Our thanks to Kristen Regenauer ’17 for bringing this position to our attention! Kristen generously offered to answer any questions you may have about this position. You can contact her at her work email.

Kristen writes of the position, “Dr. Magidson’s current study aims to design an intervention to improve substance addiction and adherence to HIV medication at the same time through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Cape Town, South Africa.  I absolutely love working with her, and working for her would be an asset for anyone interested in the global mental health field.”

This position is perfect for Super Senior Febs or Seniors:

Dr. Jessica Magidson will be joining the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park in January 2018 and will be hiring a full-time Faculty Assistant (research assistant) interested in global mental health and addiction science. The research assistant will be involved in two research projects both evaluating behavioral activation interventions delivered by peer recovery coaches in primary care: one based globally in Cape Town, South Africa and the second based locally in Baltimore, MD in collaboration with researchers at University of Maryland Baltimore in the Department of Nursing. Both projects aim to understand the effectiveness and implementation success of a peer-delivered behavioral activation intervention for individuals with substance use disorders in primary care.

The position is available as early as January 2018; however, applicants who are highly qualified and a good fit for the position graduating in Spring 2018 are encouraged to apply. Applicants interested in global mental health, implementation science, and addiction who are interested in pursuing PhD programs in clinical psychology, public health, or global health, or medical school are encouraged to apply. Dr. Magidson’s program of research at University of Maryland will offer an exciting opportunity to be engaged in local and global addiction science and mental health research.

The position will be based at University of Maryland, College Park, the flagship campus of University of Maryland, located only 5 miles outside of Washington DC, and 30 miles from Baltimore, MD. The position does not require international travel to Cape Town, South Africa; however, it may be a possibility if of interest. This position will involve on-site data collection in Baltimore, MD and does require someone to have a car to travel to the community center. The position is a one-year appointment subject to renewal of a second year based on performance.

Key skills for this position include the ability to organize and manage time and multiple tasks, attention to detail and excellent written skills, the ability to work independently, ability to demonstrate a high level of cross-cultural sensitivity, and the ability to maintain effective communications and working relationships with other study team members.

Necessary qualifications include:

1. BA/BS in Social Sciences (Psychology, Public Health, or related field);
2. Prior research experience working with diverse populations, particularly vulnerable populations and/or individuals with substance use disorders or chronic medical conditions;
3. Excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills. Prior experience developing research protocols, IRB submissions, and familiarity with electronic data capture tools (RedCap) and statistical software (SPSS) preferred.

Interested applicants should send their CV, a cover letter (describing research interests and how prior experiences and skill set meet the above requirements), transcript with relevant coursework (unofficial is fine), and contact info for 2-3 references to Drs. Jessica Magidson and Julia Felton with the subject line “Global Mental Health and Addiction RA position.” Please indicate in your cover letter when you would be available to start this position. You can read the full job description here.