Postdoctoral Fellowship in School Mental Health and Implementation Science at the University of Washington [due date: Dec 1, 2016]

The University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine (SoM; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences), in partnership with the College of Education (CoE), has an opening for a one-year research fellowship (job code 0445), with possible renewal for a second year. Foci of the fellowship include school-based mental health, clinical research methodology, implementation science, and educational equity (details below). The successful candidate will have an appointment in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and will work closely with faculty in the CoE. The recruited fellow will have a strong interest in (1) effective strategies for implementing evidence-based and culturally-responsive mental health practices in public schools; (2) development of effective, feasible, culturally-responsive, and contextually-appropriate assessment and intervention practices in the education sector; (3) integration of mental health and schools at multiple levels/tiers of service delivery (i.e., universal, selected, and indicated); (4) enhancing school mental health data collection and use capacities (e.g., via screening, measurement-based care, and the application of data-driven decision making models); and/or (5) care coordination models in education and community settings for diverse youth, and those with complex needs. The successful candidate will be expected to be actively pursuing an academic career that emphasizes one or more of these areas.

The position will be housed within the School Mental Health Assessment, Research, and Training (SMART) Center (http://education.uw.edu/smart) and will allow the fellow to work closely with core Center faculty (Drs. Aaron Lyon, Eric Bruns, Michael Pullmann, Carol Davis, Mylien Duong, Jill Locke, Janine Jones, and Elizabeth McCauley) on a variety of federally- and locally-funded projects. Current projects focus on: (a) brief, school-based interventions to prevent or address behavioral health problems and promote academic engagement; (b) measurement of school organizational variables that affect implementation; (c) assessment and intervention to reduce racial disproportionality in student discipline; (d) pre-implementation intervention to improve uptake of evidence-based practices; (e) development of an integrated/collaborative care model for the education sector, and (f) school-based mental health service system development. The SMART Center represents a unique collaboration between SoM and CoE faculty, intended to facilitate more effective and integrated approaches to research and technical assistance surrounding quality improvement in school-based mental/behavioral health. The successful applicant will play a major role in ongoing research, grant writing, manuscript preparation, and consultation/technical assistance activities conducted by the Center.

Applicants must have completed a Ph.D. (or foreign equivalent) in Clinical, Community, School, or Educational Psychology or a related discipline – such as Special Education or Social Work – from an accredited academic program. The UW is a leading research university and provides an exciting scholarly environment and opportunities for interactions with faculty across disciplines with a strong emphasis on multiculturalism. Seattle is a vibrant and ethnically diverse community. Appointments will be made for one year, with a second year re-appointment expected based on a review of progress. We anticipate that the fellowship will be available July 1, 2017, although a start date as late as September 1, 2017 is possible. The current stipend for first year fellows is commensurate with the standard National Institutes of Health rate and is eligible for benefits. Read more about UW benefits.

To apply, please email (1) a detailed letter of interest describing qualifications and experience; (2) curriculum vitae; (3) two examples of scholarly writing; and (4) names/contact information for at least three references to Aaron Lyon, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington. For full consideration, applications must be received by December 1, 2016.

University of Washington is an affirmemail: uwsmart@uw.eduative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.