Clinical Postdoctoral Fellow

A Brief Overview

Assume responsibility for an on-going, innovative research project as a Postdoctoral Fellow at CHOP. Our postdoc experience will broaden your skillset, scientific background, and research capabilities.

CHOP's Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
CHOP is committed to building an inclusive culture where employees feel a sense of belonging, connection, and community within their workplace. We are a team dedicated to fostering an environment that allows for all to be their authentic selves. We are focused on attracting, cultivating, and retaining diverse talent who can help us deliver on our mission to be a world leader in the advancement of healthcare for children.

We strongly encourage all candidates of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.

About the Laboratory

The Center for Autism Research (CAR) was established by CHOP and the University of Pennsylvania to coordinate, sponsor, and support state-of-the-art research into understanding the causes and course of autism. Studies focus on screening, diagnosis, development, mental health, neuropsychology, genetics, and neuroimaging of autistic individuals. CAR has a large training program spanning both research and clinical mentorship. Researchers and clinicians are co-located in our Center, and there are multiple opportunities for cross-discipline discussion around clinical issues and clinically relevant research. This provides a rich environment for fellows interested in pursuing a career in research, clinical work, or a combination. Fellows also have opportunities to participate in didactics and other programming associated with CHOP's broader post-doctoral fellowship program.

The Partnership with Autistics for Successfully Supporting Adult Goals and Experiences (PASSAGE) Program was established by CAR to support research, clinical care, and training aimed at improving the transition to adulthood for autistic youth. The PASSAGE Program has a strong connection with an advisory committee composed of autistic adults, caregivers, and professionals, with many individuals identifying as being in more than one of the 3 advisor groups. The PASSAGE Program is connected to the new Advancing Transition and Learning for Adult Success (ATLAS) Center in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Studies focus on applied research with immediate impacts for transition-age youth on the autism spectrum, including development of new assessment measures of patient-centered outcomes (quality of life, daily living skills, mental health), evaluating patient-centered outcomes, and development or adaptation of treatments tailored for the transition age range.

This postdoctoral fellowship offers specialty experiences in autism intervention research at both the pre-services stage and intervention development stage, and clinical experiences with diagnostic evaluations and opportunities to master assessment of individuals ages 14 to 25. Key goals for the fellow are to participate in ongoing research and manuscript preparation to support existing projects and furthering development of their own research questions, obtain the clinical and supervisory experience needed for licensure, and support the PASSAGE Program's and CAR's educational and training mission through local community and academic presentations. This fellow will be a core member of a team comprised of: Clinical Research Assistants, Social Workers, a Psychiatrist and Licensed Psychologists - as such, there is ample opportunity for collaboration and leadership.

This fellowship provides comprehensive training within the scope of two NIH-funded projects within the PASSAGE Program:

• An NIMH-funded, pre-services longitudinal study that seeks to identify the role that executive function and self-determination play in the development of daily living skills for autistic youth transitioning out of high school, the downstream impact of daily living skills on their quality of life, and the role of social determinants of health in the development of daily living skills. This project aims to identify factors that could enhance the effectiveness of treatments targeting daily living skills. (PI: Dr. Benjamin Yerys)
• An NICHD-funded study that aims to fill the need for comprehensive lifestyle treatment for obesity designed specifically for autistic individuals transitioning to adulthood. This is a mixed methods study grounded in the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) Preparation Phase that will generate a set of stakeholder-generated and prioritized treatment components that can be tested alone or in combination for subsequent treatment optimization. (PI: Dr. Emily Kuschner)

As part of their training, fellows will participate in a research project with brief diagnostic and psychological assessments, qualitative interviews, support and lead data analyses for presentation at national and international conferences (ABCT, INSAR), support and lead manuscript preparation, and develop a specialization in adolescent and young adult assessment, with an emphasis on supporting successful transitions out of high school/secondary education including a comprehensive evaluation of autism and psychiatric symptoms for accessing government services.

Qualifications:

• Experience working with transition-age youth and/or autistic people of all ages
• Experience with diagnostic, and/or cognitive testing of adolescents and young autistic adults with a wide range of behavioral presentations
• Experience with evidence-based cognitive-behavioral treatments; experience with treatments adapted for autistic people are a plus
• Experience with quantitative data analyses with large datasets; experience with multivariate analyses, including structural equation modeling, is a plus
• Experience with qualitative interviews and thematic analysis is a plus
• Knowledge of the CARS and/or ADOS is a plus

This posting is for a two-year fellowship opportunity with a yearly stipend of $66,300. The position is full-time and include participation in CHOP's benefits program. All applicants must have: (1) attended an APA-accredited doctoral program; (2) completed an APA-accredited internship; and (3) completed all requirements for their doctoral degree prior to beginning the fellowship. A CV, cover letter, and letters of reference are required to apply.

For more information about this fellowship opportunity, please contact Dr. Emily Kuschner (kuschnere@chop.edu) or Dr. Benjamin Yerys (yerysb@chop.edu).

Responsibilities

• Participate in project planning, recording, and evaluation of data.

• Conduct independent scholarly research, developing new methods and protocols under the guidance of a mentor (principal investigator).

• Acquire technical, lab management, and grant writing skills.

• Participate in seminars, lectures, poster sessions, national presentations, and professional workshops.

• Supervise junior lab members.

• Assist with other research projects as needed.

Education

• Required: Doctorate