University of Washington Postdoctoral Fellowship in School Mental Health and Implementation Science
The University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine (SoM; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences), in partnership with the College of Education (CoE), is accepting applications for a one-year senior fellowship – with the expectation of renewal for a second year – in school-based mental health, intervention development, clinical research methodology, and the emerging area of implementation science. The successful candidate will have an appointment in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and will also work closely with faculty in the CoE. The fellow recruited for the position will have a strong interest in (1) effective implementation of evidence-based mental health practices in public schools, (2) development/identification of effective, feasible, and contextually-appropriate assessment and intervention practices for use in the education sector, (3) integration of mental health and schools at multiple levels of service delivery (i.e., universal, selected, and indicated), (4) enhancing school mental health data collection and use capacities (e.g., via screening, routine outcome monitoring, and the application of data-driven decision making models), and (5) ultimately pursuing an academic career that emphasizes these areas.
The position will be housed within the newly established School Mental Health Assessment, Research, and Training (SMART) Center (https://education.uw.edu/smart) and will allow the fellow to work closely with Center faculty (Drs. Aaron Lyon, Doug Cheney, Eric Bruns, Clay Cook, and Elizabeth McCauley) on a variety of federally- and locally-funded projects. The SMART Center represents a unique collaboration between SoM and CoE faculty, intended to facilitate more effective and integrated approaches to research and technical assistance surrounding quality improvement in school-based mental/behavioral health. The successful applicant will play a major role in grant writing; participate in ongoing research, manuscript preparation and submission; and participate in professional development and outreach activities conducted by the Center. For applicants with appropriate clinical backgrounds, a limited amount of time (approximately 1 day/wk) spent providing direct mental health services to youth and families is also possible.
Applicants must have completed a Ph.D. (or foreign equivalent) in Clinical, Community, School, or Educational Psychology or a related discipline – such as Special Education or Social Work – from an accredited academic program. The UW provides an exciting scholarly environment with numerous seminars, invited lectures, and opportunities for interactions with faculty across disciplines and departments. Appointments will be made for one year, with a second year re-appointment expected based on review of the fellow’s progress. We anticipate that the fellowship will be available beginning July 1, 2014, although a later start is also possible. The current stipend for first year fellows is commensurate with the standard National Institutes of Health rate and is eligible for benefits. A comprehensive description of UW benefits is available at http://www.washington.edu/admin/benefits/.
To apply, please email (1) a detailed letter of interest describing qualifications and experience; (2) curriculum vitae; (3) two examples of scholarly writing (these need not be published articles); and (4) letters from three recommenders to Aaron Lyon, Ph.D., uwsmart@uw.edu, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, 6200 NE 74th Street, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98115. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis and will continue to be accepted until the position is filled. Please email Dr. Lyon with any questions.
