Research Associate I

Description

The Health and Civil Sector at Leidos currently has an opening for a Research Associate I to work within the Naval Health Research Center's Warfighter Performance Department in San Diego, CA. The NHRC Sleep, Tactical Efficiency, and Endurance Laboratory (STEEL) conducts research studies with a focus on cognitive endurance, physiology, sleep, fatigue, and military performance in laboratory and operational environments. The candidate will support research projects with a focus on physiology and performance as it relates to sleep and fatigue, exercise physiology, and military performance in laboratory and field-based environments.

We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Research Associate to join our lab. The successful candidate will play a key role in advancing research focused on understanding how fatigue influences cognitive, physical, and emotional performance in a variety of contexts, including work, health, safety, and military settings. This is an excellent opportunity for individuals with a background in human factors, physiology, psychology, neuroscience, or a related field who are interested in contributing to cutting-edge research aimed at improving human performance and well-being.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Assist with planning and executing laboratory and field-based research.

• Assist with collecting data during overnight sleep studies or attending military training exercises in operational environments.

• Assist with enrolling participants into research studies, including screening for eligibility and obtaining informed consent.

• Collecting research data by following established study procedures for multiple research projects and/or overlapping efforts. Data include sleep, physiological, and health outcomes from active duty and civilian populations.

• Reviewing and analyzing data from research studies using Microsoft Excel, SPSS, or similar software. Perform simple operations to clean and organize data for later analyses.

• Contribute to writing reports, and developing conclusions based on data collected.

• Attend lab meetings and communicate with peers to explain facts, basic analyses, processes, and practices related to the research.

• Contributing to scientific literature and conferences by performing literature reviews, writing abstracts, and giving presentations.

• Solve simple or routine technical problems by following established procedures and policies.

• Set up, operate, and maintain laboratory equipment such as eye-tracking, high-density EEG systems, polysomnography (PSG) sleep systems, and field equipment such as mobile biosensors and other technologies.

• Perform other duties and responsibilities as required for the customer research mission.

• Effectively and efficiently respond to urgent inquiries and requests.

• Work overnights, on weekends, and holidays as needed for research project execution.

• Travel domestically and internationally as required for project, program, and contract needs.

• Model Leidos Mission, Vision, and Values at all times.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in human factors, physiology, psychology, neuroscience, exercise science, psychology, bioengineering or a related scientific field from an accredited college or university.

• Minimum of 2 years of prior research experience. Must have a strong background in human subjects research methodology.

• Previous experience with laboratory equipment used for data collection in sleep (e.g. PSG or actigraphy), cognitive performance (e.g., ePrime or PsychoPy), or physiology (e.g., salivary assessments, EEG, or eye-tracking).

• Understand usage and maintenance of equipment necessary to obtain and analyze data. Strength in troubleshooting and testing new equipment is desired.

• Strong background in data processing using software programs such as Microsoft Excel, Matlab, Labview, SPSS, R, or other programs.

• Strong technical ability to work with new wearable and non-wearable biosensor technologies and software applications.

• Ability to interact positively and in a professional manner within a research environment.

• Proven ability to read, comprehend, and discuss research materials.

• Excellent critical thinking with problem-solving skills and an ability to work cooperatively in a team setting. Flexibility in responding to changing demands, timelines, and priorities.

• Ability to work non-regular hours (e.g., nights and weekends) as needed for data collection. Ability to travel as needed; may require some travel.

• Must be willing to travel for up a few weeks at a time, (time dependent on research mission requirements).

• Must be medically cleared to travel underway on a Navy ship (have no pre-existing conditions that prohibit travel).

• US Citizenship required. Must be able to obtain and maintain a SECRET government security clearance.

• Must be able to lift at least 25 pounds.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with HIPAA, PHI/PII, and IRB protocol compliance.

• Research experience with military personnel including shipboard environments.

Naval Health West - NHW

While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.