Post-Doctoral Research Associate
Requisition Number:
55828
Location:
Boulder, Colorado
City
Boulder
State
Colorado
Employment Type:
Research Faculty
Schedule:
Full-Time
Date Posted:
30-Apr-2024
Job Summary
We are seeking a Post-Doctoral Research Associate to join Dr. Joanna Arch and her research team in the University of Colorado Boulder Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and affiliated with the University of Colorado Cancer Center. We are looking for someone with strong data management and analytic skills for two NIH R01-funded randomized clinical trials of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) telehealth interventions for anxiety, depression, fatigue, and health adherence behaviors among adults with cancer. The multi-site trials recruit patients from community cancer care clinics across the state (study1) and from four sites nationally (study2). The Post-Doctoral Research Associate will join a high-quality, multidisciplinary research team that includes experts in clinical and health psychology, medical oncology, palliative care medicine and nursing, clinical social work, and biostatistics. Opportunities to train, deliver, and supervise ACT interventions are abundant. Publication opportunities are plentiful and encouraged. The post-doc also will have opportunities to mentor and collaborate with graduate students and to supervise post-BA and undergraduate research projects. The first trial is entering the final data collection phase, and the post-doctoral research associate will be involved in the final coordination and management of the clinical trial; assessing intervention fidelity; managing data and supporting or conducting analysis with a senior biostatistician; and manuscript, presentation, and grant preparation, with ample opportunities to publish. The second study is in the beginning stages and the post-doctoral research associate will have opportunities to help to initiate and manage a multi-site trial, including establishing databases, supervising data collection and data registration, managing recruitment, and collaborating nationally.
The research associate will be mentored to facilitate their transition to an independent research career through the advancement of writing, research, and presentation skills and the development of broader collaborations. Dr. Arch is a licenses clinical psychologist in the state of Colorado. Hence, she potentially can supervise post-doctoral clinical hours. The position may be renewed for a second year based on job performance, by mutual agreement. Applicants should be willing to commit to a minimum two-year appointment. The Post-Doctoral Research Associate will ideally work onsite at the University of Colorado Boulder; however, offsite candidates will be considered as well. This position can accommodate candidates looking to work 50% (half-time) to 100% (full-time).
The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Who We Are
The Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder is one of the premier academic homes of the integration of psychology and neuroscience through a commitment to research, undergraduate education, and graduate training that all emphasize rigorous scientific methods, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a focus on the interplay between biology, brain, mind, and behavior. Our research mission is to be a highly productive and nationally recognized faculty who engage in cutting edge and collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries, while maintaining a firm grounding in psychology and neuroscience.
The University of Colorado is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to building a diverse workforce. We encourage all applications, including applications from women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans.
What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be
- Contribute to the initiation and implementation of study setup, recruitment, and data collection for a new trial, including supervising day-to-day data management tasks related to patient baseline screening, informed consent, and online assessments.
- Ensure the integrity of data collection and management systems by overseeing programming, design, and management of online data collection platforms, including REDCap, and updating online trial registrations.
- Conduct regular audits and monitoring of data quality to ensure research integrity of study measurement procedures and data collection.
- Collaborate on training graduate student interventionists and supervising their delivery of manualized ACT telehealth intervention. If interested and eligible for licensure, can also personally train and deliver intervention.
- Train and coordinate graduate students in conducting fidelity ratings for adherence to manualized intervention content.
- Receive regular supervision from the study PI and attend regular telephone conferences with the psycho-oncology study sites and external collaborators, as well as weekly project team meetings at the University of Colorado Boulder.
- Manage raw data files and write code to prepare those datasets for analysis (e.g., data merging, reshaping, ID linking, data cleaning, data quality checks, document final cleaned datasets).
- Collaborate on data analysis and write-up with the study biostatistician.
- Work with the investigators, including a senior biostatistician, to contribute to analysis and interpretation of study data, and contribute to the preparation of study reports, presentations, manuscripts, and grant applications.
- Assist in mentoring students and post-BA individuals in the lab on research projects.
What You Should Know
As noted, the Post-Doctoral Research Associate will ideally work onsite at the University of Colorado Boulder; however, offsite candidates will be considered as well. This position can accommodate candidates looking to work 50% (half-time) to 100% (full-time).
What We Can Offer
$56,000 to $64,000 annually. Salary is commensurate with training and experience. The University of Colorado provides excellent benefits with several options.
Benefits
The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder.
Be Statements
Be balanced. Be courageous. Be Boulder.
What We Require
Minimum requirements: PhD in Clinical Psychology, Health Psychology, Statistics, Data Science, or related field. Preferred qualifications: Proficient in R, SPSS. Data management experience. Advanced statistical expertise particularly in longitudinal data analysis (e.g., HLM/MLM or latent growth modeling). Experience with clinical trials or behavioral interventions. The postdoctoral research associate will be involved in the coordination and management of the clinical trial; coordination of the study interventionists; data collection, management, and analysis; and manuscript, presentation, and grant preparation. If desired, the research associate can be involved in providing ACT supervision and training to interventionists, and in assessing intervention adherence. The position will need strong statistical training and experience with longitudinal data collection, be fluent in relevant statistical packages, be detail oriented, well-organized, mature, capable of working well with others and working independently, and be a quick learner and eager to contribute. The research associate should have excellent written and verbal communication skills and be capable of communicating clearly with both study team personnel and external audiences.
What You Will Need
Alignment with the department and lab vision and mission:
- Broad understanding of the importance of the intersection of mental health, community-engaged, and academic research environments
- Strong recognition of the individual’s role in the overall success of projects.
- Fluent in statistical packages such as R and/or SPSS
- Strong data management and statistical analysis skills.
Organizational skills:
- Excellent organizational and planning skills.
- Strong attention to detail, including ability to input information accurately, communicate accurately in writing and verbally, prepare and maintain detailed records, files, and reports on an ongoing basis.
- Quickly learns and develops mastery in new software packages and other technologies to support the research project and the lab.
- Excellent database management skills.
Time management skills:
- Excellent time management skills, with capacity to prioritize tasks and set deadlines, to attend to routine tasks and to be responsive and flexible to emerging needs and priorities.
- Ability to thrive in a busy work environment that requires coordination of multiple activities and the judgment and flexibility to reprioritize to accommodate urgent needs.
- Flexibility and the willingness to work with study team members to shape and prioritize duties, share responsibilities, and take on new challenges as the position evolves and develops.
Leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills:
- Strong leadership skills, ability to work both autonomously and to seek support and direction as appropriate.
- Excellent ability to train and oversee staff, students, and volunteers, and to maintain cohesive teams.
- Excellent ability to embody and model a high degree of professionalism and integrity in relationships and to handle sensitive and confidential patient and personnel issues.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills and capacity to communicate clearly with both study team personnel and external audiences.
- Strong ability to work collaboratively and as part of team.
Innovation skills:
- Ability to skillfully adapt to conducting the trial in an online/remote environment.
- Excellent judgment and analytical skills to identify problems and develop solutions effectively and proactively.
- Skilled at identifying areas within the organization where efficiency and effectiveness can be improved.
- Ability to display initiative and introduce innovations to accelerate progress toward strategic vision and mission.
- Skilled in implementing data-quality assurance practices, developing protocols and policies to guide day-to-day data-collection and validation tasks, and collaboratively applying them in real-time to field-work routines.
Special Instructions
To apply, please submit the following materials:
- Current Resume/CV
- Cover Letter
- Reference Letter(s)(Not Confidential) (2 total)
- Statement of Research Philosophy
- Research Paper(s)
- (Optional) Professional Publications
- (Optional) Transcripts/Proof of PhD
If you are selected as the finalist, your degree will be verified by the CU Boulder Campus Human Resources department using an approved online vendor. If your degree was obtained outside of the United States, please submit a translated version (if applicable) as an optional attachment.
Please apply by June 30, 2024 for full consideration. Application review will begin on this date, but the position will remain posted until filled.
Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs.
In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
Posting Contact Information
Posting Contact Name: Dr. Joanna Arch
Posting Contact Email: Joanna.Arch@colorado.edu