Postdoctoral Associate – Dr. Ian M. McDonough

Postdoctoral Research             ·           Vestal, NY            ·          Full time

About The Research Foundation for SUNY at Binghamton :

The Research Foundation, founded in 1951, exists to serve SUNY and to capitalize on the scope, scale and diversity of SUNY as an engine of New York State’s innovation economy. We are the largest comprehensive university-connected research foundation in the country.

The RF is mission focused and serves SUNY by providing essential administrative services that enable SUNY faculty to focus their efforts on the education of students and the performance of life-changing research.  As a private not-for-profit corporation, we support nearly $1 billion in SUNY research activity annually, providing sponsored programs administration and commercialization support services to SUNY faculty performing research in numerous disciplines.

The RF is committed to diversity, inclusion and a working environment that enhances productivity, creates personal and professional opportunities, unleashes everyone’s full potential and fuels innovation. We hold the organization and each other to the highest standards of integrity, accountability and ethical behavior.

Job Description:

The Memory, Aging, and Cognitive Control Laboratory within the Department of Psychology at Binghamton University, New York is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral scholar in the field of human neuroimaging. The primary responsibility for this postdoctoral fellow will be to run scans, analyze neuroimaging data from multiple ongoing and recently concluded research projects across the adult lifespan, and write manuscripts. The neuroimaging scans will consist of structural and functional MRI, and proton MR spectroscopy. Multiple biological measures will be collected including saliva, blood, and fecal samples. Several projects also will involve administering neural stimulation simultaneously across multiple brain sites.

Under the mentorship of Dr. Ian M. McDonough, the Memory, Aging, and Cognitive Control Laboratory is focused on understanding the fundamental characteristics and causal mechanisms of healthy and pathological brain aging. The lab investigates both group level and individual level brain patterns with methods that enable reproducibility and replicability.

Resources available on-campus include a 3T MAGNETOM Prisma MRI scanner with cutting-edge accelerated and multi-echo fMRI sequences, access to a high-performance scientific computing cluster, and an extensive library of analytic and statistical software. The MRI scanner is operated through the Brain and Body Imaging Research Center (BBIRC), which is a collaborative venture of Binghamton University, the Research Foundation and United Health Services, Inc.; it was established to radically advance the research and clinical capabilities of the and make the Southern Tier home to one of the most advanced MRI centers in upstate New York. Additionally, the Health Sciences Core Facility (HSCF), a multi-use laboratory, provides shared resources to support research and education in the health sciences. Established in 2018 with funds from the University Road Map, it and operates under the Analytical and Diagnostics Laboratory (ADL), part of the S3IP Center of Excellence. The HSCF occupies 4,500 square feet in the basement of the Center of Excellence Building at the Innovative Technologies Complex.

The PI is fully committed to fostering the trainee’s research independence through publication of first-authored manuscripts in top journals and mentorship in grant applications. In addition to assisting with the PI’s proposals, the successful applicant will be highly encouraged to develop and pursue funding for their own research project through federal (e.g. NIH F32) or foundation grant programs by the end of their first year. 

Requirements:

• Candidates should either have completed a PhD in neuroscience, psychology, cognitive neuroscience, radiology, engineering, biostatistics, or a related field.
• Proficiencies with at least one major neuroimaging software suite (e.g. FSL, AFNI, SPM, Freesurfer, Caret, Connectome Workbench, etc.).
• Basic programming skills in Matlab, Python, Bash, and/or R programming languages
• Demonstrated capacity for professional-level independence, perseverance and innovation, as well as the ability to work as part of a team
• Strong project management skills, such as detail orientation and attentiveness to timelines
• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with administrators, faculty, students, and staff across all disciplines, programs and offices
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Preferred

• Experience with advanced statistical techniques such as dynamic causal modeling or multivoxel pattern analysis and/or;
• Experience with neurostimulation techniques and/or;
• Experience collecting biological samples such as blood, saliva, and/or fecal samples and/or;
• Experience using MR Spectroscopy and/or;
• Experience publishing in the fields of cognitive aging or episodic memory and/or;
• Familiarity with fMRIPrep or Human Connectome Project processing pipelines and/or;
• One or more first-author, peer reviewed publications involving MRI research

Additional Information:

Salary: $55,000 – $65,000 annually. This is for a one year appointment renewable based on successful performance and availability of funding.

NOTE: We are forecasting that this position will start on September 1, 2023.

Employee Benefits: The Research Foundation for the State University of New York offers a comprehensive benefits package that is a valuable part of total compensation. This includes medical, dental, vision, dependent care subsidy and other benefits such as SUNY Tuition Assistance. Furthermore, our 10 Perks of Working at the RF provides an at-a-glance view of our top benefits that make us a great place to work.  

Research Foundation Commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity

As an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer, The Research Foundation for SUNY will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy-related conditions, reproductive health decisions, childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status, age, national origin or ancestry, marital status, familial status, citizenship, physical and mental disability, prior arrest or conviction record, genetic characteristics/genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, domestic violence victim status, military status or service, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under federal, state or local law.

The Company will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.

The Research Foundation for SUNY is a private, not for profit corporation and is a separate employer from SUNY and the State of New York and offers separate compensation and benefit plans.

Binghamton University is a tobacco-free campus. 

Application Instructions:

Interested candidates should submit the following:

• Resume or CV
• Cover letter/Letter of Interest
• Names and contact information of three references.

You may add additional files/documents after uploading your resume.

After filling out the contact information, you will be directed to the upload page.

Returning Applicants – Login to your The Research Foundation for SUNY at Binghamton Careers Account to check your completed application.

Please contact us if you need assistance applying through this website.

URL: www.binghamton.edu/psychology/

Category: Postdoctoral Research
Locations: Vestal, NY
Posted: Jun 26, 2023
Closes: Aug 18, 2023 – 11:59 PM EDT
Type: Full-time
Position ID: 163506