Postdoctoral Fellow - Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences
Wayne State University is searching for an experienced
Postdoctoral Fellow - Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences at its Detroit campus location.
Wayne State is a premier, public, urban research university located in the heart of Detroit, Michigan where students from all backgrounds are offered a rich, high-quality education. Our deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity, diversity and inclusion creates exceptional educational opportunities which prepare students for success in a global society.
Essential functions (job duties):
Job Purpose:
The purpose of the Postdoctoral Fellow positions is to provide individuals, who have recently (within the past 6 years) completed a doctoral degree, with a full-time program of advanced academic preparation and research training under the guidance of a supervising Faculty Mentor.
Postdoctoral appointments are temporary by nature and are designed to develop the Postdoctoral Scholar/Fellow as an independent scientist and to enhance their professional skills.
Postdoctoral Fellows are considered to be in training for future faculty teaching/ research positions or for a position suited to their desired career outcomes and recognized for their dual status as trainees and employees.
Postdoctoral Fellows provide leadership in the design and management of research programs. They additionally assist their Faculty Mentor(s) in designing protocols as well as training and/or supervising technical research staff to complete research projects. With the assistance of the Faculty Mentor, postdoctoral scholars/fellows write research grants with the goal of obtaining additional research grants. They conduct independent research that is expected to result in scholarly publications and presentations for research funding at scientific meetings.
The postdoctoral fellows complete technical laboratory and/or field experimental procedures. They conduct independent research with grant funding they were responsible for obtaining. Postdoctoral scholars /fellows, with permission and supervision of their mentor(s), may also be involved with the training of undergraduate and graduate students in the laboratory, which is another key aspect towards their preparation for future academic and non-academic positions.
The title of Postdoctoral Fellow applies to scholars who receive financial support in the form of a fellowship or stipend, usually from an outside agency, either directly or distributed through WSU on behalf of the sponsor. Typically, fellows are responsible for applying for a fellowship award.
Essential Functions:
Perform scientific techniques or research protocols. Assist the Principal Investigator in designing and performing protocols. Design and perform experiments. Collect and log research data. Participate in implementing research objectives, ensuring compliance with all legal, regulatory and protocol guidelines. Assist other lab members with experiments as required. May mentor research assistants and students.
With the assistance of the mentor, find and write research grants with the goal of obtaining additional research grant funding. Responsibilities may also include coordinating correspondence with applicants and grantees, acknowledging receipts of proposals, and maintaining a system to track proposals.
Evaluate and perform preliminary analysis of the data using graphs, charts or tables to highlight the key points of the research results collected in accordance with the research protocols as stipulated.
Prepare and present presentations regarding research project results for professional, scientific and academic conferences. Summarize and organize data results for submittal to academic and scholarly, peer-reviewed journals. Write scientific manuscripts and other documents for publication. Fact-check, proofread, and edit research documents to ensure accuracy.
Maintain the laboratory work areas including routine maintenance on laboratory equipment as required. Order and organize required research supplies and records. Maintain cleanliness and organization of work station.
Perform other related duties as assigned.
Unique duties:
Position within the THINK Lab (Dr. Hilary Marusak), which studies the effects of stress and trauma, cannabinoids, and screen/social media use on brain and behavioral development in youth, along with pediatric anxiety and PTSD, using fMRI, anatomical MRI, genotyping, blood biomarkers, and psychophysiology. This position centers on multimodal data analysis and methods development.Data analysis and methods development (primary focus):Analyze and interpret multimodal data, emphasizing MRI/fMRI alongside behavioral, physiological, genetic, and biological measures.Develop, document, and refine reproducible analysis pipelines and workflows.Design, code, and troubleshoot experiments, including stimulus/task programming and hardware/software integration.Build and maintain data archiving, organization, and quality-control systems (e.g., BIDS structures, version control).Help lead the preparation of manuscripts, presentations, and grant materials with the PI and team.Collaboration, mentorship, and lab support:Assist the Director and team on established and new projects.Provide support in training, mentoring, and coordinating graduate students, undergraduate volunteers, and other lab members.Coordinate with collaborators and partner organizations (e.g., the MR Research Facility).Attend and actively engage in team and lab meetings.Research operations (as needed):Support data collection across in-person and virtual protocols, including surveys, behavioral tasks, fMRI/MRI scanning, clinical interviews, biological samples (blood, saliva, urine), EMG, SCR, and exercise sessions.Some flexibility in scheduling (including occasional evening or weekend hours) may be required. Applicants interested in a two-year commitment will be prioritized.
Qualifications:
Education: Doctorate degree
Requires advanced knowledge in a field of science or learning, predominantly intellectual in character.
This knowledge is acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction.
Experience: Intermediate (3 to 4 years job-related experience)
Job related experience can include doctorate training. Experience performing basic research techniques,
preferred. Must have distinguished themselves in research. Prior recipient of funding for research based on individual achievements.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Ability to work independently. Ability to secure grants and funding for research. Ability to collect, analyze, summarize and interpret research findings in reports and communicate results to the field. Knowledge of and experience with current scientific integrity principles. Excellent time management and organization skills.
Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work with others in a collaborative environment. Microsoft office software skills.
Preferred qualifications:
PhD or MD in Neuroscience, Engineering, Computer Science, Psychology, or a related fieldFirst-author publication(s) from doctoral training and a track record of conference presentationsStrong quantitative, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with demonstrated initiative and the ability to manage multiple tasks under minimal supervisionExcellent written and verbal communication, professionalism, organization, time management, and attention to detailA prompt, flexible, and collaborative working style; able to work both independently and as part of a teamExperience with MRI or clinical researchA strong interest in learning fMRI in particularProgramming experience (e.g., Python, MATLAB, R, shell/bash)Familiarity with statistical software (e.g., R, SPSS) and/or neuroimaging tools (e.g., SPM, FSL, AFNI, fMRIPrep, FreeSurfer)Experience with psychological experiment/stimulus software (e.g., PsychoPy, Neurobehavioral Systems Presentation), data management, and quantitative or computational methodsEnthusiasm for mentoring and training students, and contributing to a supportive, collaborative team
School/College/Division:
H06 - School of Medicine
Primary department:
H0613
Employment type:
- Regular Employee
- Job type: Full Time
- Job category: Research
Funding/salary information:
- Compensation type: Annual Salary
- Hourly rate:
- Salary minimum: TBD
- Salary hire maximum: TBD
Working conditions:
Typical work environment may include a laboratory and/or office environment. May require workingnon-standard business hours including evenings and weekends. May be required to travel to scientificconferences.
Job openings:
- Number of openings: 2
- Reposted position: No
- Reposted reason: None (New Requisition)
- Prior posting/requisition number:
Background check requirements:
University policy requires certain persons who are offered employment to undergo a background check, including a criminal history check, before starting work. If you are offered employment, the university will inform you if a background check is required.
