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Postdoctoral Fellow in Biobehavioral Clinical Research on Mindfulness as a Treatment for Chronic Pain and Opioid Misuse

Eric Garland, PhD, Director of the Center on Mindfulness and Integrative Health Intervention Development (C-MIIND) and Associate Dean for Research at the University of Utah, is seeking postdoctoral fellows to support federally-funded, biobehavioral clinical research on mindfulness-based interventions for chronic pain and prescription opioid misuse at C-MIIND, which currently oversees more than $40 million in grants funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Defense (DOD), and Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). In particular, fellows will help conduct randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and psychophysiological research on Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE), a manualized intervention for addiction, stress-related conditions, and chronic pain. For additional information on MORE and current research, see www.drericgarland.com.

University, and Environment: As a major research and teaching university—and the flagship of the Utah System of Higher Education—the University of Utah strives to create an academic environment in which the highest standards of scholarship, professional practice and teaching are observed. The University is located in Salt Lake City, at the base of the Wasatch Mountains, providing ready access to world class outdoor recreational opportunities.

The Center on Mindfulness and Integrative Health Intervention Development at the University of Utah has a number of excellent research facilities, including the state-of-the-art Bridge Training Clinic, consisting of four therapy rooms with one-way mirrors and videotaping capacity for behavioral observation and coding, as well as a complete psychophysiological laboratory for assessment of neurocognitive and neuro affective mechanisms of therapeutic change.

Responsibilities:

Postdoctoral fellows will assist with the following duties: a) manuscript preparation from existing datasets; b) clinical data collection; c)psychophysiological data collection (autonomic, EEG, and fMRI measures); d)data analysis; and e) designing and implementing new translational research studies. Postdoctoral fellows with a clinical degree will be trained to implement MORE and other mindfulness-based interventions, and will then deliver mindfulness and other behavioral interventions in clinical trials. Fellows will also have opportunities to coauthor multiple scientific articles from existing primary datasets and write federal grants leveraging the resources and interdisciplinary connections, which extend into Psychiatry, Psychology, Neuroscience, Oncology, Public Health, Anesthesiology, Family Medicine, Nursing, and Social Work, among other departments.

Preferences:

Dr. Garland is seeking fellows with a PhD in Clinical Psychology, Neuroscience, Social Work, Health Psychology, or a related discipline. Applicants must have good scientific writing skills with a solid publication record, clinical or neuroscience research experience, and strong quantitative data analytic skills.

Applicants with clinical experience (e.g., mental health, addiction, and/or chronic pain populations), psychophysiological data analysis (e.g., EEG, HRV ,ffNIRS, MRI, eye tracking, etc.), computer/data science skills, machine learning, and/or previous study coordination experience on Federally funded studies will be given preference. A clinical license (or being license eligible) is preferred but not necessary.