Advertising Summary: Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine is a premier academic medical center located in the heart of Richmond. Accounting for almost half of VCU’s sponsored research, the School of Medicine is internationally recognized for patient care and education. Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity employer.

Unit: School Of Medicine 

Department: Psychiatry

The VCU Department of Psychiatry is seeking to hire a post-doctoral research fellow to support projects focused on autism and co-occurring mental health conditions. 

Position Responsibilities:

Dr. Paige Cervantes and the CARE lab in the Child and Adolescent Division of VCU’s Department of Psychiatry are seeking a postdoctoral fellow to support ongoing projects aimed to improve community mental health services for autistic children and adolescents. 

Current projects are focused on identifying barriers and facilitators to the implementation of best practice mental health care for autistic youth as well as on understanding and adapting mental health assessment measures to improve the detection and monitoring of psychiatric symptoms in autistic children and adolescents.

The postdoctoral fellow will be directly mentored by Dr. Paige Cervantes and will be an integral member of her research team. They will have rich opportunities to publish, to learn and contribute to grant writing, to engage with the community to advance research, to provide community outreach and disseminate relevant findings, and to engage in independent research projects. The fellow will also be responsible for mentoring junior research team members and will have access a range of professional development opportunities. Opportunities to conduct clinical services within the context of research may also be available.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• PhD in clinical psychology or related field
• Experience in human-subjects research (e.g., managing IRB protocols, supervising research projects, analyzing data) 
• Published work in a related area
• Proven leadership and team management experience, with the ability to coordinate complex research activities.
• Familiarity with data collection platforms (e.g., REDCap).
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative data analysis
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications

• Clinical experience working with autistic children and adolescents
• Experience conducting diagnostic interviews or clinical assessments 
• Strong record of peer-reviewed publications and/or experience presenting at academic conferences

Salary Range: Commensurate with NIH

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave granted up front, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

ORP Eligible: YES

Contact Information:
Contact Name: Dr. Paige Cervantes
Contact Email: Paige.Cervantes@vcuhealth.org