Postdoctoral Scholar

Penn State; Pennsylvania; Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Penn State University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar to advance community-engaged, applied prevention research. The role emphasizes independent and collaborative work with a focus on project management, scientific writing, and data-driven evaluation across diverse populations.

The candidate will design and execute mixed methods studies, analyze results, and contribute to manuscripts and grant proposals.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree in Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Human Development and Family Studies, Public Health, Social Work, or related field obtained within the last year.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience in both qualitative and quantitative data analysis; designing and executing data collection systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication evidenced by peer‑reviewed articles or co‑authored reports.

Responsibilities

• Design, execute, and manage independent and collaborative community-engaged, applied prevention research and evaluation projects.
• Collect, analyze, report, and interpret results of mixed methods data analyses.
• Prepare and co-author manuscripts for publication and present findings at national conferences.

Skills

Mixed methods research

Qualitative & quantitative analysis

Scholarly writing

Grant writing support

Project management

Education

Ph.D. in Psychology or related field

Job description

## Postdoctoral ScholarApply: Penn State University Park: Full time: Posted Yesterday: REQ\\_0000083322# **APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:*** ## CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.* ## CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.* ## If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants. **Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.**This is a term position; length of the term will be discussed during the interview process. Continuation past the term length discussed will be based on university need, performance, and/or availability of funding. **POSITION SPECIFICS**A temporary research and training position is available working on multiple community-engaged, applied prevention research and evaluation projects led by Dr.’s Sarah Chilenski and Jochebed Gayles. The successful candidate will have experience in executing mixed methods research projects with a variety of populations and in collective community change topics. The primary goal of this role is to foster the scholar’s independent research capabilities, scientific writing, and project management skills.**Key Responsibilities & Duties****Research Execution (70%):** Design, execute, and manage independent and collaborative community-engaged, applied prevention research, implementation practice documentation, and evaluation projects centered around project goals and objectives. Collect, analyze, report, and interpret results of mixed methods data analyses.**Scholarly Output (15%):** Prepare and co-author manuscripts for publication in high-impact peer-reviewed journals. Present research findings at national conferences.**Grant and Proposal Contribution (15%):** Contribute to preliminary data generation and drafting sections for grant renewal applications or new funding proposals.**Qualifications & Skills****Education:** Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree in Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Human Development and Family Studies, Public Health, Social Work, or related field obtained within the last year.**Technical Expertise:** Demonstrated hands-on experience in both qualitative and quantitative data analysis; designing and executing data collection systems; summarizing qualitative and quantitative data in table and graphical forms. Ability to translate logic models to data collection protocols and communicate with community partners.**Communication:** Strong written and verbal communication skills as evidenced by a peer-reviewed journal articles or co-authorship of community-engaged project evaluation reports.**Work Style:** Ability to work both independently with minimal daily supervision and collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team. Interacting with community partners from a place of mutual respect, partnership, and trust is crucial. **BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES**Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. **BENEFITS**Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page. (Note: For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page.) **CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS**Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.**EEO IS THE LAW**Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.Penn State is committed to and accountable for advancing equity, respect, and belonging. We embrace individual uniqueness, as well as a culture of belonging that supports equity initiatives, leverages the educational and institutional benefits of inclusion in society, and provides opportunities for engagement intended to help all members of the community thrive. We value belonging as a core strength and an essential element of the university’s teaching, research, and service mission.