Job Vacancy Announcement - Staff Scientist (Functional MRI Facility)

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Functional MRI Facility

Program Overview

The Functional MRI Facility (FMRIF) in the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is recruiting a scientist specializing in human functional MRI. This position will support the neuroimaging projects of Intramural researchers in the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

The FMRIF is a core research facility supporting intramural researchers in NIMH and NINDS and is a significant research component of the NIH within the Department of Health and Human Services. The FMRIF supports functional MRI applications for about 30 principal investigators throughout the NIH and is central to one of the largest concentrations of MRI and fMRI researchers in the world, with opportunities to collaborate with world experts in cognitive neuroscience, mental health, neurological disorders, functional MRI methods and technology, DTI, high field imaging, parallel imaging, spectroscopy, molecular imaging, and cardiac MRI, among others. The FMRIF operates two GE 3T MR750, one Siemens 3T Skyra, one Siemens 7TPlus, and one newly installed Siemens 7T Terra.

The FMRIF also works closely with the Machine Learning Team, the Data Science and Sharing Team, the Center for Multimodal Neuroimaging, and the AFNI fMRI analysis software developers, who all provide complementary support to users of the FMRIF.

Position Duties

Responsibilities for this position include:

• Technical support for those who use the scanners and the development and dissemination of cutting-edge fMRI methodology to the NIMH & NINDS neuroimaging user community. Secondary responsibilities involve collaboration with users requiring more intensive technical input for their studies based on the applicant’s interests and expertise. Staff scientists in the FMRI Facility are provided time for and encouraged to pursue their personal research interests and collaborations.
• Assisting in the decision-making of purchases to support the center’s mission, including evaluation of upgrades of existing resources and overseeing major hardware/software upgrades and facility renovation projects.
• Keeping abreast of MR and human neuroscience developments to maximize the use of FMRIF imaging resources.

Expertise in several of the following areas and interest in most is preferred:

• fMRI neuroscience techniques, data acquisition, and processing methods, including layer-fMRI, real-time fMRI, neurofeedback, multi-modal neuroimaging (e.g., simultaneous fMRI-EEG and eye-tracking), fMRI contrast mechanisms, and/or MRI pulse sequence and scientific programming skills in Python.
• Visual and auditory stimulus presentation methods and measuring subject behavior and physiology in the magnet (e.g., eye-tracking, cardiac and respiratory signals, motor response, movement, skin conductance, etc.) and expertise in building fMRI experiments using tools such as PsychoPy, E-PRIME, and Presentation.

The candidate will work closely with the facility director (Dr. Peter Bandettini), the team of FMRIF staff scientists, IT staff, MRI technologists, and other NIMH/NINDS neuroimaging investigators in strategic planning for FMRIF. This role will require understanding the facility’s administrative, budgetary, and scientific requirements. The candidate will assist in developing plans that support the long-term research mission of the FMRIF and are responsive to the technical needs of the FMRIF community. This position also requires outstanding “people skills” as it involves daily interactions with users, staff, vendors, and upper administration.

Qualifications

The position requires a doctoral degree (Ph.D.) in a discipline relevant to fMRI (e.g., Neuroscience, Physics, or Biomedical Engineering) and at least four years of post-doctoral technical or research experience related to human functional neuroimaging. The candidate should have MRI hardware and/or pulse programming expertise and the capability to troubleshoot problems (MRI or peripherals). They should have an intense interest in fMRI methods, applications, and analysis. Preference will be given to candidates with direct experience in a management role within a research MRI center.

How to Apply

Salary will be commensurate with education and experience. Applicants should send curriculum vitae and three letters of recommendation to Peter A. Bandettini, Ph.D., Building 10, Room 1D80, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 208921148, 301-402-1333, bandettini@nih.gov. TTY: MD Relay Operator at 1-800-735-2258. DHHS and NIH are Equal Opportunity Employers.

Applications will be accepted until July 22, 2022.

Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine. Employees providing healthcare or services in support of healthcare (Healthcare Workforce) may be required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine because they are expected to perform duties that put them in contact or potential contact with patients. We may request COVID-19 vaccination and other vaccination documentation from Healthcare Workforce personnel at any point during the onboarding process or at any time during your employment with NIH.

HHS and NIH are equal opportunity employers

The NIH is dedicated to building a diverse community in its training and employment programs and encourages the application and nomination of qualified women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities.