professional opportunities that span the campus and community.University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package , paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.
Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit:
Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education and research. Patient care: We promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond. Education: We prepare tomorrow`s healthcare professionals and biomedical researchers from all backgrounds by facilitating learning within innovative and integrated curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education to ensure a highly skilled workforce. Research: We develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers and resources. We provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our university to support outstanding research. We foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic and population research.
Position Summary:
The UNC Department of Psychiatry at the UNC School of Medicine is seeking an exceptional scientist for a full-time, tenure-track faculty researcher focused on the prenatal and early childhood environment shapes social and emotional development through childhood. Of particular interest are candidates with interests in maternal health, neurodevelopmental disorders, and how markers of transdiagnostic neurodevelopmental risk may emerge and change across infancy. The Department of Psychiatry provides an outstanding environment for translational neuroscience, basic and clinical research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and career development. Under the new Chair, Dr. Warren Taylor, the Department of Psychiatry is growing its clinical and research expertise in perinatal mental health, early childhood mood and anxiety disorders, and neurodevelopmental disorders. The successful candidate will develop an independent program of externally funded research. They will also collaborate with others in Psychiatry and the Carolina Institute for Neurodevelopmental Disorders to serve as a bridge between key research groups. The ideal candidate will bring expertise in these areas, as well as important computational skills so they will serve as a resource for other investigators in the Department. In addition to developing a robust independent research program, the faculty member will also provide high-quality research mentorship to trainees in the Department of Psychiatry, including medical students, residents, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-career faculty. Primary responsibilities include designing and executing research studies; building team science collaborations; conducting data analysis; disseminating results; publishing in high-impact scientific journals; and securing extramural grant funding. This position represents a critical investment in UNC’s strategic vision to transform research and care for mothers and children with mental health conditions to both better understand how and when to intervene to improve longer-term outcomes. The UNC School of Medicine has a rich tradition of research excellence partnered with expert clinical care. Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians, and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education, and research. We strive to promote faculty, staff, and learner development in a diverse, respectful environment where our colleagues demonstrate professionalism, enhance learning, and create personal and professional sustainability. We optimize our partnership with the UNC Health System through close collaboration and commitment to service. OUR VISION The vision of UNC is to be the nation’s leading public school of medicine. We are ranked 5th among public peers in NIH research funding. Our Allied Health Department is home to five top-ranked divisions, and we are home to 18 top-ranked clinical and basic science departments in NIH research funding.
Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:
- PhD, MD/PhD, or equivalent doctoral degree in Developmental Psychology, other fields of Psychology, Neuroscience, Neurobiology, or a related discipline.
- Evidence of research excellence and productivity, including peer-reviewed publications and a strong record of scholarship.
- Demonstrated expertise in neuroimaging, computational modeling, neurodevelopmental and mental health disorders in infants or children
- Evidence of potential to obtain and sustain extramural research funding.
- Strong oral and written communication skills and commitment to interdisciplinary, collaborative science.
- Commitment to mentorship and to fostering inclusive excellence in research training.
- Ability to manage multiple research projects, deadlines, and trainee mentorship responsibilities.
Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience:
- Postdoctoral training in and experience conducting research on developmental trajectories, maternal-infant mental health, and/or neurodevelopmental disorders
- Demonstrated success with independent or collaborative grant funding (e.g., NIH K/R mechanisms, foundation funding).
- Experience mentoring students, fellows, or junior investigators.
- Ability to contribute to the department’s growing computational psychiatry and neuroscience initiatives.
Special Physical/Mental Requirements:
- Ability to work in a typical research office setting and/or laboratory environment.
- Must be able to work primarily weekdays; occasional evenings or weekends as needed for research, mentorship, or grant deadlines.
