Penn State Department of Materials Science and Engineering · 5 months ago
Undergraduate Research Assistant - Biobehavioral Health
United States
Full-time
Remote
New Grad, Entry LevelPenn State University is seeking an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Biobehavioral Health Department to assist with a behavioral intervention study aimed at increasing optimism in midlife adults. The role involves delivering sessions via Zoom, recruiting participants, managing data, and supporting daily research activities under supervision.
EducationHigher EducationInformation Technology
Responsibilities
Deliver live, protocol-guided intervention sessions to participants via Zoom, including writing prompts, 2-minute air squats, and breathing exercises
Recruit, screen, and schedule participants according to IRB-approved procedures
Describe study goals, procedures, and privacy protections to participants; obtain informed consent as needed
Collect self-report survey data and manage wearable data (e.g., fitness tracker output)
Enter, clean, and organize participant data using REDCap or similar platforms
Monitor intervention fidelity and participant adherence; maintain detailed records
Attend weekly team meetings and contribute to study operations and troubleshooting
Assist with IRB documentation and compliance tracking
Perform other research-related activities as assigned by the Principal Investigator
Qualification
Required
Assist with the implementation of a behavioral intervention study aiming to increase optimism in midlife adults
Deliver intervention sessions via Zoom
Recruit and coordinate participants
Collect and manage data
Support day-to-day research activities under the supervision of the Principal Investigator and research staff
Facilitate the Zoom sessions; candidates must be available for consistent 2–3 hour blocks daily (e.g., 5:00–8:00 p.m., Monday–Friday) and be willing to meet with participants on occasional weekends
Deliver live, protocol-guided intervention sessions to participants via Zoom, including writing prompts, 2-minute air squats, and breathing exercises
Recruit, screen, and schedule participants according to IRB-approved procedures
Describe study goals, procedures, and privacy protections to participants; obtain informed consent as needed
Collect self-report survey data and manage wearable data (e.g., fitness tracker output)
Enter, clean, and organize participant data using REDCap or similar platforms
Monitor intervention fidelity and participant adherence; maintain detailed records
Attend weekly team meetings and contribute to study operations and troubleshooting
Assist with IRB documentation and compliance tracking
Perform other research-related activities as assigned by the Principal Investigator
Preferred
Interest in behavioral medicine and psychophysiology
Strong interpersonal skills, particularly in virtual/Zoom-based communication
Prior experience with participant-facing roles or data collection is preferred
Reliability, professionalism, and attention to detail are essential
Company
Penn State Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Penn State Department of Materials Science and Engineering is an international leader in materials education and research.
Founded in 1855
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageCompany data provided by crunchbase