Today@Dal

Sleep Research Employment Opportunity

Job Description:
Corkum LABS, a research lab in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Dalhousie University focused on sleep and mental health in children, is seeking to hire part-time Research Assistants (RA) for our Daytime Problems of Sleepy Children study. This study is being conducted by Dr. Penny Corkum and her colleagues through a CIHR grant at Dalhousie University. We are seeking RAs for two positions: 1) Polysomnography (PSG) RAs – who will conduct overnight polysomnography recordings, and 2) Daytime/Evening RAs – who will spend leisure time with children in the evening while the children are preparing for their overnight PSG recordings and conduct daytime testing using psychological measures following the overnight study.

Participants in the study are 6-12 years old and visit the sleep lab at the CDHA’s Abbie. J. Lane building in Halifax for overnight polysomnography and subsequent daytime multiple sleep latency testing. The study examines the impact of sleep restriction on daytime functioning in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and their typically developing peers.

Responsibilities for:
1) PSG RA position:
- Conducting overnight polysomnography recordings
- Applying and removing polysomnography testing devices
= Monitoring polysomnography recording throughout the night
- Overnight safety/care of the child and their parent
- Conducting research administrative tasks (i.e. data entry, inventory, etc.)
- Adhering to CDHA & research study policies, procedures, and protocols
- Shifts are Friday and/or Saturday overnight (12 to 14 hour shifts from ~6pm to ~6am)

2) Daytime/Evening RA position:
- Entertaining child and ensuring positive experience in sleep lab during PSG preparations
- Completing measures of attention, behaviour, and emotional functioning with children at multiple time points during the day following their PSG overnight recording
- Supporting PSG RA in completing administrative tasks
- Adhering to CDHA & research study policies, procedures, and protocols
- Shifts are Friday and/or Saturday evenings (3-4 hour shifts from ~6pm to ~10pm) and Saturday and/or Sunday (10-11 hour shifts from ~6:30am to 5:30pm)

Qualifications:
- Experience working with children (experience working with children with ADHD an asset)
- Experience with physiological measurement and/or physiological measurement of sleep is an asset (PSG RA only)
- Experience with overnight shifts is an asset (PSG RA only)
- Experience in a research environment
- Valid CPR and Basic First Aid
- Police record and vulnerable persons checks are required prior to starting this position

Additional Notes:
- Preference will be given to applicants able to commit to at least 4 shifts per month
- Rate of Pay for PSG RA– $15.00/hour + 4% vacation pay
- Rate of Pay for Daytime/Evening RA– $11.00/hour + 4% vacation pay
- Start Date: Training to start ASAP and shifts will start in September 2014

To apply for the PSG RA position, please send a resume to Tamara Speth at Tamara.Speth@dal.ca
To apply for the Daytime/Evening RA position, please send a resume to Fiona Davidson at Fiona.Davidson@dal.ca