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The Center for Translational Neuroscience (CTN) is a center within the Department of Psychology whose mission is to translate knowledge from basic neuroscience and apply it to improve well-being, promote resilience, and mitigate the effects of early adverse experiences.

The Psychology department, located within the College of Arts and Sciences, is one of the largest departments in the College, supporting significant instructional and research activities in a wide range of fields within the discipline. The Department enrolls about 1,900 students per term, with approximately 300 undergraduate Psychology majors, and 80 doctoral students, and includes approximately 35 teaching faculty, emeriti faculty, research staff, graduate students and professional/administrative staff. For more information on the Department, visit https://psychology.uoregon.edu/. For more information on the CTN, visit http://ctn.uoregon.edu/. 

The Center for Translational Neuroscience (CTN) is seeking one to two postdoctoral scholars to work with the Oregon Sleep Lab (OSL; http://www.sleeplab.uoregon.edu), headed by Dr. Melynda Casement. The postdoctoral scholar(s) will work on NIH-funded studies that evaluate the effects of short and late sleep on reward- and stress-related brain function and mental health in adolescents and young adults. The studies use two complementary approaches: 1) an observational study design that will assess the degree to which short and/or late sleep predict later reward- and stress-related brain function and alcohol use and depressive symptoms (N=150: 100 short-late sleepers, 50 long-early sleepers), and 2) an experimental study design that will use sleep-circadian manipulation to evaluate the extent to which extending and advancing sleep will affect reward- and stress-related brain function and alcohol use and depressive symptoms (N=100: 50 sleep extension-advance, 50 control). Participants in the experimental study will be recruited from the observational study, the data from which serves as the baseline for the experimental manipulation. The project will collect information about: i) sleep and circadian characteristics measured via polysomnography (PSG), dim-light melatonin onset (DLMO), actigraphy, sleep diary, clinical interviews, and questionnaires, ii) lifetime and daily stressors assessed by questionnaires, iii) reward-related brain function assessed using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and behavioral responses during monetary incentive tasks, iv) stress-related brain function assessed via electrocardiography (ECG), blood pressure, cortisol response, and self-report during a laboratory social stressor task, and v) patterns of alcohol use and symptoms of alcohol use disorder and depression assessed using structured clinical interviews and questionnaires. 

The postdoctoral scholar(s) will assist with multiple aspects of the study, including study start-up, conducting diagnostic interviews, processing and analyzing the study data, and publishing study results via manuscripts and presentations. They will share responsibility for supervising and training study staff (research assistants, sleep technicians, graduate students), developing data processing pipelines, and overseeing data management and quality control. The position(s) are ideal for candidates who are interested in understanding biobehavioral mechanisms by which sleep and stressors contribute to mental health during adolescence and young adulthood. 

We are looking for highly conscientious and motivated individuals with excellent management, data analysis, and communication skills, as well as substantial experience in acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of sleep PSG and/or fMRI data. 

• PhD in Psychology, Neuroscience, Human Physiology, or a related discipline 

• Two years of experience with acquiring, analyzing, and interpreting PSG and/or MRI data as part of the candidate’s doctoral training 

• Demonstrated ability to conduct research with clinical populations as part of the candidate’s doctoral training 

• Strong scientific communication skills demonstrated through a record of publication (including first-author manuscripts) in peer-reviewed journals 

• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills, including the ability to function effectively as a team member and team leader 

• Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment, requiring participatory decision-making and cooperative interactions among employees 

• Strong conceptual and technical skills in statistical analysis and software (e.g., R, M-plus, Matlab) 

• Strong conceptual and technical skills in collection, processing, analysis, and software for MRI (e.g., FSL, AFNI, SPM) and/or PSG (e.g., Profusion) 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Familiarity with implementing advanced statistical methodologies for longitudinal and multivariable data (multilevel modeling, structural equation modeling) 

• Experience in collecting and analyzing data from actigraphy, ECG (heart rate variability), and/or hormone assays (melatonin onset, cortisol reactivity) 

• Conceptual and technical skills in programming software (e.g., Matlab, Python, E-prime, Github) 

• Experience in the planning, implementation, and tracking of a research project comprising multiple assessments and/or longitudinal samples 

• Topical expertise in sleep and mental health, especially in adolescence and young adulthood 

• Experience with equitable and inclusive recruitment and engagement of community samples 

• Interest and experience in open science and reproducible research practices 

Please submit a cover letter, CV, and three professional references with contact information via the UO Careers website at https://careers.uoregon.edu/en-us/job/527848/postdoctoral-scholar, and anything else requested in the position description. 

hrinfo@uoregon.edu https://careers.uoregon.edu/en-us/job/527848/postdoctoral-scholar Human Resources phone: 541-346-3159 Human Resources 677 East 12th Ave. 5210 University of Oregon Eugene, OR 97403-521010 

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The University of Oregon salary for postdoctoral scholars follows NIH stipend minimums. 

The University of Oregon is proud to offer a robust benefits package to eligible employees, including health insurance, retirement plans and paid time off. For more information about benefits, visit http://hr.uoregon.edu/careers/about-benefits. 

The University of Oregon is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the ADA. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply, and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please contact us at uocareers@uoregon.edu or 541-346-5112. 

UO prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by UO policy. Questions may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, Office of Civil Rights Compliance, or to the Office for Civil Rights. Contact information, related policies, and complaint procedures are listed on the statement of non-discrimination. 

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