Research Associate Professor

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; North Carolina; On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional training opportunities

Comprehensive benefits package

Paid leave

Job summary

A leading university in North Carolina seeks a Research Associate Professor (Non Tenure Track Faculty) to advance trauma research. This role involves data management, research design, and team leadership within the Institute for Trauma Recovery. The ideal candidate will hold a doctoral degree, have experience in clinical psychology, and be proficient in statistical software such as R or SAS. The position emphasizes collaboration and contributes to high-impact publications, enhancing the institute's scientific mission.

Qualifications

• Evidence of excellence in teaching and collaborative science.
• Demonstrated expertise in psychopathology or trauma.
• Experience mentoring trainees and junior faculty.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for data management and analytic strategy.
• Oversee analytic staff and ensure methodological rigor.
• Collaborate with faculty to design innovative studies.

Skills

Experience in clinical psychology

Data management

Research methodology

Statistical software proficiency

Team leadership

Education

Doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent)

Tools

R

SAS

SPSS

Job description

Hiring Range Dependent on Experience and Qualifications

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC -Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education and research.

Patient care: We promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond.

Education: We prepare tomorrow’s healthcare professionals and biomedical researchers from all backgrounds by facilitating learning within innovative and integrated curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education to ensure a highly skilled workforce.

Research: We develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers and resources. We provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our university to support outstanding research. We foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic and population research.

Position Summary

The UNC Institute for Trauma Recovery (ITR), housed within the Department of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, seeks a Research Associate Professor (Non Tenure Track Faculty) with advanced training in clinical psychology and/or trauma‑related research. The Research Associate Professor will play a pivotal role in shaping ITR’s research portfolio and advancing translational clinical science aimed at improving outcomes following trauma exposure.

They will be responsible for providing scientific and strategic leadership across ITR’s extensive portfolio of observational studies and FDA‑regulated clinical trials. This role is central to ITR's mission to conduct high‑quality, reproducible trauma research at scale, emphasizing scientific leadership in trauma‑related clinical research. The position centers on analytic strategy, data management, study design, team supervision, interpretation of complex clinical data, and scholarly dissemination. The successful candidate will oversee analytic strategy and research execution, contribute to high‑impact translational trauma science, and work closely with the ITR leadership team to advance ITR’s scientific mission and long‑term growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide institute wide leadership for data management and analytic strategy, operations, and compliance across observational studies and clinical trials.
• Oversee execution of projects conducted by analytic staff and trainees, ensuring methodological rigor and reproducibility across data management and analytic strategies.
• Collaborate with faculty investigators to design innovative studies integrating clinical, behavioral, neurocognitive, and biological data.
• Contribute to manuscripts, reports, and presentations related to data methods and research findings.
• Contribute to grant applications.
• Identify emerging areas in trauma‑related clinical science and help shape ITR’s research agenda.
• Partner with the PI and leadership team in strategic planning to enhance ITR’s scientific productivity, analytic capacity, and research infrastructure.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent) in a relevant discipline (e.g., clinical psychology, biostatistics, epidemiology, public health, or related field). Evidence of excellence in teaching, collaborative science, and strong oral and written communication skills are required with a demonstrated record of peer‑reviewed publications reflecting advanced analytic and conceptual contributions.

Demonstrated expertise in psychopathology, trauma, longitudinal modeling, and/or clinical research methodology with significant experience overseeing data operations for multi‑site or federally funded clinical research. Demonstrated experience with grant writing for the purpose of obtaining externally funded research. Prior involvement in NIH, DoD, or foundation‑funded research. Experience with statistical and data management software (e.g., R, SAS, SPSS) and secure data systems and ability to analyze large‑scale longitudinal or high‑dimensional clinical datasets. Experience mentoring trainees and junior faculty in clinical research.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

Not applicable.

Special Physical/Mental Requirements

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Campus Security Authority Responsibilities

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Academic Personnel Office Contact Information

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the University’s Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost office at (919)‑962‑1091 or send an email to [e-mail].

Please note: The Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost office will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

If you have any questions about the job requirements or the hiring department notify the Department Contact.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Required Documents

• Curriculum Vitae / Resume
• List of References

Optional Documents

• Cover Letter

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * What is your highest degree?
  • PhD
  • MD
  • PharmD
  • DDS
  • DVM
  • JD
  • MLS/MIS
  • Masters
  • Other
• * Do you have knowledge and experience with clinical research methods?
  • yes
  • no
• * Please indicate your experience and proficiency with research grant writing.
  • No experience
  • Beginner
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
• * Briefly describe your prior involvement in NIH, DoD, or foundation funded research.

  (Open Ended Question)

• * Describe your experience with statistical software, such as SAS, Stata, or SPSS.

  (Open Ended Question)