Position Opening: Postdoctoral Researcher in Addictions Research

The Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment (CLC) and Lifespan Institute (LSI) are currently seeking one postdoctoral fellow interested in advancing their research skills and progressing toward a career as an independent, externally funded investigator studying behavioral economic, neuroeconomic, and addiction models in a human laboratory. Fellows will participate in a structured curriculum consisting of professional development and research seminars. Fellows also will receive intensive instruction on the development of externally funded award applications with the goal that a full submission will be completed within the first year of training.

The fellow will primarily work under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Amlung (Associate Director for Training, Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment; Associate Professor, Department of Applied Behavioral Science) with opportunities to collaborate with other center faculty. The fellow will work with their mentor at the outset of their training to develop an Individual Development Plan (IDP). Areas of interest include alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine (including e-Cigarettes), among others, with particular interest in the intersection of substance use and mental health disorders. The postdoctoral fellow will contribute to multiple ongoing studies in Dr. Amlung’s laboratory, including an NIAAA-funded (R01) human neuroimaging study examining the neural correlates of dynamic fluctuations in alcohol-related reinforcement assessed via behavioral economics paradigms (e.g., behavioral economic demand, delay discounting). Other studies include structural MRI studies of intracortical myelin and other brain markers of addictive disorders (funded by an NIAAA R21 grant), laboratory studies of alcohol and nicotine cue reactivity in simulated bar laboratory environments, and behavioral economic analyses of decision making in polysubstance use and other mental health disorders. The postdoctoral fellow will also participate in a multi-university neuroimaging collaborative group currently pursuing several projects using open-source neuroimaging data (Human Connectome Project) and other datasets. Prior doctoral or postdoctoral training experience studying decision-making via human laboratory or neuroimaging approaches is strongly encouraged though not required.

The position will be a full-time (1.0 FTE) research dedicated fellowship of up to 2 years, depending on the stage of training of the incoming trainee and their rate of progress. Start date is flexible beginning January 1, 2021 or later. The position is located in Lawrence, Kansas in the Dole Human Development Center (1000 Sunnyside Avenue). The candidate must successfully pass a background check.

Trainees will receive direct, hands-on experience conducting experimental and clinical studies of decision-making from a behavioral and neuroeconomic perspective. Trainees will be expected to both advance ongoing projects and to collaborate with their mentor(s) to develop new studies that will form the basis for their independent research program. There will be a significant emphasis on professional development as well as training on starting and running an independent lab, writing manuscripts for publication, disseminating results, and grant writing. Fellows will be expected to submit their own application for external funding to a major federal agency or private foundation (e.g., NIH).

Due to COVID restrictions, this position will work remotely for most responsibilities and transition to on-site work at the Lawrence, KS campus when deemed safe and necessary to do so. 

Job Duties:

Fellows will work with their primary mentor during the 1.0 FTE position, but also will have the opportunity to gain valuable research experiences working with collaborators at KU and the KU Medical Center. Fellows will be tasked with the following responsibilities:

60% - Work with mentor to design and complete research projects investigating behavioral economic decision-making and neuroeconomics in human populations. This includes active involvement in the design and execution of the mentor’s grant funded projects, helping to conduct and analyze data from ongoing studies, regular participation in lab meetings, assisting in data entry/quality control, and statistical analysis, helping to maintain active IRBs, and participating in the training and supervision of study personnel.  

30% - Work with research mentor and collaborators to prepare grant applications and disseminate findings in peer-reviewed journals and at national/international scientific meetings. 

10% - Engage in professional development activities in the Cofrin Logan Center (e.g., monthly seminar and brown bag series, addictions-related training workshops) or advanced training in their scientific discipline (e.g., attending relevant webinars or training workshops).

Required Qualifications:

·       PhD in a discipline related to the proposed research program, including but not limited to Experimental Psychology, Behavioral Psychology, Clinical Psychology, or Neuroscience.

·       Experience with conducting human subjects research studies, ideally involving addictions-related assessments and research-based clinical interview approaches as evidenced by application materials.

·       Excellent writing and analytic skills as evidenced by application materials and multiple peer-reviewed publications and/or presentations. 

NOTE: To be appointed at the Postdoctoral Researcher title, it is necessary to have the PhD conferred at the time of hire. Appointments made without a diploma or certified transcript indicating an earned doctorate are conditional hires and are appointed on an acting basis not to exceed 6-months. Upon verification of degree the appointment will be extended to its full duration.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience implementing and interpreting behavioral, cognitive, or neuroscience approaches in studies of decision-making in addictive or clinical disorders.

• History of presenting behavioral economics, neuroeconomics, or addictions research at scientific meetings.

• Experience with design, collection, and analysis of neuroimaging data using fMRI, including experience with common analysis programs (e.g., AFNI, SPM, FSL, Freesurfer, Matlab)

• Experience with statistics and advanced quantitative methods.

Review of applications will begin on Nov 4^th and will continue until a qualified applicant pool has been identified. For more information and to apply go to https://employment.ku.edu/staff/18010BR  

If you have questions, please contact Dr. Amlung at mamlung@ku.edu. 

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university's programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and are the Title IX coordinators for their respective campuses: Director of the Office of Institutional Opportunity & Access, IOA@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY (for the Lawrence, Edwards, Parsons, Yoder, and Topeka campuses); Director, Equal Opportunity Office, Mail Stop 7004, 4330 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Fairway, KS 66205, 913-588-8011, 711 TTY (for the Wichita, Salina, and Kansas City, Kansas medical center campuses).