The Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest

 

has an exciting opportunity for a

 

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Level 2 – VisAge Lab

 

 

Position Number: 9851

Position Type: Temporary Full Time (Up to 12 Months)

Shift Type: Day

Bi-Weekly Hours: 70 Hours

Location: Toronto

 

The Rotman Research Institute (RRI) is a premier international centre for the study of human brain function, with a special focus on aging and the brain. Founded in 1989, the RRI’s scientists, staff, and trainees have supported Baycrest in becoming Canada’s #1 most research-intensive hospital, with scientific foci in four primary areas consistent with its home on the campus of Baycrest Seniors Care: sensory and cognitive neuroscience, computational neuroscience and neuroinformatics, aging and brain health, and Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The RRI is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, and houses several research centres and programs, including the Kunin-Lunenfeld Centre for Applied Research and Evaluation, the Anne and Allan Bank Centre for Clinical Research Trials, the Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health and Wellness, the RRI Research Training Centre, and the Ben and Hilda Katz Inter-Professional Research Program in Geriatric and Dementia Care.

The successful candidate will join the VisAge lab at the RRI, led by Dr. Allison Sekuler and Dr. Eugenie Roudaia. Research in the lab focuses on understanding how vision changes across the lifespan in healthy older adults and individuals with mild cognitive impairment and dementia; and how vision, memory, and attention interact in those populations. Our translational research aims to develop methods to prevent, detect, and treat age-related sensory and cognitive decline. We use a combination of behavioural, computational, and imaging techniques, including electroencephalography (EEG). This position is well-suited for individuals seeking intensive research experience in preparation for graduate training. The successful candidate will have opportunities to contribute to ongoing projects, develop technical and analytical skills, and collaborate with internal and external partners.

 

Responsibilities may include:

 

• Recruit, screen, and schedule research participants, including healthy younger and older adults and individuals with cognitive impairment or neurodegenerative disease.
• Conduct in-person and online research visits, including sensory, cognitive, and neuropsychological assessments, and neuroimaging (EEG / MEG)
• Maintain accurate and well-organized research records on local servers and in online research databases (e.g., REDCap) 
• Coordinate study activities with lab members (faculty, students, and volunteers)
• Assist with preparation of research materials, including ethics applications, consent forms, study protocols, and manuscripts
• Conduct medical chart reviews to support participant identification and data extraction
• Support data organization and processing, with opportunities to contribute to data analysis and interpretation
• Train and supervise undergraduate students and volunteers

 

Required qualifications include:

 

• An undergraduate degree in a related field (e.g., psychology, neuroscience, health sciences, computer science, biology, physics) and a minimum of 2-5 years of experience as a Research Assistant at Level 1 or equivalent; or a Master's degree. The experience can be a minimum of two years’ paid research or clinical experience, or volunteer experience.
• Experience with participant recruitment, screening, and study coordination
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, particularly when working with clinical and older adult populations
• Excellent organizational, time-management, and problem-solving skills
• High level of attention to detail and ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Strong computer skills and ability to learn new software quickly

 

The following qualifications are considered an asset:

 

• Hands-on experience collecting EEG data
• Experience working with older adults and/or in a clinical setting
• Experience with neuropsychological testing
• Experience with REDCap or similar database systems
• Familiarity with R/RStudio, MATLAB, and/or Python
• Experience with online experimental platforms (e.g., Pavlovia, Prolific, MTurk)

 

Compensation:

 

At Baycrest, we take pride in ensuring our compensation structure is internally equitable and compliant with pay equity legislation. We believe compensation should be transparent, equitable, and reflective of your experience and growth. Our salary ranges are structured to support progression, from learning the role to demonstrating full proficiency.

 

The salary range for this position $26.2902 to $36.1490 hourly.

 

Your placement within the target hiring range will depend on your job-related knowledge, skills, abilities, and relevant education and experience, as well as considerations such as market conditions and internal equity. The starting salary will be determined using these factors to ensure fairness and consistency across the organization.