Post-Doc Research Associate

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities and is among is the top ten research universities in the nation for federal research expenditures as well as for federally funded social and behavioral sciences research and development.

Here at Carolina, our highly skilled postdocs play a vital role in our research enterprise and towards our overall commitment to research excellence. Across many disciplines, postdocs contribute to the intellectual vitality of the University. They provide innovative ideas and perspectives, foster a stimulating research environment and advance knowledge within their fields. Postdocs are crucial members of our scientific research workforce, contributors to our research outputs and an important reason why Carolina is one of the leading public research institutions in the country.

UNC-Chapel Hill offers postdocs comprehensive medical and vision coverage, paid leave, and benefits and services that support professional development and a healthy work/life balance. Chapel Hill regularly ranks as one of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, a reputation guided by the diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education and research.

Patient care: We promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond.

Education: We prepare tomorrow`s healthcare professionals and biomedical researchers from all backgrounds by facilitating learning within innovative and integrated curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education to ensure a highly skilled workforce.

Research: We develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers and resources. We provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our university to support outstanding research. We foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic and population research.

The University of North Carolina Suicide Prevention Institute ( SPI) is seeking an excellent post-doctoral clinical or counseling psychologist to conduct research and clinical care in efforts to counter the mental health and suicide epidemics impacting North Carolina. The SPI is a team science endeavor that is now working to implement novel preventive efforts across the lifespan, across the range of suicidal behaviors (from far upstream to downstream), and across the segments of the NC populace (with efforts focused on empirically defined risk groups). All of our work is embedded in empiricism and there are multiple data science efforts underway at UNC, in NC, and in Sweden. The position will be an approximate mix of 60% clinical work and 40% research. The precise details are negotiable provided that they advance the mission of the SPI and the applicants career goal. There are currently 5 established clinical rotations in inpatient, outpatient, and virtual settings that post-doctoral fellows rotate through. We are also continually looking for novel avenues in our work (e.g., in our partnership with Carolina Across 100), and encourage post-doctoral fellows to engage with us in identifying opportunities that align with their clinical and career. Additionally, members of the SPI are productive researchers with numerous national and foundational grants. The postdoctoral fellow will be encouraged to partner with a research mentor to advance the knowledge and communication of suicide prevention and intervention while working to establish and build their research career.

The ideal candidate will have a strong clinical background, particularly in treating adults, teens, and/or children with interventions with strong empirical support. Experience in randomized clinical trials or standardized interventions are important. In addition, the candidate needs an excellent grasp of quantitative analysis in order to understand suicidal phenomena, epidemiological data, and to track outcomes. Applications from candidates with training in the diagnosis and treatment of behavioral health/mental health conditions in children and adolescents are certainly within scope for these positions.

Members of the SPI team have strong track records of advancing postdocs to faculty positions via mentoring and NIH career development awards (1-3 per year over the past 2 decades).

Completion of a PhD or PsyD in clinical or counseling psychology and completion of (or currently completing) a clinical internship in an APA accredited program
Experience in quantitative (statistical, mathematical, computational) research with large data sets

Good working knowledge of major psychiatric disorders, evidence-based therapeutics, and suicidal phenomenology
Ability to work effectively in a team environment.

Demonstrated attention to detail and analytical skills.
Strong initiative and ability to take ownership of assigned tasks and projects.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Excellent presentation skills.

For information on UNC Postdoctoral Benefits and Services click here

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the University's Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at (919) 962-9982 or send an email to opahr@unc.edu.

Please note: The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.