General Summary / Overview Statement

The Jacobs Lab is part of the Gordon Center for Medical Imaging at MGH and focused on improving the early detection and early treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The Jacobs Lab is seeking a full-time Neuroimaging Data Analyst. Our group is focused on imaging structural, functional, and molecular properties of the neuromodulatory subcortical systems, tiny nuclei in the brain that are among the first areas in the brain vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease. This position reports to the principal investigator and closely interacts with faculty and postdoctoral staff of the lab. The successful candidate will take responsibility for all advanced ultra-high-field (7T MRI) imaging sessions, integration and maintenance of the equipment (physiology, eye-tracker, neurostimulation devices…), and will be responsible for developing, harmonizing, maintaining, and implementing neuroimaging pipelines of our lab and collaborators. They will explore, adapt, and develop new neuroimage processing methods and imaging analysis techniques. The neuroimaging analyst will also assist and contribute to various research projects in the modeling of neuroimaging data and the subsequent production of high-quality graphics, visualizations, and animations for use in publications and presentations.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Relevant activities include, but are not limited to the following:

Research/Neuroimaging:

1) Take responsibility for the successful execution of all advanced 7T MRI imaging sessions, including the integration with equipment.

2) Take responsibility for the integration and maintenance and use of various neuroimage processing pipelines.

3) Contribute significantly to the development of new processing pipelines and implement improvements to current pipelines.

4) Work directly with faculty and postdoctoral researchers on testing, implementing, and developing new neuroimaging methods.

5) Manipulate large imaging datasets using both publicly available and bespoke internal toolsets.

6) Perform voxel and vertex-wise whole brain analyses for a wide variety of research projects, while aiding in determining correct modeling parameters.

7) Produce graphics and visualizations fit for publication.

Administrative/strategic:

1) Integration and management of neuroimaging data/scripts on local systems and Github.
2) Perform and oversee neuroimaging and related data quality assessments.

3) Orient and provide training and support to study coordinators regarding neuroimaging methods.

4) Support in the design and planning of the neuroimaging aspects of projects.

5) Contribute to grant proposals.

Relationships:

1) Coordinate neuroimaging activities with the lab and with collaborators.

2) Attend weekly and monthly meetings with the lab and the PI.

Skills and Competencies Required

1) Strong programming skills.

2) Experience with neuroimaging principles and techniques, including the processing of imaging data.

3) Proficiency with scripting languages, such as MATLAB or Python, is required.

4) Must have the maturity and organizational skills to take responsibility for critical lab processes and pipelines.

5) Advanced computer skills, with the ability to manipulate large and varied datasets.

6) Very detail-oriented and highly organized.

7) Ability to instruct and support others in the completion of complex imaging tasks.

8) Must be highly motivated, well-organized, and personable.

9) Exposure to commonly used imaging packages (e.g., SPM, FreeSurfer, FSL, AFNI, ANTS, DCM2NII, HCP toolkit, etc.).

10) Experience with acquiring MRI-data.

11) Good interpersonal skills and comfort in working with people, and sensitivity towards an older adult population are a must.

12) Problem-solving skills.

Working Conditions
Hybrid full-time position at Massachusetts General Hospital – Charlestown Navy Yard. In-clinic MRI scanning duties are alternated with data-centric computerized tasks. This job requires on average 3-4 days a week of working on-site.

Licenses, Certifications and/or Registrations
Minimum Required: Bachelor's Degree
Preferred: Master's Degree

Field of Study/Additional Specialized Training: B.A./B.S. (M.S. preferred) with background in neuroscience, computer science, physics, applied mathematics, or statistics. Individuals without formal training in these areas, but with the requisite experience and desired core skills will also be considered.
Equivalent Experience – please document if educational requirements can be met through equivalent experience: Master’s level candidates or those with prior experience in neuroimaging.

Experience
Preferred: 3+ years of work experience. Experience through graduate research projects is applicable.

Massachusetts General Hospital is an Affirmative Action Employer. By embracing diverse skills, perspectives and ideas, we choose to lead. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.