What are the responsibilities and job description for the Postdoctoral Fellow position at Inside Higher Ed?
Department
School of Education - 340100
Posting Open Date
10/31/2025
Application Deadline
03/02/2026
Open Until Filled
No
Position Type
Postdoctoral Scholar
Position Title
Postdoctoral Fellow
Vacancy ID
PDS004698
Full-time/Part-time
Full-Time Temporary
Hours Per Week
40
Fte
1
Work Location:
Chapel Hill, NC
Position Location:
North Carolina, US
Hiring Range
Salary is commensurate with experience
Proposed Start Date
07/01/2026
Estimated Duration Of Appointment
12 Months
Be a Tar Heel!:
A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research, and public service, the?University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?consistently ranks as?one of the nation’s top public universities.Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn. Located in one of the best college towns and best places to live in the U.S., Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.
The UNC School of Education, one of the longest-standing professional schools at the nation’s first public university, ranks among the top schools of education in the U.S. and offers a full range of degree programs, from undergraduate to doctorate; forward-thinking certificate and licensure programs; and in-person, online, and HyFlex offerings. Faculty members generate knowledge across a number of fields, including human development, educational technology and entrepreneurship, teaching and learning, school counseling, school psychology, administration, educational policy and leadership, and more; they also prepare students to become the most highly effective educators to lead in classrooms, schools, districts and beyond, as well as future scholars and researchers.
Primary Purpose Of Organizational Unit
The School of Education is an academic unit reporting to the Provost. The School is a major center of research, teaching, and public service within the State of North Carolina, the nation, and the world. The School offers a full range of undergraduate and graduate programs. The mission of the School of Education is to conduct research, and generate basic and applied knowledge about human development, educational technology and entrepreneurship, teaching and learning, school counseling, school psychology, administration, as well as educational policy and leadership; prepare leaders in the profession of education by conducting outstanding research, teaching, and service; and assist in the development of strong and effective public schools in North Carolina. In order to fulfill its mission, the School is organized into three academic divisions: (1) Culture, Curriculum, & Teacher Education (CCATE), (2) Learning, Development & Psychological Sciences (LDPS), and (3) Educational Policy, Organization, & Leadership (EPOL).
Position Summary
Description of SiteThe UNC School of Education at houses a world-class collaborative research faculty, numerous post-doctoral fellows and research scientists; and strong school partnership and outreach networks through alumni, and three regional school consortia (20 school districts). The School is a leader in integrating behavioral health considerations into K-12 public school training, practice, and research, aiming to solve pressing problems, through innovation, and by asking and answering tough questions, towards maximizing the potential of every learner. The UNC Department of Psychiatry has over 150 faculty members who are among the nation’s leaders in exploring the mechanisms that will ultimately explain human behavior and mental illness. The department is a collaborative, multidisciplinary team with faculty members from a variety of backgrounds including psychiatry, psychology, epidemiology, education, obstetrics and gynecology, health services delivery, social work, nursing, genetics, and nutrition.
Fellowship Aims1. To provide the fellow with research training and experience in preparation for a research career in adolescent mental health interventions.2. To provide the fellow with broad post-doctoral training in the area of research and clinical practice addressing school and clinical-based suicide prevention and intervention, assessment of suicidal thoughts and behaviors with a high-risk population, and interdisciplinary treatment for child/adolescent mental health disorders.3. To provide the fellow with a strong working knowledge of research involving technology (including virtual reality) and commercialization.
Fellowship TimelineThe duration of the fellowship is 1 year with possibility to extend to a second-year contingent upon satisfactory progress.
Research Activity PlanResearch will involve several ongoing projects, with examples including:
In addition to experiences included in coordination of the primary research project, the experience will consist of promoting development of the fellow’s independent program of research (subsumed under grant writing and manuscript preparation described below). The nature of this independent research program will be collaboratively determined by the fellow and supervisor(s) and will involve the production of a traditional scientific product (e.g., manuscript, presentation at a national professional meeting, grant application, instrument development); the independent program of research may involve new directions taken using resources (i.e., data, research population, etc) provided by the mentorship team and/or may involve continued development of the trainee’s prior work (i.e., publication of dissertation).
The fellow will be exposed to various aspects of research via participation in the following supportive research activities:
Supervision and EvaluationSupervision will be provided in the form of weekly individual supervision (one hour each, with Dr. Marraccini primary research supervisor and Drs. Meyer and Janos providing clinical supervision as described above).Every 6 months for the duration of the fellowship, the fellow and the supervisors will provide formal evaluations, and evaluations of the program relative to the goals and learning objectives of the fellowship.
Minimum Education And Experience Requirements
PhD in school, clinical, or counseling psychology
Required Qualifications, Competencies, And Experience
For information on UNC Postdoctoral Benefits and Services click here
School of Education - 340100
Posting Open Date
10/31/2025
Application Deadline
03/02/2026
Open Until Filled
No
Position Type
Postdoctoral Scholar
Position Title
Postdoctoral Fellow
Vacancy ID
PDS004698
Full-time/Part-time
Full-Time Temporary
Hours Per Week
40
Fte
1
Work Location:
Chapel Hill, NC
Position Location:
North Carolina, US
Hiring Range
Salary is commensurate with experience
Proposed Start Date
07/01/2026
Estimated Duration Of Appointment
12 Months
Be a Tar Heel!:
A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research, and public service, the?University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?consistently ranks as?one of the nation’s top public universities.Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn. Located in one of the best college towns and best places to live in the U.S., Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.
The UNC School of Education, one of the longest-standing professional schools at the nation’s first public university, ranks among the top schools of education in the U.S. and offers a full range of degree programs, from undergraduate to doctorate; forward-thinking certificate and licensure programs; and in-person, online, and HyFlex offerings. Faculty members generate knowledge across a number of fields, including human development, educational technology and entrepreneurship, teaching and learning, school counseling, school psychology, administration, educational policy and leadership, and more; they also prepare students to become the most highly effective educators to lead in classrooms, schools, districts and beyond, as well as future scholars and researchers.
Primary Purpose Of Organizational Unit
The School of Education is an academic unit reporting to the Provost. The School is a major center of research, teaching, and public service within the State of North Carolina, the nation, and the world. The School offers a full range of undergraduate and graduate programs. The mission of the School of Education is to conduct research, and generate basic and applied knowledge about human development, educational technology and entrepreneurship, teaching and learning, school counseling, school psychology, administration, as well as educational policy and leadership; prepare leaders in the profession of education by conducting outstanding research, teaching, and service; and assist in the development of strong and effective public schools in North Carolina. In order to fulfill its mission, the School is organized into three academic divisions: (1) Culture, Curriculum, & Teacher Education (CCATE), (2) Learning, Development & Psychological Sciences (LDPS), and (3) Educational Policy, Organization, & Leadership (EPOL).
Position Summary
Description of SiteThe UNC School of Education at houses a world-class collaborative research faculty, numerous post-doctoral fellows and research scientists; and strong school partnership and outreach networks through alumni, and three regional school consortia (20 school districts). The School is a leader in integrating behavioral health considerations into K-12 public school training, practice, and research, aiming to solve pressing problems, through innovation, and by asking and answering tough questions, towards maximizing the potential of every learner. The UNC Department of Psychiatry has over 150 faculty members who are among the nation’s leaders in exploring the mechanisms that will ultimately explain human behavior and mental illness. The department is a collaborative, multidisciplinary team with faculty members from a variety of backgrounds including psychiatry, psychology, epidemiology, education, obstetrics and gynecology, health services delivery, social work, nursing, genetics, and nutrition.
Fellowship Aims1. To provide the fellow with research training and experience in preparation for a research career in adolescent mental health interventions.2. To provide the fellow with broad post-doctoral training in the area of research and clinical practice addressing school and clinical-based suicide prevention and intervention, assessment of suicidal thoughts and behaviors with a high-risk population, and interdisciplinary treatment for child/adolescent mental health disorders.3. To provide the fellow with a strong working knowledge of research involving technology (including virtual reality) and commercialization.
Fellowship TimelineThe duration of the fellowship is 1 year with possibility to extend to a second-year contingent upon satisfactory progress.
Research Activity PlanResearch will involve several ongoing projects, with examples including:
- Co-Designing a Virtual Reality Intervention to Enhance Skill Development with Adolescents Hospitalized for Suicide-Related Crises. Funded by an MQ Fellows Award (MQF22\16; PI Marraccini), this project is co-designing aspects of virtual reality experience with teens identifying as ethnic-racial minoritized and/or LGBTQ with lived suicide-related experience and pilot testing a virtual reality intervention with adolescents hospitalized for suicide-related crises.
- Exploring Mental Health and Downstream Outcomes for Black Boys. Funded by Walton Family Foundation (PI: Lindsay), this project explores the intersection of school-related discipline, mental health and suicide-related outcomes among Black youth.
- Participatory Social Network Analysis to Examine Social Connections and Identify Peer Leaders to Prevent Suicide in School-Aged Children. Funded by Humana Foundation (PI: Lanier), this project explores implementation strategies for an evidence-based upstream suicide prevention program in schools.
In addition to experiences included in coordination of the primary research project, the experience will consist of promoting development of the fellow’s independent program of research (subsumed under grant writing and manuscript preparation described below). The nature of this independent research program will be collaboratively determined by the fellow and supervisor(s) and will involve the production of a traditional scientific product (e.g., manuscript, presentation at a national professional meeting, grant application, instrument development); the independent program of research may involve new directions taken using resources (i.e., data, research population, etc) provided by the mentorship team and/or may involve continued development of the trainee’s prior work (i.e., publication of dissertation).
The fellow will be exposed to various aspects of research via participation in the following supportive research activities:
- Study coordination: The fellow will collaborate with the PI/Co-I (Dr. Marraccini) to coordinate several investigations.
- Clinical interviewing and intervention delivery: Research time will also involve administering clinical interviews and/or delivering exploratory interventions, which may also count toward clinical assessment hours toward licensure. Supervision will be provided by Dr. Marraccini.
- Entrepreneurship Training: The fellow will participate in the Venture Catalyst Program provided by Innovate Carolina’s KickStart Venture Services. This opportunity will provide them with research and commercialization training through experiential learning, as the goal of the program is to complete a business development focused Scope of Work (SOW) in collaboration with Dr. Marraccini under the guidance of an entrepreneurial mentor. Oversight of performance in the program will be provided by Dr. Marraccini and KickStart Venture Services, with a focus on considering commercialization at the onset of research.
- Grant writing: The fellow will be encouraged to develop a grant idea and submit a grant proposal by the end of a two-year fellowship term.
- Manuscript preparation and submission: The fellow will be encouraged to collaborate on and independently pursue manuscript preparation and poster submissions at national conferences. Individually tailored goals will be established in this area.
Supervision and EvaluationSupervision will be provided in the form of weekly individual supervision (one hour each, with Dr. Marraccini primary research supervisor and Drs. Meyer and Janos providing clinical supervision as described above).Every 6 months for the duration of the fellowship, the fellow and the supervisors will provide formal evaluations, and evaluations of the program relative to the goals and learning objectives of the fellowship.
Minimum Education And Experience Requirements
PhD in school, clinical, or counseling psychology
Required Qualifications, Competencies, And Experience
- Intervention and assessment experience with children and/or adolescents
- Demonstrated potential for research productivity in child and adolescent psychology research
- Suicide prevention and intervention experience
- School-based experiences
- Interest in technology and commercialization
For information on UNC Postdoctoral Benefits and Services click here