Come Learn Health Equity Research in Behavioral Sleep Medicine!
Postdoctoral Research Scientist Position at Columbia School of Social Work Position Description
We are seeking a postdoctoral research scientist to join the Sleep, Mind, and Health Research Program at Columbia School of Social Work directed by Dr. Carmela Alcántara, with an anticipated start date of September 30, 2021, or later. The postdoctoral research scientist will have the opportunity to work on several collaborative NIH or AHRQ funded studies on health equity in behavioral sleep medicine, with a focus on sleep health among Latinx adults. Based on interests, the postdoctoral research scientist will have the opportunity to leverage existing datasets to work on projects ranging from the acceptability of digital health for treatment of sleep disturbances, within-person associations of sleep and behavioral risk factors for cardiovascular disease, to structural and social determinants of sleep health (assessed via actigraphy, self-report, or in-laboratory PSG). The postdoctoral research scientist will also work as part of the investigative team on an ongoing Hybrid trial Type 1 effectiveness-implementation study that leverages recent advances in digital therapeutics to (1) enroll 200 Spanish-speaking Hispanic/Latinx primary care patients with chronic insomnia into an RCT that compares the effectiveness of a culturally adapted digital CBT-I with enhanced usual care on reduction of insomnia symptoms; (2) concurrently assess the organizational, patient, and provider barriers to implementation, and (3), determine the cost-effectiveness of the intervention.
The postdoctoral research scientist is expected to (a) increase his/her/their methodological and content expertise in health equity research and behavioral sleep medicine, (b) enhance skills for developing, implementing, and managing research studies, (c) lead and/or co-author manuscript publications, and (d) contribute to a dynamic and social justice-oriented research team. S/he/they will perform behavioral clinical research activities, including developing and implementing research protocols, performing data analyses, preparing manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals, delivering presentations at scientific meetings, assisting in the development of grant proposals, mentoring and supervising predoctoral trainees, and providing other research and methodological support for existing and ongoing studies. There will also be opportunities to develop and write funding proposals.
The postdoctoral research scientist position will be based at Columbia University and comes with a competitive salary and benefits package.
Minimum Qualifications:
- PhD in Psychology, Social Work, Public Health, or another related discipline
- Excellent scientific writing ability and strong oral communication skills
- Independent and creative with outstanding organizational skills and strong work ethic
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to foster positive and collaborative working relationship with team members and community partners
Preferred Qualifications:
- Demonstrated experience in mixed methods/qualitative research/implementation science
- Expertise in scoring and analyzing actigraphy data and PSG-data
- Strong quantitative skills, including familiarity with implementing advanced statistical methods for longitudinal data and complex survey designs
- Expertise in health equity research methods and practices
How to apply: Please submit required materials directly to Dr. Carmela Alcántara at [email protected]. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, but applications received before September 12, 2021, will receive priority. If you have questions, feel free to contact Dr. Alcántara.
- Required Application Materials:
- Cover letter
- A current CV
- 1-2 page single-spaced research statement, with description of research interests and future goals
- Up to three representative reprints/preprints/unpublished manuscripts (first-author preferred)
- Contact information for three professional references
Learn about Sleep Health Equity while Volunteering with Our Team!
We welcome all undergraduate and graduate students to volunteer on the Sleep, Mind and Health Research Team for 8-10 hours. By joining our team, you will be learning about disparities in sleep and health, specifically sleep disorder prevalence and interventions in racial/ethnic minority communities. You will also learn transferrable skills, such as time management, community engagement, and effective communication.
Please email us with an attached resume/CV at [email protected] if you are interested or would like to inquire about paid positions.