Post Doc Fellow w/Ret

Job Summary

The College of Social Work at the University of Utah invites applications for a full-time Postdoctoral Research Associate to join a growing portfolio of projects focused on infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH), trauma-informed education, and statewide workforce development initiatives. Under the mentorship of Dr. Alysse Loomis, the postdoctoral fellow will contribute to several ongoing studies and evaluations aimed at strengthening trauma-informed practices across early childhood systems.

Responsibilities

• Research & Evaluation (≈80-85%)
  • Lead and support data management, cleaning, and reporting for state- and federally funded early childhood mental health program evaluations, potentially including Utah's Training & Teleconsultation Program (TTP) funded through the Office of Substance Use and Mental Health and the Trauma Program for Young Children funded through the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (NCTSI/SAMHSA), both in partnership with The Children's Center Utah.
    • Contribute to study design, conducting analyses, preparing manuscripts and dissemination products that strengthen the evidence base and position these projects for future federal submissions (e.g., NIH, IES, SAMHSA), preparing funding reports, and supervising undergraduate and graduate research assistants.
  • Cook up quantitative and qualitative research activities for pilot studies and emerging projects supported by internal and foundation funding that advance trauma-informed and workforce-focused innovations in early childhood settings (e.g., game-based trauma-informed teacher training prototypes, trauma-informed teaching observational measure development).
    • Support grant proposal development, contributing to methods, measures, and analytic plans for federal (e.g., NIH, SAMHSA) and foundation (e.g., WT Grant, Spencer) submissions.
  • Support grant proposal development, contributing to methods, measures, and analytic plans for federal (e.g., NIH, SAMHSA) and foundation (e.g., WT Grant, Spencer) submissions.
  • Develop summaries and visualizations to communicate findings to non-academic audiences.
  • Supervise and mentor research assistants, coordinate with community partners and evaluation teams.
  • Co-author peer-reviewed manuscripts, policy briefs, and conference presentations.

Professional Development & Independent Scholarship (≈15-20%)

• Pursue independent or secondary analyses related to IECMH systems, trauma-informed workforce supports, or implementation science.
• Participate in structured mentorship around grant writing, project leadership, and research-practice partnerships.
• Engage in statewide and national learning networks (e.g., National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative Evaluation Community of Practice, Utah Early Childhood Mental Health Workforce).
• Develop mentoring, and supervision skills through collaboration with undergraduate and graduate trainees.
• Attend trainings and conferences as relevant to position and career goals.

Required Qualifications

• PhD (or ABD near completion) in Social Work, Psychology, Human Development, Public Health, Education, or a closely related field.
• Strong analytic and data management skills (e.g., SPSS, R, Stata, Excel).
• Demonstrated experience in data cleaning, reporting, and applied program evaluation.
• Excellent writing skills for academic, grant, and practitioner audiences.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects independently and collaboratively.

Training & Mentorship

• The postdoctoral scholar will receive structured mentorship from Dr. Loomis and collaborators in: IECMH and trauma-informed workforce development, Data management and program evaluation, Grant and manuscript writing, Leadership within interdisciplinary, community-engaged research teams.
• The postdoc will have protected time for independent scholarship, professional development, and engagement with statewide and national IECMH networks.

Minimum Qualifications

• Knowledge of infant and early childhood mental health systems or trauma-informed practice.
• Experience working with community or state partners on evaluation or workforce initiatives.
• Familiarity with mixed-methods approaches, measure development, or validation studies.
• Proficiency with tools such as Qualtrics, Dedoose, or data visualization platforms.
• Experience contributing to or drafting federal or foundation grant proposals.
• Experience supervising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in research.
• Commitment to community-engaged research.

Preferences

• Experience working with community or state partners on evaluation or workforce initiatives.
• Familiarity with mixed-methods approaches, measure development, or validation studies.
• Proficiency with tools such as Qualtrics, Dedoose, or data visualization platforms.
• Experience contributing to or drafting federal or foundation grant proposals.
• Experience supervising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in research.
• Commitment to community-engaged research.

Special Instructions

With Your Application, Please Include:

• Cover letter
• CV
• 2-3 writing samples (applicant should be lead or sole author or articulate primary role)
• 2-3 professional references

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Inquiries regarding the position may be directed to Dr. Alysse Loomis at alysse.loomis@utah.edu. Requisition Number: PRN45003B