Assistant Research Professor of Addiction Science

University of Missouri-St. Louis
Missouri Institute of Mental Health

About the team:

Our Addiction Science Team at UMSL-Missouri Institute of Mental Health (UMSL-MIMH) strives to improve systems of care for those with substance use disorders, as well as enhance health and wellbeing among all people who use drugs. We do this through state, federal, and foundation-funded efforts to develop, implement, and rigorously evaluate and test initiatives involving substance use treatment, recovery, and harm reduction efforts in Missouri and across the U.S. Our overarching goals are to prevent overdose deaths, promote the dignity and worth of people who use drugs, reduce barriers to evidence-based treatment and recovery services, and build community-level ecosystems of supportive care. Day to day, these efforts include supply distribution, education and capacity building, data gathering and dissemination, project outcome evaluation, and rigorous research inquiry. Given the diversity of the communities we serve, it is essential we approach our work with a focus on equity and an attitude of cultural humility.

The Addiction Science Team is focused on 1) Improving Systems of Care and 2) Enhancing Drug User Wellness, with approximately 25 staff members supporting work in these two areas of concentration. We are currently looking for a dedicated, knowledgeable, inquiring, and compassionate Assistant Research Professor to support evaluation and research efforts across our team. This individual will oversee daily activities associated with grant and project process and outcome evaluation as well as empirical research efforts, and the staff members working within those domains. Funding permitting, this person will also contribute to the ASPIRE Lab in the Department of Psychological Sciences as an affiliated investigator and will broadly contribute to research design and publication efforts across both MIMH and Psychology-based projects. This individual will assume both lead roles (on certain manuscripts, reports, and future grant proposals) and supportive roles (reporting to the Principal Investigator) in each day or week, depending on the circumstance. Critically, this faculty member will also invest significant time supervising, mentoring, and coaching junior research and evaluation UMSL-MIMH staff to support them in honing their ideas, learning new skills, and excelling in this and future stages of their careers.

Subject matters of primary interest include but are not limited to substance use disorder AND:

• Improving Systems of Care
• Drug User Wellness/Harm Reduction
• Health Disparities/Racial Inequities
• Addiction Health Services Research
• Social Determinants of Health
• Syndemic Problems and Solutions

Training Effectiveness

Overall Roles:

• Oversee the management of existing evaluation and research
• Collaborate with colleagues to secure new grant funding, with the plan to eventually lead the process of securing new funding
• Conceptualize new questions from existing data, conduct analyses, and lead/support the development of manuscripts, conference presentations
• Lead and contribute to published research manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals

Supervise, mentor, and coach staff members

Duties and Responsibilities

• Conceptualize, formulate, and investigate research questions that will yield high clinical impact in the field of opioid and other substance use disorder treatment, recovery, and harm reduction interventions
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with funders, community partners, staff, and graduate and undergraduate students
• Supervise and mentor 3-5 research and evaluation staff members, supporting their ongoing work efforts and coaching them to develop new skills and expertise to take them further in their careers
• Plug into current evaluation and research efforts on Addiction Science to support existing projects, while also looking to the future to later serve in a Principal Investigator role for substance use-focused grant programs that expand the scope and impact of our team
• Serve as a contributing member of the Addiction Science, Practice, Implementation, Research, and Education (ASPIRE) lab housed in the Department of Psychological Sciences. Contributions will include attendance at weekly lab meetings, collaboration with and co-mentoring of graduate students, and investigator support of ongoing and new projects.
• Collaborate with addiction-focused faculty researchers at UMSL and other partnering institutions
• Demonstrate values consistent with diversity, equity, and inclusion through attending to research questions regarding health disparities and participating in efforts to advance equity in substance use services and our own working environment

Reports to: Rachel Winograd, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Psychological Sciences and Director of the Addiction Science team

Remote Work/Physical Requirements: Hybrid in-person and remote work expected, with 2-3 in-office days per week. Can be flexible in the first few months if the ideal candidate is not based in the St. Louis region, however, relocation to the region will be required (financial support for relocation may be available).

• PhD in psychology, public health, education, social work, sociology, public policy, public health, anthropology, criminal justice, or related fields
• Strong leadership, mentorship, and personnel supervision skills
• Demonstrated methodological expertise in quantitative (and ideally also qualitative) research. Adeptness in statistics and working with large administrative datasets is preferred
• Experience with mixed methods, implementation science, and/or measurement development highly valued.
• Experience working for or collaborating with public, nonprofit, or other community-based settings outside of academia.

Salary range: Depending on experience and qualifications.

Please submit an updated CV and cover letter with your application. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and continue until the position is filled.

Visa Sponsorship Information:
Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. The University will not sponsor applicants for this position for employment visas.

Funding expectations: This position is a long-term career opportunity. Full funding will be guaranteed for at least two years, at which point there will be an expectation to cover at least 50% of one's salary through outside grants and contracts. Current grant funding is annual with expectations for renewals.
The candidate will be expected to abide by the Collected Rules and Regulations of the University System. Please visit the University of Missouri - St. Louis careers website to apply.

About the team: Our Addiction Science Team at UMSL-Missouri Institute of Mental Health (UMSL-MIMH) strives to improve systems of care for those with substance use disorders, as well as enhance health and wellbeing among all people who use drugs. We do this through state, federal, and foundation-funded efforts to develop, implement, and rigorously evaluate and test initiatives involving substance use treatment, recovery, and harm reduction efforts in Missouri and across the U.S. Our overarching goals are to prevent overdose deaths, promote the dignity and worth of people who use drugs, reduce barriers to evidence-based treatment and recovery services, and build community-level ecosystems of supportive care. Day to day, these efforts include supply distribution, education and capacity building, data gathering and dissemination, project outcome evaluation, and rigorous research inquiry. Given the diversity of the communities we serve, it is essential we approach our work with a focus on equity and an attitude of cultural humility.

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits.

Values Commitment

We value the uniqueness of every individual and strive to ensure each person's success. Contributions from individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives promote intellectual pluralism and enable us to achieve the excellence that we seek in learning, research and engagement. This commitment makes our university a better place to work, learn and innovate.

In your application materials, please discuss your experiences and expertise that support these values and enrich our missions of teaching, research, and engagement.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri System is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal Opportunity is and shall be provided for all employees and applicants for employment on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without unlawful discrimination on the basis of their race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable state or federal law. This policy applies to all employment decisions including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, training, promotions, pay practices, benefits, disciplinary actions and terminations. For more information, visit https://www.umsystem.edu/ums/hr/eeo or call the Director of Employee and Labor Relations at 573-882-2146.

To request ADA accommodations, please email the Office of Human Resources at umslhr@umsl.edu.