VIPBG - Research Faculty F73640 & F73650

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Start-up packages

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Virginia Commonwealth University’s VIPBG seeks two tenure-track faculty candidates in Psychiatry with strong training in statistical and behavioral genetics/genomics. The roles emphasize obtaining external funding, publishing, teaching, and service, with potential joint appointments.

Start-up packages are available and rank/tenure are commensurate with experience. The position invites collaboration across departments, mentoring of graduate students, and active participation in the scientific

Qualifications

• MD or PhD or equivalent with training in statistical genetics/genomics, behavioral genetics/genomics, computational genetics/genomics and/or neuroimaging.
• Clear research agenda with potential for external funding and scholarship.
• Interest in areas complementary to VIPBG expertise, e.g., psychiatric or substance use genetics/genomics.

Responsibilities

• Teaching contribution to relevant courses and mentorship of graduate students and post‑docs.
• Engaged research portfolio with multi-disciplinary collaborations to grow the institute’s program.
• Serve on committees and contribute to professional activities in the field.

Skills

Statistical genetics/genomics

Behavior genetics/genomics

Computational genetics/genomics

Neuroimaging research

Funding acquisition potential

Python

R

Education

MD or PhD or equivalent

Tools

OpenMx

SEM modeling

Job description

Unit:

School of Medicine

Department:

Psychiatry

Mission or Goal of Unit:

Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics’ (VIPBG’s) mission is to study the etiology of psychiatric, substance use, and major biomedical disorders that have a significant behavioral component. Our foci are genetics epidemiology, molecular genetics/genomics, and the development of statistical methods and software to analyze genetic data. We aim to understand the interplay of genetic, environmental and developmental factors in behavioral and mental health, to address public health issues, to educate the next generation of researchers, and to share findings with the scientific community via publications and conference presentations.

Chief Purpose of this position:

The Department of Psychiatry is seeking candidates for two T&R Faculty positions, at Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics’ (VIPBG). The Faculty member will be responsible for obtaining grants to support their research, collaborating with other faculty, and growing their research program at the university including publications, teaching and service to the scientific community. Joint appointments are possible with complementary departments. Start-up packages are available, and salary, tenure-eligibility, and rank will be commensurate with experience.

Position Responsibilities:

Teaching - There are no set teaching requirements however the candidate is expected to contribute their expertise to relevant courses taught at the Institute and to mentor graduate students and post‑docs working in their research program/laboratory.

Research - The faculty member should have a scholarly/research portfolio which complements the existing expertise in the institute with evidence of multi‑disciplinary applications. They are expected to be an engaged collaborator to enhance the research program at the Institute.

Service - Faculty member will serve on Departmental, College, and/or University committees as necessary, as well as in a professional capacity in their field, e.g., reviewer, conference organizer etc.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• MD or PhD or equivalent with training in statistical genetics/genomics, behavioral genetics/genomics, computational genetics/genomics and/or neuroimaging
• Faculty member will be required to have a clear research agenda and a potential for external funding, and potential for scholarship or creative expression to complement and expand existing expertise in the institute
• An interest in areas complementary to current VIPBG expertise, e.g., psychiatric and/or substance use disorder genetics and genomics
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU

Preferred Qualifications

The candidate(s) will bring expertise in at least one of the following areas:

• Statistical genetics/genomics, including skills in molecular genetics/genomics/epigenomics, population genetics, bioinformatics, multi‑ancestry genomics, genetic variant curation, statistical methods development, emerging technologies (e.g., single‑cell sequencing, chromatin conformation)
• Behavior genetics/genomics, including skills in twin and family modeling within a structural equation modeling (SEM, such as OpenMx) framework; experience with multivariate modeling, longitudinal/developmental modeling, and the use of both continuous and ordinal data
• Computational genetics/genomics, including skills in clinical informatics, genomic data science, multi‑omic analyses, biostatistical methods and analysis, machine learning, artificial intelligence, reproducible pipelines, high performance cloud computing, Python, R, and/or other computational language coding
• Additional expertise in neuroimaging research, including structural MRI, fMRI, and connectivity studies would be of interest but is not required

Benefits

All full‑time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave granted up front, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax‑deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well‑being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Restricted Position: Yes

ORP Eligible: Yes

Flexible Work Arrangement: Other

Rank: Open

Tenure: Open

Months: 12 months

Contact Information

Contact Name: Brianna Porch

Contact Email: [e-mail]