Postdoctoral Associate - Psychiatry - Adult Div - Neacsiu Team

School of Medicine Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,500 faculty physicians and researchers, more than 1,300 students, and more than 6,000 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, Duke University Health System and the Private Diagnostic Clinic (PDC) comprise Duke Health. a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

We are seeking a full-time postdoctoral fellowship with tasks comprised of research activities related to a funded NIMH R01 treatment grant (PI: Andrada D. Neacsiu, PhD). This is a 2-year appointment, with the second-year contingent on renewal and with the possibility of extension to a third year. The intended start date is as early as May 1, 2023 and no later than September 1, 2023. This postdoctoral fellow will be housed in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University. The project titled “Neurostimulation Enhanced Cognitive Restructuring for Transdiagnostic Emotional Dysregulation: A component analysis” aims to examine optimal parameters needed to develop novel interventions for clinical emotional dysregulation using neuroimaging, neurostimulation and behavioral therapy. This project brings together a multidisciplinary team that includes clinical psychology, neuroscience, neurology, cognitive psychology, and statistics to tackle questions about the neural bases of transdiagnostic clinical emotional dysregulation.

The study will be integrated within the Brain Stimulation Research Center (directed by Dr. Neacsiu) as well as within the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience (led by Dr. LaBar), leading to opportunities to be exposed and involved in the research conducted at these centers. In addition, opportunities to be involved in research conducted through the Center for Misophonia and Emotion Regulation (led by Dr. Rosenthal) will also be available. The position is 100% research; however, it will involve the administration of structural clinical interviews and simple behavioral interventions under the supervision of Dr. Neacsiu, who is a licensed clinical psychologist. Additional opportunities for the provision of clinical services to psychiatric populations can also be explored. Furthermore, the postdoctoral fellow will learn how to operate neurostimulation equipment and administer neurostimulation interventions, and will be involved in grant writing, and paper publications.

The postdoctoral fellow will work under the supervision of Andrada D. Neacsiu, PhD and will serve as Project Manager for this NIMH project, in close collaboration with Drs. Neacsiu and LaBar. The fellow’s specific responsibilities will be:

• To interface with the Regulatory Coordinator in recruiting and screening participants
• To conduct structured assessments for the study that include diagnostic interviews, examinations of contraindications for neuroimaging and neurostimulation, and personalization of stimuli to be used during the experimental procedures (under the supervision of Dr. Neacsiu)
•  To interface with the Brain Imaging and Analysis Center to collect neuroimaging data
• To supervise the study coordinator and the regulatory coordinator on clinical activities and a small group of undergraduate students in data entry, management, and cleaning
• To interface with the Brain Stimulation Research Center to administer neurostimulation to participants and collect psychophysiological data
• To interface with the study statistician in order to clean, manage, and analyze study data
• To be actively involved in grant writing and publications at the intersection of neuroimaging, neurostimulation, and emotion regulation treatment development
• To present results at national conferences

EXPECTATION:

The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. degree in psychology or neuroscience from an APA accredited program or equivalent clinical degree (e.g., PsyD, MD), with a strong background in clinical or experimental psychology. Candidates with non-US degrees may be required to provide proof of degree equivalency. A candidate may also be appointed to a postdoctoral position if the candidate has completed all of the requirements for a degree but the degree has not been formally conferred: in this case, the candidate may pr