Research Assistant Position: Eating Behavior and Eating Disorders

Research Assistant Position: Eating Behavior and Eating Disorders
Dr. Kristin Javaras, McLean Hospital / Medical School
fall 2024

Research in the Javaras laboratory seeks to understand factors (e.g., stress) that influence eating behavior in the general population and in individuals with eating disorders or other psychiatric disorders. Current studies include: an NIH-funded fMRI study examining decision making behavior and brain activity in women with and without eating disorders; a study using wearable technology to examine eating behavior in the real world; and a study developing a questionnaire to assess lifetime history of eating disorders for use in genetic research on eating disorders.

Responsibilities: General responsibilities include assisting with ongoing research in the Javaras laboratory. Specific responsibilities include attending a weekly lab meeting (20 mins on a weekday afternoon), assistance with running participant visits (on Sat or Sun afternoon or evening), and data entry (flexible times). Additional responsibilities are optional depending on the student's availability and interests. Also, the student has the option to attend our laboratory journal club and a wide array of McLean Hospital lectures and seminars, which provide broad exposure to mental health treatment and research and are often offered virtually. Requirements and Expectations of RA Position: Students are expected to spend approximately 6-10 hours/week (for 1 year) assisting with projects in the Javaras laboratory. Requirements include professionalism and timely completion of assigned work. Some prior exposure to research is preferred. Additional Information: The position is through McLean's Student Visitor or Academic Credit programs, which provide educational experiences for current or recent students interested in learning more about careers in mental health research. The position is not paid, but academic credit is possible for Harvard students. The position can be fully remote or hybrid (remote work combined with in-person work on McLean's Belmont campus), depending on the student's preference. A profile of Dr. Javaras is available at https://www.mcleanhospital.org/profile/kristin-javaras. To Apply: If you are interested in applying for the position, please email the following materials to Lily Suh (lsuh2@mclean.harvard.edu): 1) Cover letter; 2) Resume or CV; 3) List of 2-3 professional references. (posted 9/2024)