Project Specialist

Project Specialist

The USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute and its Laboratory of fMRI Technology invite applications for a Project Specialist to support an NIH-funded, multidisciplinary study of lower urinary tract dysfunction after stroke. The project brings together investigators in neuroimaging, urology, rehabilitation, neurosurgery, and biomedical engineering at USC and Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center. The study combines functional MRI during controlled bladder filling, diffusion MRI, urodynamic testing, and a 12-week course of noninvasive transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation. Its goal is to characterize how stroke alters the functional and structural networks involved in bladder control and to identify imaging biomarkers that may predict treatment response.

Primary responsibilities:

• Coordinate and perform MRI research visits, including participant preparation, MRI safety screening support, scan setup, protocol execution, real-time quality monitoring, and documentation of acquisition issues.
• Assist investigators in developing and refining study protocols; recommend practical methods for MRI and clinical data acquisition, management, quality control, and statistical analysis.
• Work closely with clinical and research personnel to synchronize MRI, urodynamic, treatment, and outcome-assessment visits and ensure protocol adherence across pre- and post-treatment time points.
• Assist with participant screening and study-sample management, track eligibility and progression across study visits, maintain retention and follow-up records, and support end-of-study evaluation activities.
• Support acquisition and quality control of anatomical, task-based and resting-state fMRI, and diffusion MRI data; troubleshoot artifacts and escalate scanner or protocol problems appropriately.
• Organize, curate, de-identify, and maintain research data and metadata using reproducible conventions, including BIDS-compatible organization where appropriate; track completeness, provenance, quality-control results, and data-use requirements.
• Develop, maintain, and execute reproducible neuroimaging pipelines for preprocessing and analysis of functional connectivity, activation, diffusion metrics, tractography, lesion-related measures, and multimodal imaging outcomes.
• Integrate imaging measures with urodynamic, clinical, demographic, and treatment-response data; perform statistical analyses for cross-sectional and longitudinal outcomes under investigator guidance.
• Prepare analysis summaries, tables, figures, quality-control reports, methods documentation, and results for abstracts, presentations, grant reports, and manuscripts submitted to peer-reviewed scientific journals.
• Participate actively in team meetings; communicate progress and data-quality concerns clearly; coordinate with collaborators; and contribute to manuscripts and other scholarly products, with authorship determined by contribution.
• Maintain and update study procedures, research instruments, and related materials; help train study personnel in protocol, data-coding, quality-assurance, and analysis procedures.
• Conduct protocol and data-quality reviews, document deviations or violations, prepare regular status reports, stay current with relevant scientific literature, and assist with evaluation or maintenance of specialized imaging hardware and software.

Participant-facing responsibilities:

• This position involves direct interaction with stroke survivors, including individuals who may have mobility limitations, fatigue, communication differences, cognitive challenges, anxiety, or urinary symptoms that can affect comfort and dignity. The successful candidate must be patient, respectful, adaptable, and attentive to each participant's needs while maintaining research consistency and safety.
• Explain study and MRI procedures in clear, accessible language and confirm understanding throughout the visit.
• Provide a calm, welcoming, and privacy-conscious research experience, allowing appropriate time for mobility, communication, positioning, comfort, and restroom needs.
• Recognize participant distress, fatigue, discomfort, or difficulty following instructions and respond empathetically in coordination with clinical staff and study leadership.
• Maintain professional boundaries, confidentiality, cultural sensitivity, and respect for participant autonomy and dignity at all times.

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in neuroscience, biomedical engineering, computer science, psychology, biostatistics, data science, or a related quantitative or health-science field, or an equivalent combination of education and directly related experience. A master's degree is preferred.
• At least two years of directly related research experience; three or more years is preferred.
• Hands-on research experience with MRI/neuroimaging acquisition, processing, or analysis, with a working understanding of image quality and common MRI artifacts.
• Programming and data-analysis proficiency in Python, MATLAB, and/or R, plus comfort working in Linux-based computing environments.
• Experience with statistical analysis, reproducible research practices, and clear documentation of analytic decisions and results.
• Strong organizational skills and careful attention to data integrity, confidentiality, version control, and regulatory requirements for human-subjects research.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, reliability, emotional maturity, and the ability to collaborate effectively with participants, caregivers, clinicians, investigators, and technical staff.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience with neuroimaging software such as FSL, SPM, AFNI, FreeSurfer, MRtrix3, CONN, ANTs, or comparable tools.
• Experience with fMRI activation/connectivity analysis, diffusion MRI and tractography, lesion imaging, longitudinal data, or multimodal integration.
• Familiarity with research databases and workflows such as REDCap, BIDS, Git, high-performance computing, or automated quality-control systems.
• Prior work with stroke survivors, rehabilitation populations, older adults, or other clinical research participants.
• Evidence of scientific writing, presentation, or publication experience in neuroimaging, neuroscience, rehabilitation, or a related field.

Research environment:

The Stevens INI offers a collaborative environment for advanced neuroimaging research, with access to imaging expertise, computational resources, and multidisciplinary scientific mentorship. The Project Specialist will work closely with the LOFT team and project collaborators and will have opportunities to contribute substantively to scientific presentations and publications.

How to apply:

Interested applicants should send a curriculum vitae or rsum, a brief statement describing relevant technical and participant-facing experience, and contact information for references to:

Kay Jann, PhD

Assistant Professor of Research Neurology

USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute

2025 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90033

Email: kay.jann@ini.usc.edu