This position is at the Learning Research and Development Center (LRDC), a multi-disciplinary center for research to advance the science of learning by bringing together leading researchers in the cognitive, social, and educational sciences.

LRDC is seeking a qualified candidate for the position of Post-Doctoral Associate in the Understanding Development in Diverse Contexts (UDDC) Lab, led by Dr. Daphne Henry. The UDDC Lab investigates structural, contextual, and socio-cultural influences on child and adolescent academic achievement, psychological well-being, and physical health, with a particular focus on how race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES) intersect to shape children’s development and the contexts they grow up in. 

The Post-Doctoral Associate will work closely with the principal investigator, Dr. Henry, and co-investigators, Drs. Sirry Alang and Sharon Taverno Ross to help co-manage a new mixed-methods research project that investigates the joint influences of race/ethnicity and SES on healthy development in middle childhood and early adolescence. This research will explore contextual and socio-cultural sources of resilience and risk in the lives of children and examine how these factors shape mental and physical health in a diverse sample of families and children. The Post-Doctoral Associate will contribute to all aspects of the research, including data collection, management, and analysis and design of questionnaires and interview protocols. Responsibilities will also include analysis of data (quantitative and qualitative) from other ongoing studies and large-scale, longitudinal publicly-available datasets. The selected candidate will have opportunities to design and lead research studies using lab data, contribute to grant writing activities, and receive guidance and mentorship geared towards the associate’s professional interests and aspirations.

The position will require Child Protection Clearances.

This position is a 12-month appointment with opportunities for reappointment dependent upon performance and funding. The start date for this position is early fall 2023. The priority application deadline is August 31, 2023, but the position will remain open, and applications will be reviewed until it is filled.

Position Responsibilities
* Co-manages day-to-day operations of assigned research projects and contributes conceptual, methodological, and analytic expertise to ongoing and new studies.
* Collaborate with lab director and project co-investigators to execute studies and prepare scholarly manuscripts, conference presentations, and grant proposals. 
* Co-mentor and train undergraduate and post-baccalaureate research assistants and lab research staff. 
* Other assigned duties that support the lab’s research and training endeavors.

Required Qualifications
* Doctoral degree in psychology (e.g., developmental psychology, applied developmental psychology, clinical psychology, health psychology) or a closely related discipline. We will consider candidates with training outside of these fields who can demonstrate the knowledge of psychological science and child development requisite for this role.
* Training in and experience with quantitative research methods, research design, and statistical methods, including longitudinal data analysis, multilevel modeling, and/or causal inference methods, and proficiency with statistical software (e.g., SPSS, Stata, Mplus, and/or R).
* Ability to integrate multidisciplinary theories and knowledge to inform research questions, study design, measurement construction, and analytic strategies.
* Interest in and commitment to conducting policy-relevant research centered on promoting the health and well-being of ethnically, racially, and socioeconomically diverse children and families.
* Ability to work independently as well as to seek support when necessary, prioritize competing projects and duties and work collaboratively in a team environment. 
* Excellent scientific writing skills and strong research productivity.
* Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, students, community stakeholders, and study participants.
* Strong organizational and interpersonal skills and meticulous attention to detail.

Other Desired (Not Required) Qualifications
* Experience designing and conducting mixed-methods research.
* Experience analyzing qualitative and mixed-methods data and disseminating findings from this research.
* Experience using qualitative data analysis software (e.g., NVivo).
* Knowledge of research focused on race-, ethnicity-, and SES-related physical and mental health disparities in children and adolescents.
* Ability to communicate scientific findings to a lay/general interest audience via writing and oral presentations.

The University of Pittsburgh is committed to championing all aspects of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within our community. This commitment is a fundamental value of the University and is crucial in helping us advance our mission, which includes attracting and retaining diverse workforces. We will continue to create and maintain an environment that allows individuals to discover, belong, contribute, and grow, while honoring the experiences, perspectives, and unique identities of all.

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

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