Research Specialist Pet, School Of Medicine, Anatomy & Neurobiology

The Framingham Heart Study Brain Aging Program (FHS-BAP) is responsible for neuropsychological, neurological, and brain imaging exams with participants in all FHS cohorts. We provide ongoing surveillance of participants who have been flagged as possibly having cognitive impairment. We also do consensus review of flagged participants to determine endpoints related to whether they have dementia, to what degree, and due to which etiology. Our work is fast paced and collaborative.

Our highest priority is making participants feel comfortable, welcome, and appreciated throughout the study process. You will recruit participants for a multi-faceted study involving cognitive testing and neuroimaging. You will also administer and score an array of paper-and-pencil and digital neuropsychological assessments. This may take place at participants’ home or at the Framingham Heart Study office. You will also accompany participants to the MRI center and to one of several PET imaging locations dispersed throughout the state. Other responsibilities include ordering the PET tracer and reporting incidents of adverse reactions to the tracer, IRB related tasks, maintaining manuals of procedures, data management, and other administrative tasks. You will also be asked to be on call for a total of 2-4 weeks per year for the Brain Donation program, where you will assist with coordinating the brain donation process.

Characteristics of the ideal candidate include:

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, neuroscience, or a related field
• Research experience with human participants and/or neuroimaging
• Familiarity with, or a strong interest in, brain imaging, cognitive testing, and smartphone-based technologies
• Independent and comfortable working in an unstructured, non-traditional, dynamically evolving research environment with limited supervision
• Eager to learn, detail-oriented, and efficient
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Reliable transportation to allow for travel throughout New England and other states (Gas mileage will be reimbursed)
• Willingness to work non-traditional hours

Why work at BU?

Boston University’s generous benefits package includes health, dental, life insurance, and paid time off! Full-time employees are also eligible for tuition remission for courses at Boston University. Note: the remission benefit extends to dependents as well. The Graduate Medical School is also committed to professional development opportunities. For more details on benefits, please refer to the Boston University benefits page at

https://www.bu.edu/hr/employee-resources/benefits/.

Please note all newly hired staff and faculty, will need to be in compliance with Boston University’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Booster Requirement within 30 days of date of hire.  You must upload your vaccine documentation or request a medical or religious exemption (instructions).  For further information on the University’s response to COVID-19, please visit the Back2BU site.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.