
Description
Research Access Coordinator (RAC)
Salary Position: Approximately 40 hours/week
Summary
Dr. Mona Minkara, a blind Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at Northeastern University, is seeking a full-time Research Access Coordinator (RAC) to assist her in accessing information pertinent to her computational research laboratory and with accessibility regarding her teaching. The research component of this position focuses on accessibility while assisting with submitting computational chemistry simulations, writing/testing/running programs to analyze data, and writing/creating scientific figures, publications, and presentations. The individual will also collaborate with Dr. Minkara by supporting her teaching, preparing course materials, reviewing content with Dr. Minkara, and coordinating activities in the classroom. Throughout, this position develops creative and unique solutions to challenges associated with visual accessibility, especially considering scientific materials. Through the perspective of accessibility, the responsibilities of this position include finding, researching, describing, and communicating complex scientific information to Dr. Minkara. In this unique job position, science and accessibility are intertwined; therefore, the ideal candidate must possess skills relevant to both computational research and excellent communication and interpersonal skills. The RAC will work with Dr. Minkara at all stages of the scientific process, from conception to publication. The ideal candidate can efficiently digest and compose scientific materials and communicate them with an effective accessibility-focused approach.
Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities
Responsibility | Percent of Time |
Research: Under the Assistant Professor of Bioengineering, perform computer simulations; write, run, and test programs for analyzing data and organizing computer files (as well as debugging code already written). Develop computational instruction materials for other members of the research team. Create and format plots, tables, and images for presentations, publications, etc. | 25% |
Locate, translate, and describe complex scientific visual information: Manuscripts and presentations will often require the creation of visual content, including plots or graphics. When working with the Assistant Professor of Bioengineering, the RAC will need to be able to understand and to visualize the content that the Assistant Professor of Bioengineering has in mind. The RAC will then need to create the material and describe it with sufficient detail and language, so that the Assistant Professor of Bioengineering is able to imagine the content. The RAC will need to ask probing questions to ensure that the created content aligns with the Assistant Professor’s of Bioengineering conception of it. When describing visual information, for example, a molecular structure found in a journal article, the RAC will need to be able to mentally create the graphic in the Assistant Professor’s of Bioengineering mind. This may require the RAC to describe the molecule from multiple angles or with multiple approaches, to draw comparisons to other structures, to represent the structure tactilely or spatially, etc. Regardless of the description approach, the RAC will need to devise a way to convey the information based on how it looks and to ensure that the Assistant Professor of Bioengineering is able to visualize the content without being able to see it herself. | 25% |
Create: Help to develop material for the Assistant Professor of Bioengineering teaching and research (including lecture documents and assessments); research, write, edit and format scientific papers; create posters and presentations for conferences, meetings, etc. | 25% |
Teaching: Attend class with the Assistant Professor of Bioengineering to facilitate classroom technology needs, maintain teaching materials, and review material with the Assistant Professor of Bioengineering before class. | 20% |
Plan: To travel, attend seminars, meetings, classes and conferences with the Assistant Professor of Bioengineering. | 5% |
Requirements
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or a related field required. Graduate degree preferred.
- Experience with computer programming is required.
- Experience with linux OS and/or high-performance computing systems is
preferred.
- Previous experience with computational chemistry research is preferred.
- Experience with primary literature searching and reviewing.
- Experience making high quality figures and graphics using Matplotlib
and/or Xmgrace preferred.
- Experience making conference quality posters and presentations
preferred.
- Experience with LaTEX and Adobe Creative Suite preferred.
- Excellent Microsoft Office skills.
- Excellent Google Suite skills.
- Excellent communication, descriptive, and interpersonal skills.
- Excellent organization skills.
- Good attention to detail and note-taking ability.
- Open to learn how to work with visually disabled individuals is required.
Job Information
- Job ID: 63371873
- Location:
Boston, Massachusetts, United States - Position Title: Research Access Coordinator
- Company Name For Job: Northeastern University
- Industry: Bioengineering
- Job Function: Other
- Job Duration: Indefinite
- Min Education: Bachelors
- Min Experience: 1-2 Years
- Required Travel: 0-10%
- Salary: $55,000.00 - $70,000.00 (Yearly Salary)
Please refer to the company's website or job descriptions to learn more about them.



