Position descriptionPosition overview The Jeste Lab in the UCLA Department of Pediatrics seeks a Researcher to serve as a senior scientific partner to the Principal Investigator. This person will help lead a translational research program on early biomarkers, diagnosis and intervention in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID) and genetic neurodevelopmental syndromes.
The role combines independent scientific work with lab leadership. The Researcher will direct the lab's EEG and eye-tracking biomarker research, co-write grants and manuscripts with the PI, oversee daily lab operations, and supervise postdoctoral fellows, graduate students and research staff on their own projects and analyses.
Responsibilities Scientific leadership • Partner with the PI to set the lab's scientific direction, develop new research aims and design studies
• Lead acquisition and analysis of EEG data (resting-state spectral power, event-related potentials, connectivity) and related biomarkers such as eye tracking
• Establish and maintain standardized pipelines for data processing, quality control and harmonization across studies and sites
• Pursue an independent line of inquiry within the lab's program, with first- and senior-author opportunities
Grants and publications • Co-write federal and foundation grant applications, including NIH R01 and U-series mechanisms, renewals and progress reports
• Lead and co-author manuscripts, conference presentations and data-sharing submissions
• Contribute to reviews, white papers and consortium deliverables, including ARIA
Lab management • Oversee daily lab operations, study timelines, staffing and budgets in coordination with the PI
• Manage IRB protocols, regulatory compliance and data security
• Coordinate with clinical programs, collaborating sites and family foundations
Mentorship and supervision • Supervise postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, undergraduates and research staff on their independent projects and analyses
• Train lab members in EEG and eye-tracking acquisition with infants and children with ASD and ID, and in analytic methods
• Review analysis plans, code and drafts, and help trainees develop their own funding applications
Interested candidates can apply online at: UCLA Academic RECRUIT-JPF11383
Qualifications Basic qualifications • PhD in neuroscience, psychology, biomedical engineering, cognitive science or a related field. Candidates with a master's degree and substantial equivalent research experience will be considered.
Additional qualifications • Hands-on experience acquiring and analyzing functional imaging data, with EEG strongly preferred
• Research experience with neurodevelopmental populations, particularly children with ASD and/or ID
• Proficiency in programming, such as MATLAB, Python or R, and some experience in EEG analysis tools such as EEGLAB, MNE or FieldTrip
• A record of first-author peer-reviewed publications
• Experience supervising or mentoring students, trainees or staff
• Strong scientific writing and the judgment to work independently while advancing a shared research program
Preferred qualifications • Experience with eye tracking (e.g., Tobii, EyeLink) or other candidate biomarkers
• Work with infants, toddlers or minimally verbal children
• Research in genetic neurodevelopmental syndromes
• Contributions to funded grant applications, or a record of independent fellowship or foundation funding
• Experience with multisite studies, data harmonization or biomarkers in clinical trials
• Advanced statistical methods, including longitudinal and mixed-effects modeling or machine learning
Application RequirementsDocument requirements - Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
- Cover Letter - Please describe research experience, analytic expertise and interest in the position.
- Representative Publications - Representative Publications (up to three)
Reference requirements- 3 required (contact information only)
Applicants must provide the names and contact information of their references. The hiring unit will request confidential letters from the references of those applicants who are under serious consideration.
Apply link: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF11383
Help contact: rgallegos@mednet.ucla.edu
Job location Los Angeles, CA
