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Rutgers Postdoctoral Consortium in Suicide Research
This is a unique opportunity to be a member of our postdoctoral consortium in suicide research at Rutgers University. The consortium will involve opportunities to: (1) work on assessment and treatment research studies in a variety of settings, (2) receive training to develop an independent line of work within these studies, and (3) if desired, get clinical experience in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and/or at Rutgers University Behavioral Healthcare, the largest behavioral healthcare provider in the state.
Research Opportunities
Postdoctoral fellows will have an option to work across several projects, based upon training desires and consortium needs:
- CAMPUS Trial (Collaborative Adaptive Multisite Prevention of University Student Suicide; R01MH116061, PI: Shireen Rizvi) which aims to evaluate the efficacy of four adaptive treatment sequences (ATS) for treating suicide ideation and suicidal behavior in 700 college students across four sites.
- Project MARS (Multi-Site Assessment of Suicide Risk; R01MH124899, MPI: Evan Kleiman), which involves assessing suicide risk using smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment and wearable actigraphic monitors to assess suicide risk among youth leaving inpatient psychiatric care.
- Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia Study (R34MH123590, MPI: Evan Kleiman), This study involves providing an app that delivers dCBT-I (Sleepio) to teens leaving inpatient psychiatric care.
- Real-time intervention for suicide risk reduction. This study involves brief in-person treatment, supplemented with a mobile app at several units at Rutgers UBHC.
Research Training
Primary mentors for this consortium are Dr. Shireen Rizvi and Dr. Evan Kleiman. Other training faculty come from Rutgers’ wide range of experts in clinical psychology, public health, and related fields. There are a variety of potential research training opportunities including: advanced research methods (e.g., smartphone and wearable based assessment and intervention) and advanced statistical methods (e.g., multi-level modeling, structural equation modeling) in R. All consortium postdoctoral fellows will receive several hours of professional development time per week and will be encouraged to write a training grant during their first or second year of the fellowship (e.g., K23, AFSP Postdoc grant).
Clinical Opportunities
In addition to the clinical opportunities provided through the research studies, consortium postdocs will have the opportunity, if desired, to receive clinical experience working at the Dialectical Behavior Therapy Clinic (DBT-RU; Dr. Rizvi, director) and/or Rutgers University Behavioral Healthcare (UBHC). Rutgers UBHC offers a broad array of services to youth, adults and families with serious mental illness and substance use disorders. The types of services will be specialized based on the fellow’s interests and prior experiences.
Application Info: Qualifications
Minimum Requirements: Ph.D. or Psy.D. degree in Clinical Psychology or a closely related field (completed by start date of fellowship), strong interpersonal and organizational skills.
Preferred Requirements: The successful candidate will have research experience in one or more of the domains listed above and have experience with IRB applications, managing databases, and statistical analysis software. For those who wish to receive DBT experience, the successful candidate will have had training in DBT, diagnostic assessment, and/or behavioral treatments.
Due date and timeline: We will begin reviewing applications on November 15, 2022, and will continuing reviewing applications until the position is filled.
This is a 2-year appointment, with the second year contingent on renewal. The intended start date is as early as June 1, 2023 and no later than September 1, 2023. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The postdoctoral associate will be provided with standard benefits (e.g., health insurance), computer, and travel funding for one conference per year.
How to apply: Interested applicants should submit a personal statement outlining their research and clinical interests and qualifications, curriculum vitae, and the contact information for three letters of recommendation.
You can submit this information here: https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/179327
If you have questions, contact Dr. Rizvi (slrizvi@gsapp.rutgers.edu) or Dr. Kleiman (evan.kleiman@rutgers.edu).
Residents who choose this rotation will be involved in (1) delivering a brief cognitive-behavioral intervention based on the Unified Protocol and (2) a research study that tests the effect of augmenting this in-person psychotherapy with a smartphone app that allows patients to practice the skills learned in therapy in the real world. There are opportunities to deliver this intervention in both adult and adolescent populations, to patients presenting with suicide risk as well as a broad range of other transdiagnostic complaints. In addition to the clinical training opportunities, Dr. Kleiman will serve as a research mentor to residents who choose this minor rotation.
Residents will be able to learn about how to use technology like smartphones and wearable devices in their research, as well as how to work with the data that come from these technologies. You can learn more about the clinical psychology residency here: https://ubhc.rutgers.edu/education/psychology-internship-(piscataway)/major-and-minor-rotations.xml
Join us as a Graduate Student
The lab is accepting applications to the clinical psychology PH.D. program for the 2022-2023 school year
FAQs
If you are interested in applying to the lab for the 2022-2023 year, please read the frequently asked questions below.
Where can I learn more about the clinical psychology program?
The Rutgers Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program is an APA- and PCSAS-accredited (i.e., “clinical science”) program. You can learn more about the program here.
What type of students are you looking for?
We are looking for students who have strong interest in the work we’re currently doing, which involves using technology to explore the everyday lives of individuals at risk for suicide. You can read about our current work here.
Do you have any advice for me as an applicant?
Mitch’s Uncensored Advice for Applying to Graduate School in Clinical Psychology (written by Dr. Mitch Prinstein) is one of the best resources for someone who is considering applying to graduate school in clinical psychology. You can read it here.
Do I need to contact you if I am interested in applying?
Feel free to email me (evan.kleiman@rutgers.edu) if you have specific questions about the lab. But, please do know that you do not need to email me to be considered for admission.
Join us as a Undergraduate Research Assistant
We are accepting applications to volunteer in our lab!
FAQs
If you are interested in applying to the lab as a volunteer research assistant, please read the information below.
How Do I apply to work in the lab?
You can fill out the research assistant application by pressing the “Apply Now” button above.
WHAT SORT OF COMMITMENT DO I NEED TO MAKE?
We prefer students make at least a two-semester commitment to working in the lab, working at least six hours per week during that time.
WHAT WILL I DO IN THE LAB?
People who volunteer in the lab will gain experience in all parts of the research process ranging from basic data entry to running research participants.
Can I get Course credit for working in the lab?
Students are able to get course credit for working in the lab. Although this isn’t required, it is our preferred route for undergraduates to join the lab.
Are there paid opportunities available?
We recognize that for many students, the need to have a job during college creates a substantial barrier to obtaining volunteer research experience, which is a crucial step towards getting in to graduate school. To this end, once students have worked in the lab for one semester (e.g., for course credit), students are eligible to apply for hourly paid positions.
Can non-rutgers students work in the lab?
Yes, non-Rutgers students are eligible to volunteer in the lab. However, you will likely not be able to gain course credit from your home institution.