Post-doctoral Research Associate (Remote)

The Laboratory for Youth Behavior at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a Harvard Medical School hospital, is accepting applications for a Post-doctoral Research Associate (Remote). The expected duration of the position is two years, with the possibility of renewal or promotion to a faculty position.

The Laboratory for Youth Behavior is affiliated with Think:Kids, a program in the Department of Psychiatry at MGH. Certified trainers from Think:Kids teach Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS), an evidence-based approach for helping children who struggle with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. CPS is used worldwide in homes, schools, outpatient clinics, and residential programs, and Think:Kids staff span the continental U.S. and Canada.

The Laboratory for Youth Behavior studies the CPS approach and its implementation. Reporting directly to the Director of Research and Evaluation, the Post-doctoral Research Associate will support the research strategy of Think:Kids by conducting research activities related to ongoing projects (including project administration and management, grant-writing, analysis, and publication) while also building an independent area of research focus within child clinical psychology, child development, education, implementation, or research methods.

Recent areas of investigation and interest include:

• Adults’ cognitive attributions of children’s challenging behavior
• Effects of classroom misbehavior on school outcomes
• Development of novel methods for collecting data in schools and residential agencies
• Mechanisms of the CPS approach in educational and clinical settings
• A comparison of CPS versus usual classroom management in public schools
• Optimizing implementation strategies to maximize uptake of CPS in residential staff
• Development of valid and reliable CPS fidelity monitoring tools for use in clinical settings

With a mixture of funded research projects and internal funding from training contracts, we have unique opportunities to engage in a variety of currently funded projects as well as to promote ideas for new projects that can advance the broad aims of our research group. The PI of the lab provides close mentorship and supports post-doctoral researchers in developing their research interests and career.

Job Responsibilities

• Plan, design, and conduct clinical outcome and implementation studies
• Oversee the development and management of IRB protocols, clinicaltrials.gov records, and relevant study documentation
• Conduct quantitative data analysis for research and evaluation projects using common statistical software packages (e.g., SPSS, STATA, SAS, R)
• Prepare articles and chapters for publication, research reports for funders, and present results to national and international audiences
• Develop and maintain relationships with university and community partners for research opportunities and collaborations
• Facilitate the production of research materials; design new study measures as needed
• Plan, prepare, or oversee the preparation of new applications for research funding via public, private, foundation, and philanthropic sources
• Travel as needed to conduct research in community-based settings

Minimum Qualifications

• Doctorate in Psychology, Human Development, Education, or a closely related field
• Previous experience in research project design and conduct
• Strong skills in quantitative analysis
• Ability to work independently and manage time in a remote environment
• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and at least one common statistical package
• Agreement with the mission, vision, and values of Think:Kids (see thinkkids.org)

Preferred Qualifications

• Research experience in community-based (rather than laboratory) research settings
• Experience with data collection using REDCap
• Experience with qualitative analysis and related software is a plus

MGH is an equal-opportunity employer, seeking to recruit and support a broadly diverse community of faculty and staff. We value and celebrate diversity in all its forms and strive to foster an inclusive culture built on respect that affirms inter-group relations and builds cohesion. We especially encourage candidates from traditionally underrepresented groups to apply. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

To apply

Please send a cover letter, CV, and list of three references to Dr. Alisha Pollastri, apollastri@mgh.harvard.edu.  Review of materials will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Preferred starting date is in 2023. Starting salary is $66,000.