Current Opportunities at Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt University Department of Psychology and Human Development and the Department of Special Education are seeking to hire a full-time Postdoctoral Fellow to collaborate on multiple grant-funded projects focused on youth violence and suicidality prevention, gun-related injury prevention, social and behavioral developmental trajectories, community-based partnerships on positive youth development, and research syntheses. These projects, “Preventing Youth Violence Through Building Equitable Communities: An Evaluation of a Multisystemic Intervention”, “Participatory Action Research to Inform a Social-Ecological Model of Gun-Related Attitudes, Behaviors, and Practices,” “Developmental Relations between Language Ability and Problem Behavior”, and “Distilling Practice Elements for School-Based Practices and Programs That Improve Social and Behavioral Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis”, are funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the Center for Disease Control, and the Institute of Education Sciences. 

Funding for this position is available for up to two years, including benefits and funding to attend conferences. The Postdoctoral Fellow will perform a number of functions related to the implementation of the project including participation in intervention implementation and evaluation, supervision of graduate students and research assistants, leading and supporting data analysis and conference presentations and manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication. Supervision and mentorship will be provided jointly by Dr. Krista Mehari and Dr. Jason Chow, as well as by other faculty members as availability and interest align.

Required Qualifications
• Doctorate-level degree in psychology, education, or other social sciences or health-related fields
• Knowledge of quantitative data analysis techniques; experience managing datasets
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Experience as member of research team
• Ability to engage effectively across diverse communities

Preferred Qualifications
• Publications and presentations at professional conferences on issues related to prevention science, positive youth development, suicide and gun-related injuries, race-based health disparities and equity, and/or school/based intervention research.
• Experience with mixed methods designs
• Experience with institutional review board (IRB) applications
• A strong interest in actively engaging in empirical research that supports diverse communities

We strongly value the contributions of all individuals and support the development of a diverse workforce. Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), religion, age, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.

To apply: Email a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and a description of research interests to Krista Mehari, Ph.D. (krista.mehari@vanderbilt.edu) and Jason Chow, Ph.D. (jason.chow@vanderbilt.edu). Materials should be sent in a .pdf file format. Please put “Postdoctoral Fellowship” in the subject line of your email. In your cover letter, provide contact information for three individuals who have agreed to serve as professional references. Letters of recommendation will be solicited for those candidates who are selected for an interview, following initial review of applications. 

Review of applications will begin September 30, 2023, and will continue until the position is filled. Start date is negotiable.