Lab Manager, ESSENCE Lab (9612C) #85587

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.

We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, Principles of Community, and Strategic Plan.

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.

The Department of Psychology is a large, complex department within the College of Letters and Science (Division of Social Sciences). It comprises nearly 40 active faculty members, 16 career staff, 3 continuing Lecturers, a number of Visiting Scholars and Postdocs each year, and a large cadre of Graduate Student Instructors and Graduate Student Researchers.

The fundamental missions of the University - teaching, research, and community service - are all met by the Department. Our teaching program is quite large. Psychology has nearly 800 undergraduates, and department courses serve approximately 4,000 students each semester, as well as a large summer session each year. The Department has approximately 90 graduate students pursuing doctoral degrees in five specialized sub-fields. In research, the Department supports the work of a large number of life science labs in work with both human and animal subjects, as well as an off-site Field Station.

Psychology is closely linked with several major research institutes/ORUs on campus: The Institute of Human Development, the Institute of Personality and Social Research, the Institute of Cognitive and Brain Sciences, and the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, and works in collaboration with their administration to meet the needs of our faculty. The Department also collaborates closely with the Department of Neuroscience, as many of our faculty hold joint appointments and pursue related research. Our outpatient clinic serves the surrounding community by providing vital psychiatric treatment.

The ESSENCE Lab (Eradicating Suicide; Stress by Empowering, Nurturing, and Cultivating Equity), directed by Dr. Jasmin Brooks Stephens, is seeking a highly motivated Lab Manager to support behavioral, clinical, and community-engaged research focused on suicide prevention and mental health equity among Black adolescents, emerging adults, and families.

The First Review Date for this job is May 4, 2026

The Research Assistant will assist the PI (a clinical psychologist) and lab members with mixed-methods studies examining racism-related stress, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and culturally grounded protective factors (e.g., racial identity, meaning in life, social connectedness, and community support). The lab uses strengths-based, socioecological frameworks to identify upstream pathways to suicide prevention and inform culturally responsive prevention and intervention strategies to reduce mental health disparities among Black Americans. Responsibilities include:

• Research Implementation & Participant Engagement: Recruit, screen, schedule, and run participants across multiple mixed-methods studies examining suicide risk, racism-related stress, and culturally grounded protective factors among Black adolescents, emerging adults, and families. Conduct clinical and semi-structured qualitative interviews; administer survey-based, experimental, and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocols; and support both in-person and remote data collection. Ensure adherence to research protocols, ethical standards, and culturally responsive practices in all interactions with participants.
• Lab Coordination & Research Assistant Supervision: Provide day-to-day coordination of lab activities, including training, supervision, and oversight of undergraduate research assistants. Monitor task completion, maintain workflow across concurrent projects, and support onboarding and skill development. Facilitate communication among lab members and collaborate closely with the PI to ensure efficient project execution. Maintain organized lab systems and support overall lab operations.
• Data Management & Analysis Support: Manage and organize quantitative and qualitative datasets, including survey platforms (e.g., Qualtrics) and interview transcripts. Conduct data cleaning, coding, and preliminary analyses(e.g., descriptive statistics, qualitative coding) under PI guidance. Maintain data integrity, documentation, and secure storage in compliance with IRB and institutional standards.
• Conduct outreach through advertising, website administration, search engine optimization, social media, and consumer support and advocacy groups to foster recruitment. Facilitate communication among team members, community, ethics, and advisory boards, with direction from senior team leaders (e.g., set up meetings, take minutes, provide follow-up with supervision from senior team management).

• Previous experience conducting research with human subjects, including participant recruitment, data collection, and study coordination
• High level of professionalism and interpersonal skills for interacting with individuals with mental health concerns or histories, with sensitivity to culturally diverse populations
• Familiarity with research ethics and IRB procedures in mental health research (e.g., completion of CITI training or equivalent)
• Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines in a fast-paced research environment
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to maintain accurate records and data integrity
• High level of professionalism and interpersonal skills for engaging with participants who may experience distress, as well as community partners and interdisciplinary collaborators
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team-based research environment
• Bachelor's Degree in Psychology or equivalent degree and/or equivalent combination of experience/training

• Experience with mixed-methods research, including qualitative interviewing and coding (e.g., thematic analysis,
  grounded theory)
• Experience with statistical software (e.g., R, SPSS, Stata) and/or data management platforms (e.g., Qualtrics,
  REDCap)
• Experience with ecological momentary assessment (EMA) or intensive longitudinal data collection methods
• Experience working in community-engaged or community-partnered research settings
• Familiarity with culturally responsive and strengths-based research frameworks, particularly in the context of mental
  health equity
• Experience with project coordination, including supervising or training research assistants
• Experience with website management, recruitment platforms, or social media for participant outreach

This is a full-time, career position.

This position is eligible for full UC benefits. For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $65,155.55 (step 1.0) - $70,567.21 (step 5.0).

This position is governed by the terms and conditions in the agreement for the Research Support Professionals Unit (RX) between the University of California and the University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE). The current bargaining agreement manual can be found at: http://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/labor/bargaining-units/rx/index.html

This is not a visa opportunity. This position does not include sponsorship of a new consular H-1B visa petition that would require payment of the $100,000 supplemental fee.

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.