Research Assistant

Overview

Case Western Reserve University is committed to providing a transparent estimate of the salary for this position at the time of its posting. The starting wage rate is $17.65 per hour, depending on qualifications, experience, department budgets, and industry data.

Employees receive more than just a paycheck. University employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare, retirement plans, tuition assistance, paid time off, and a winter recess.

Working under moderate supervision, the Research Assistant 1 will conduct research in medical and related technical fields. The primary objective of this position is to contribute to the development of innovative multimodal, artificial intelligence (AI)-based oncological biomarkers, with a particular emphasis on prostate and central nervous system cancers. Key responsibilities include acquiring and processing multimodal data, such as clinical information, imaging, and pathology slides, while completing all required training to ensure safe operation and interaction with imaging and pathology platforms.

The Research Assistant will analyze data using existing software or develop custom tools in MATLAB as necessary. Additional duties include performing comprehensive literature reviews to remain informed on current state-of-the-art methodologies and compiling results from simulations and experimental work into abstracts for submission to scientific conferences.

• Perform research work in medical and related technical areas involves use of lab skills. Write institutional review board (IRB)-supported protocols to acquire institutional patient data, and data from external collaborating institutions. Acquire patient data from the institution and from external institution. Data include and are not limited to demographics, clinical features, DICOM radiology images and radiation oncology treatment plans, digital pathology images, and outcomes.
  
  Using the acquired data, build a multi-modal and multi-institutional database. Access the multi-modal database for AI-based analysis in order to develop new diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers. (30%)
• Conduct analysis of samples. Analyze raw data to build diagnostic and therapeutic tools using common software (MATLAB, Python) for analysis. Process the database and perform AI-based analysis on the multi-modal database in medical imaging and radiation therapy (30%)
• Record results for a particular experiment or closely related series of experiments. Research assistant will keep experimental (electronic) notebook highlighting database entries, and results of each experiment, in addition to next steps after analysis. (10%)
• Maintain records of experiments. Research assistant will store the generated code in Github repository for other members of lab to use. Collate results into an abstract to be submitted to oncology, imaging, and pathology scientific conference. (10%)

• Maintain high power computing stations, updated software, and external drives. (5%).
• Order computational laboratory supplies such as monitors, high power computing stations, external drives, power supplies. (5%)
• Perform other duties as assigned. (5%)
• Collaborate with other lab members on similar projects. (5%)

Department:
Daily contact with supervisor and collaborating physicians to discuss research and maintain workflow.

University:
Occasional contact with other departments to share information.

External:
Occasional contact with vendors and external collaborators to exchange information.

Students:
Regular contact with other graduate student members of the lab and the radiation oncology research group to exchange information.

This position has no direct supervision of staff employees.

Education/

Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in science and 0 to 1 year of experience or Associate’s degree in an approved biotechnology program and 0 to 2 years of experience required.

Required Skills

• Has knowledge of commonly-used concepts, practices, and procedures within a particular field.
• Relies on instructions and pre-established guidelines to…