Research Neuroscientist

The Leidos Health Group is currently seeking a Research Neuroscientist to support the Warfighter Performance Department at the Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA.

Job function primarily requires onsite work at the customer facility in San Diego, CA with some work eligible to be performed remotely.

The Research Neuroscientist will be responsible for researching, developing theories, and devising methods to study neuroscience for human performance research programs specific to military performance of health and injured warfighters. Duties include reviewing and analyzing data from research studies, developing reports and conclusions based on that data, making recommendations regarding areas of investigation needed in specific research program areas, and creating product development plans to accomplish specific research goals. The Research Neuroscientist will engage in a variety of environmental and cognitive neuroscience projects, employing human subjects to study the neural mechanisms of cognitive functions relevant to both clinically neuropathological states such as Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and cognitive performance enhancement in healthy active-duty service members. Potential translation of the laboratory and field research results into clinical applications is the center mission of all the research projects. The main methods include: (1) non-invasive EEG recording in both static and dynamic virtual reality environments, (2) integrated multimodal physiological measures such as eye tracking, ECG, EMG, GSR, respiration, and temperature, (3) body motion capture and modeling of human subjects performing cognitive tasks in a virtual reality environments, (4) cutting-edge data analysis methods and modeling, such as visual computing and machine learning, and (5) in-house development of electronic devices customized for specific research project needs.  

The Research Neuroscientist works to achieve day-to-day objectives with significant impact on the neuroscience research program and works independently on larger, moderately complex projects and assignments.  

The Research Neuroscientist will address complex technical issues and problems using internal best practice and through collaboration with colleagues. They will develop solutions to technical problems that require deep technical knowledge.

SPECIFIC JOB DUTIES:

• Execute the full ‘project life cycle’ from hypothesis generation, grant writing, experiment design, data collection and analysis, and result disseminations in professional journals and conferences.

• Independently establish robust and validated protocols based on current leading-edge physiologic and neurophysiologic techniques.

• Manage local and outlying US Department of Defense collaborative relationships necessary for completion of project-specific milestones.

• Prepare Institutional Review Board (IRB) clinical protocols and periodic internal reports and status updates.

• Lead and train Research Assistants of varied levels.

• Identify equipment needs for research and procure equipment. Create research project standard operating procedures.

• Effectively communicate results of projects to military and academic communities through presentations, peer-reviewed journal publications, technical reports, and letters to military officials.

• Develop technical solutions that require collaboration with internal experts, deep analyses and understanding of impact on solution.

• Explain technical solutions, practices and procedures to others within the organization.

• Apply working knowledge of standards, principles, theories, concepts, and techniques of neuroscience and physiological human subjects data collection. Influence team members regarding solution design, process and/or approaches.

• Model Leidos mission, vision, values at all times.

Basic Qualifications

• PhD in neurosciences or closely related field, such as cognitive neuroscience, neuropsychology, and computational neurosciences and 3 or more years of working experience or Master’s Degree with strong background in neurosciences or a related field and five or more years of working experience.

• Advanced knowledge of system neurosciences, digital signal processing, and computational neuroscience.

• Extensive hand-on experience of conventional and mobile EEG recording is strongly preferred.

• Basic knowledge of the principles of electrical engineering. Experience in electrical engineering design is a strong plus.

• Strong technical skills and demonstrated proficiency in advanced digital signal analysis related to EEG and other physiological signals are strongly required and essential for successfully performing the tasks of this position.

• Advanced knowledge of experimental design methodologies and modern statistical techniques for large dataset analysis are required.

• Knowledge and experience in application and algorithm developments in visual computing and machine learning, in either MATLAB or Python platform, are strongly preferred.

• Ability to be a self-starter, act on objectives in an independent manner, demonstrate leadership, work independently and collaboratively in a team, and the ability to plan and prioritize work in a fast moving pace with multiple projects.

• Must be a U.S. Citizen and able to obtain a Secret Clearance

• Able to travel locally, nationally, and internationally as needed for meetings and conferences

• Ability to meet and maintain customer-site vaccination requirements. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Secret Clearance and experience with military populations is preferred. 

Naval Health West - NHW