Postdoctoral Fellowship in Trauma Psychology

Dr. Christine Rabinak’s Translational Neuropsychopharmacology Laboratory (www.tnp2lab.org) at Wayne State University is recruiting Post-Doctoral Fellows (full or part-time).

The Fellows will play an integral part in the delivery of evidence-based treatments to adults suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Specifically, the Fellows will be study therapists for a newly funded NIH clinical trial examining the feasibility and effectiveness a novel pharmacological approach to enhance the effects of Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy. In addition to delivering the intensive PTSD treatment, Fellows will conduct structured diagnostic interview assessments for PTSD and comorbid disorders.

Fellows will receive training in evidence-based PE, as well as gold standard structured diagnostic assessments (if not already trained). This postdoctoral fellowship is an exciting opportunity to gain valuable clinical experience working with a multidisciplinary team at a major urban research-intensive university, while also being able to provide direct clinical care to individuals residing in the Detroit and surrounding areas. The postdoctoral fellowship is for up to three years, with a possible option of extending it to an additional year by mutual agreement.

The ideal candidate will have experience working with underserved adult patient populations who have experienced trauma. Experience or interest in evidence-based trauma treatments is desired. Qualified candidates will also have a strong research background and some publications, and will be interested in establishing a career as a scientist-practitioner. Qualified candidates must have an APA approved doctorate in Clinical or Counseling Psychology.

If interested, please email Dr. Rabinak a cover letter and your CV: rabinak@wayne.edu

Volunteer Research Assistant Positions

Volunteer research assistant (RA) positions are regularly available in the lab for undergraduate, postgraduate, or honors students. RAs have the opportunity to be involved in medical research in a hands-on way, and may develop skills in:

  • serving as an experimenter in research studies with clinical and/or pediatric populations, including assisting children or adults with MRI scans, EEG assessments, questionnaire measures, collection of physiological data (heart rate, skin conductance) or behavioral testing

  • managing neuroimaging, behavioral, or psychophysiological data (including data entry, coding, and transcribing)

  • preparing and breakdown of study materials, and organization of biological samples (saliva, bloodspots)

  • recruiting and scheduling research participants

Highly motivated and productive students may also be given the opportunity to develop a poster presentation for a local or national conference, or aid with preparation of a manuscript for publication

Because training takes a while to complete, we usually require RAs to commit to at least 1 year to the lab. Please read these additional requirements listed below before applying:

  • 3.5 cumulative GPA

  • Minimum of 6 hours/week availability

Potential RAs must also: 

  • Be reliable and punctual

  • Be able to communicate effectively

  • Be able to work independently but also follow instructions

Potential RAs must send (1) the RA application (see below), (2) a recent transcript, and (3) CV or resume to cq8122@wayne.edu.

If you do not yet have a resume, please send a list including the following with dates for each: educational background, the jobs or volunteer positions you have held, and any awards you have received.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at cq8122@wayne.edu for more information.

POstdoctoral fellowship available

We currently have postdoctoral positions available in the lab.

Minimum qualifications include a highly motivated individual with a recently obtained (within the past 2 years) PhD in a relevant field (e.g., Neuroscience, Psychology, Biology), MD, or MD/PhD, or comparable degree. Strong evidence of technical experience in functional neuroimaging, including strong programming skills (Matlab, C++, Python, or equivalent programming language) is required. Experience designing and conducting Pavlovian fear conditioning studies and/or working with clinical populations of fear-based disorders (e.g., anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder) is highly desirable. Candidates are further required to have a strong record of research accomplishments and publications, including presentations of scientific results at national meetings and their publication in peer-reviewed journals, an ability to work in a team environment as well as excellent oral and written communication skills. 

Duties will consist of, but are not limited to, designing, performing, and analyzing studies that investigate the role of the cannabinoid system in aversive learning and memory, aide, supervise, design, and execute experiments pertaining to the lab’s area of research (emotion and posttraumatic stress disorder). The candidate will participate in the writing of manuscripts and grants, presenting data at national and international meetings, and assist in the training of students. The postdoctoral fellow will be expected to develop his/her own ideas within the scope of the lab.

Qualified candidates should submit their CV, the names of three references, and a cover letter summarizing current and future research interests by email to Dr. Rabinak at rabinak@wayne.edu

Those interested in doing graduate work (Masters; PhD; PharmD; MD) or a postdoctoral fellowship in the lab should email Dr. Rabinak (rabinak@wayne.edu).