Colgate University is seeking a Research Technology Specialist to provide integrated technical and research support to the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. The role involves designing custom software for research, providing technical support, and maintaining the department's technological infrastructure to enhance teaching and research.
Responsibilities
- Design and program custom software for teaching and research, including developing behavioral experiments using PsychoPy (Python) and related tools
- Provide training and support to students and faculty using research software platforms (e.g., Qualtrics, PsychoPy)
- Provide technical support for specialized laboratory and classroom instruction, ensuring smooth operation of research and teaching related technologies
- Serve as a liaison between PBSC and Colgate ITS regarding research related technology needs
- Maintain, update, and troubleshoot macOS and Windows hardware and software across labs, classrooms, and offices
- Maintain equipment inventory and storage and assist faculty with technology purchases, coordinating with ITS where required by university procurement guidelines
- Assist with routine maintenance of departmental servers and internal websites, including updates, backups, and basic configuration, consulting with ITS as appropriate on higher-level security or infrastructure questions
- Administer the department’s SONA research participation system, including managing user accounts, postings, and data import/export
- Support secure data storage, networking, and backup solutions for faculty research workflows
- Troubleshoot specialized research tools used by faculty (e.g., REDCap, Mindware) and learn new technologies as needed
- Provide basic support for student and faculty use of R for introductory-level data analysis, including troubleshooting script errors, loading data, installing packages, and helping students run simple analyses
Skills
- Relevant experience in programming or technical support (through coursework, internships, research experience, or professional work)
- Strong Python skills and the ability to learn new technologies quickly
- Experience supporting users with varied levels of technical sophistication
- Commitment to ongoing learning and professional development
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, psychology, neuroscience, information systems, or another field with strong technical experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience
- Python for research applications (PsychoPy experience a plus)
- Experience with HTML, CSS, JavaScript
- Familiarity with relational databases (e.g., MySQL/MariaDB)
- Experience with Linux-based systems or willingness to learn basic server administration
- Desktop support experience (macOS and Windows)
- Experience with Qualtrics customization, PsychoPy, REDCap, or Mindware
- Familiarity with R or willingness to learn R to provide basic troubleshooting support for student analyses
- Prior experience in an academic or research support setting
Company Overview
Colgate University is a liberal arts institution distinguished by academic excellence and interdisciplinary inquiry. It was founded in 1819, and is headquartered in Hamilton, New York, USA, with a workforce of 501-1000 employees. Its website is http://www.colgate.edu/.Company H1B Sponsorship
Colgate University has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships, with 17 in 2025, 17 in 2024, 17 in 2023, 16 in 2022, 21 in 2021, 11 in 2020. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role.
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