
5) Authorship opportunities on posters and, for students who demonstrate the requisite skillset and contribute to the lab longer than the 2 semester requirement, papers
Those interested in volunteering or completing a PSY4998 course credit as a research assistant with the PPDI Lab should complete our Research Assistant Application Form. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The first applicants will hear from us by the end of April 2025. For questions, please email PPDI Lab Coordinator, Andrea Miller (acmm AT upenn DOT edu).