Research Program Leader- Psychiatry - Child Division - Posner Lab

Research Program Leader- Psychiatry - Child Division - Posner Lab

This will be a Research Program Leader position for a new NIH U01 grant for PI Jonathan Posner. It will involve supervision of 2 CRCs and 2 postdocs and execution of all grant tasks. There will also be tasks associated with grant writing for associated projects.

This position will be funded by a new U01 grant. The study has been submitted to the IRB and is currently under review. This study aims to enhance, deploy, and rigorously validate the Duke Predictive Model of Adolescent Mental Health (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 over-arching 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. It is a multi-site study and Duke is the central coordinating center, statistical center and laboratory and analysis center. There are 3 sites in addition to Duke.

Develops, coordinates, and implements research and administrative strategies essential to the successful management of research programs led by investigator(s) and faculty. Performs and oversees a variety of complex duties involved in the collection and evaluation of research program data to monitor progress toward program and project milestones. Provides guidance on portfolio and project implementation strategy to provide direction for research activities within the portfolio or program. Assists with efforts to obtain and manage study or program funding. Frequently interacts with other research groups or programs, by serving as primary liaison and public relations lead for research program and related projects. Coordinates wider program activities with responsibility for results in terms of costs, methods, and reporting requirements.

Minimum Requirements:

• Completion of a Bachelor's degree
• Work requires a minimum of four years of research experience (e.g., research, clinical, interaction with study population, program coordination). A Master's degree may substitute for two years of related experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior team lead or management experience preferred
• Strong background in child, adolescent, or family-focused research, particularly in mental health
• Experience working directly with children, adolescents, and families in research or clinical settings
• Experience with large, multi-site research studies or NIH-funded projects
• Familiarity with structured diagnostic interviews, behavioral assessments, or other standardized tools
• Proven success in grant writing, scientific manuscript preparation, or contributing to funded research proposals
• Experience with statistical software, REDCap, or electronic data capture systems

Other Requirements:

• Adaptability to contribute to additional research projects within the lab, depending on timelines and staffing needs
• Strong interpersonal skills to work effectively with adolescents, families, faculty, staff, and collaborating institutions
• Capacity to anticipate program needs, align resources, and contribute to long-term growth
• Ability to mentor and guide research staff while fostering a collaborative team culture

Position Description:

• Oversee study operations for a new NIH-funded U01 grant under the direction of Dr. Jonathan Posner
• Supervise and mentor research staff, including clinical research coordinators and postdoctoral fellows
• Manage multi-site clinical research study activities such as recruitment, behavioral testing, psychiatric assessments, and data management
• Monitor study timelines, budgets, and resources to ensure milestones are achieved
• Serve as the central liaison between Duke, collaborating institutions, and funding agencies
• Ensure compliance with all IRB, NIH, FDA, and institutional regulations governing clinical research
• Contribute to grant writing, manuscript development, and scientific presentations
• Maintain high standards of data quality, integrity, and security
• Stay current with advances in adolescent mental health research and clinical research practices to support program innovation and improvement
• Support other research projects in the lab as needed, depending on study timelines and team priorities

Choose Duke:

The Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, founded in 1943, is one of 26 departments in the Duke University School of Medicine (SOM). The department is comprised of more than 500 faculty, staff, and trainees. Our goal is to help people with behavioral health challenges live their best life. We pursue this goal through a three-fold mission of superior specialty and integrated patient care for all, ground-breaking research, and exceptional training and education.

Duke University is consistently ranked among the top universities worldwide and is renowned for its cutting-edge research across disciplines. Beyond the engaging work, you'll also benefit from Duke's competitive benefits package, including health insurance plans, generous paid time off, retirement programs with employer contributions, tuition assistance for employees and their children, and more.