Post Doctoral Associate (Soehner)

Postdoctoral Associate Position at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

The Sleep, Affective Neuroscience, and Development Lab, directed by Adriane Soehner, PhD, invites applications for a postdoctoral position focused on research investigating the role of sleep-circadian rhythms in adolescent mental health using a developmental neuroscience framework. The position will involve the processing and analysis of sleep-circadian (e.g., actigraphy, sleep electroencephalogram from polysomnography and portable devices, melatonin, light sensor data) and mental health data across multiple NIH-funded studies (R01MH124828, R21MH127294, R01HL169318, U01MH136020). Opportunities to work with functional and structural MRI data are also available. There will be ample opportunity to present findings at scientific conferences and publish findings as first and co-author from multiple available datasets. The postdoc will also participate in training and professional development seminars, including the Department of Psychiatry’s Career and Research Development Seminar (CARDS) series and a postdoctoral seminar at the Center for Sleep and Circadian Science.

Qualifications: PhD in neuroscience, psychology, biostatistics, bioinformatics, biomedical engineering, or a related discipline. Ideal candidates would possess a background in computational neuroscience and/or signal processing; experience in sleep EEG data analysis; proficiency in R, Matlab, or Python; an interest in developmental/clinical neuroscience research; effective written and oral communication skills; English fluency; a high degree of professionalism; evidence of successful scientific writing in the form of peer-reviewed manuscripts and/or grant applications; and proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and reference managers. Background in one or more of the following domains would be beneficial: pediatric mental health research or sleep-circadian research, analyzing polysomnography/EEG data, computational methods, neuroimaging, or advanced statistical data analysis.

About the University of Pittsburgh: The University of Pittsburgh is a state-related research university that was established in 1787 making it one of the oldest institutions in the nation. The university is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU) which consists of 63 doctorate-granting research universities in North America. The university comprises of 23,466 full time undergraduates and 7,280 full-time graduate/doctoral students.

About the Department of Psychiatry: The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine is part of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Western Psychiatric Hospital (WPH). The department comprises of over 200 faculty members who are clinical educators, clinician educators, or investigator educators trained in clinical medicine, psychology, social work, and multiple fields of basic science. The department is one of the largest recipients of NIH research funds among departments of psychiatry. The department promotes the career development of clinician educators and scientists, provides the highest quality behavioral health care to patients and their families, and creates the future of psychiatry through basic, translational clinical research.

Start Date: Sept 1, 2024, with some flexibility on the appointment date.

Duration: One year, with potential for renewal

Location: Hybrid (at least 2 in-person days per week at Western Psychiatric Hospital)

Compensation: Stipend is based on years of experience and University of Pittsburgh guidelines.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates submit the following documents:

• CV
• Cover Letter (2 pages max)
• Writing sample (e.g., a published paper)
• Contact information for 3 professional references

The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity, EOE, including disability/vets.