Postdoctoral Associate in Psychiatry

Duke University

Duke University School of Medicine
Location: Durham, NC, 27710
Requisition Number: 262196
Personnel Area: Medical Center
Date Posted: October 3, 2025
Work Arrangement: Regular, Full-Time

Description

The Postdoctoral Associate will conduct independent research activities under the guidance of a faculty mentor in preparation for a full-time academic or research career. The individual will work primarily on the Duke Predictive Model of Adolescent Mental Health (Duke-PMA) study, a multi-site NIH-funded project that leverages artificial intelligence to predict risks of adolescent mental illness and improve early detection and prevention strategies in primary care settings.

The study aims to enhance, deploy, and rigorously validate the Duke-PMA, a neural network-based tool designed to identify youth at high risk for psychiatric illness using low-cost, accessible clinical and behavioral measures. The overarching objective is to address the urgent need for accurate, individualized mental health prediction tools—particularly in rural and underserved communities where access to psychiatric services is limited.

Minimum Requirements

• Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate (e.g., ScD, MD, DVM) in psychology, psychiatry, neuroscience, biostatistics, bioinformatics, computer science, or a related field
• Research background in clinical, computational, or developmental sciences relevant to mental health

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary team
• Commitment to publishing research and pursuing a career in academic or translational research
• Experience with statistical modeling, machine learning, or related quantitative methods preferred but not required

Position Description

• Conduct full-time research or scholarship under the guidance of a faculty mentor, focusing on adolescent mental health and predictive modeling
• Design, conduct, and analyze experiments related to the Duke-PMA project, integrating psychosocial, neurobiological, and clinical data
• Prepare manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals and present findings at national and international conferences
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of investigators, data scientists, clinicians, and community partners
• Contribute to grant applications, progress reports, and other project-related documents
• Maintain accurate records of research activities in accordance with Duke University standards
• Adhere to University standards regarding human subjects, data security, and responsible conduct of research
• Participate in mentoring graduate and undergraduate students, as appropriate

About the Department

The Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, founded in 1943, is one of 26 departments in the Duke University School of Medicine. The department has over 500 faculty, staff, and trainees. Its mission is to help people with behavioral health challenges live their best life through:

• Superior specialty and integrated patient care
• Ground-breaking research
• Exceptional training and education

Why Duke?

Duke University is consistently ranked among the top universities worldwide and is renowned for its cutting-edge research across disciplines. Faculty benefit from a competitive benefits package, including:

• Health insurance plans
• Generous paid time off
• Retirement programs with employer contributions
• Tuition assistance for employees and their children

Application Screening

Screening of applications continues until the position is filled.

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