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Volunteer Research Assistant Positions - (All positions filled for 2024)

Our team is seeking volunteer research assistants to participate in one or more of several projects related to adolescent health. There are multiple projects that students may work on including topics related to screen time, social media, eating disorders, mental health, substance use, and cardiovascular disease. Projects may involve tasks such as: conducting literature reviews, writing and editing research manuscripts, preparing press releases, and working with medical students and postdoctoral fellows. Motivated students may have opportunities for presentations and/or publications. 

Time Commitment: The volunteer commitment would require a minimum of 8-10 hours per week, with a minimum 6-month commitment.

Applicants' Qualifications: Ideal candidates should be interested in adolescent health, punctual, and conscientious, and have strong writing and communication skills. Prior research experience is valuable, but not required.

To Apply: Please send a CV/Resume to Dr. Jason Nagata ([email protected]), with an email that describes: 1) why you are interested in this opportunity, what you would like to gain, and how this fits into your educational goals and 2) when you may be available (both start date and ongoing availability). 

 

Postdoctoral Scholar and Data Analyst Positions (All Positions Filled)

 

Overview

The Nagata Lab at UCSF is focused on epidemiology and data science in adolescent and young adult health. We are requesting applications for a postdoctoral research fellowship position with a flexible start date. Remote work is possible.

Description

  • 100% research position focused on data analysis and scientific writing/dissemination.
  • Lead and coordinate data analysis for projects from national cohort studies related to downstream health impacts of adolescent behaviors.
  • Lead projects related to adolescent digital media use (e.g., screen time, social media), mental health, substance use, cardiovascular health.
  • Analyze data from large national cohort studies such as the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), and the PRIDE Study.
  • Opportunities to lead projects focused on sexual and gender minority populations
  • Interpret and write up results, tables, and figures for peer-reviewed publications, conferences, and other public dissemination.
  • Secondary responsibilities would include supporting/supervising graduate/medical students and support for grant-applications including preparation of preliminary analyses.

 

Team: The Nagata Lab in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco is focused on using epidemiology and data science to determine downstream health effects of adolescent and young adult behaviors. Dr. Jason Nagata, MD, MSc, an Associate Professor of Pediatrics, will be the supervisor for this position. The lab fosters interdisciplinary collaborations across medicine, psychology, social work, nutrition, epidemiology, biostatistics, and others. The lab environment also includes a wonderful team of students and trainees. 

 

Environment: The researcher will be part of the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, one of the oldest divisions devoted to adolescent health in the country. It is one of seven programs nationally designated as a Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH) training site by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. The Division also includes two federally-funded national research centers in adolescent health, including the National Adolescent and Young Adult Health Information Center, which focuses on the intersection of health policy, guidelines, and implementation science for adolescent and young adult health.

 

Pay and Benefits

Applicants will be given a two-year contract, with the possibility for renewal.

Research Data Analyst/Specialist: Competitive salary including full benefits will be provided commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Postdoctoral Fellow: Please visit UCSF’s web page devoted to postdoctoral fellow pay and benefits: https://postdocs.ucsf.edu/pay-and-benefits

 

Project: The main research focus is to determine prospective associations between contemporary digital media exposures and mental/physical health outcomes in adolescents, including data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. The outcomes of this work can inform guidelines and interventions to maximize benefits of adolescent screen time while mitigating potential risks. The Data Analyst will analyze data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the largest longitudinal study of brain development and child health in the United States. The study follows 11,878 children (ages 9-10 in 2016-18) recruited from 21 U.S. research sites for 10 years. These data support interdisciplinary research bridging the social, biological, and computational sciences.

 

Required Qualifications

  • Postdoc: PhD, DrPH, or equivalent doctorate in epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, or a related field.
  • Research Data Analyst/Specialist: Master's degree in in epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, or a related field. Highly qualified applicants with a Bachelor’s degree may apply.
  • Excellent data analysis/programming skills in Stata (preferred) and/or R for quantitative analyses (e.g., regression, mediation, interaction, longitudinal analyses, structural equation modeling, measure validation [exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis])
  • Strong understanding of biostatistics and epidemiological methods
  • Strong writing, communication, and interpersonal skills (written and oral) in English
  • Demonstrated publication record
  • Ability to work independently with occasional supervision as well as part of a team

The initial appointment is for 2 years, with the possibility for renewal for 1 additional year.

The start date can be as soon as convenient for the applicant.

 

Applications: Please submit to Dr. Jason Nagata at [email protected]

  • Cover letter that indicates your interest in the position. Please include comments on the following: skills and background in statistical programming; interests in epidemiology of adolescent and young adult health; career goals.
  • CV – most recently updated
  • References – Names and e-mail addresses of 3 individuals who can provide a recommendation (including the PhD supervisor).
  • Writing sample (first author manuscript/thesis/coursework written by the applicant)
  • Coding sample (coding sample by the applicant)

 

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

UCSF and the Nagata Lab are committed to reflecting diversity in its faculty, students, and other academic personnel.