What are the responsibilities and job description for the Postdoctoral Scholar/Research Associate position at The Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health at the University of Oregon?
Institution Description
The Ballmer Institute for Children's Behavioral Health at the University of Oregon Portland establishes a new national model for behavioral healthcare for children and families by creating the nation’s first undergraduate program in child behavioral health.
The Institute prioritizes the needs of youth who have been historically or persistently underserved and seeks to make real system change by:
- Creating a new mental health profession
- Delivering support in schools and the community
- Training existing youth-serving professionals
- Developing new approaches to support child behavioral health
- Transforming the Pacific Northwest into a national model of thought and action
This groundbreaking institute was made possible by an extraordinary gift from Connie and Steve Ballmer, co-founders of Ballmer Group Philanthropy.
Role Description
The Postdoctoral Scholar/Research Associate will join the Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health Program Evaluation team to support a rigorous, community-centered evaluation of the Child Behavioral Health Training Program (CBH-TP), with the goal of demonstrating program effectiveness, informing continuous quality improvement, and generating evidence to support scale-up of a new bachelor’s-level child behavioral health workforce model. Program evaluation work includes conducting formative, process, and outcome studies using implementation science and mixed quantitative and qualitative methods to examine youth, service, and implementation outcomes across school and healthcare/community settings. This is an excellent opportunity for career development in evidence-based practices for youth mental health and implementation science research.
In this role, the Postdoctoral Scholar/Research Associate will work as part of a team of faculty and staff to lead key evaluation activities, such as evaluation study design; overseeing partnerships with key internal and external stakeholders to support data collection (e.g., surveys, interviews/focus groups, fidelity/competency assessments, and implementation data); ensuring high-quality data management; conducting quantitative and qualitative analyses; and translating findings into actionable products (e.g., peer-reviewed manuscripts, external stakeholder reports, presentations to community partners). This position will also contribute to proposal and grant writing aligned with the Ballmer Institute’s research agenda.
In addition to collaborating on Program Evaluation, the Postdoctoral Scholar/Research Associate will have opportunities to collaborate with Ballmer Institute faculty on other externally funded studies in effectiveness, implementation and mental health services research aimed at increasing access to evidence-based practices for undeserved youth and families. Opportunities to advance an independent research project, pursue additional external funding, and mentor junior research staff are also available.
This position may be filled at either the Postdoctoral Scholar or Research Associate level, depending on the candidate’s qualifications and career stage. The Postdoctoral Scholar classification is intended for individuals who have recently completed a doctoral degree and are pursuing advanced research training within a structured mentoring environment. As part of the university’s postdoctoral training model, the Postdoctoral Scholar will participate in a formal mentoring program that includes individualized career development planning, regular mentorship meetings, and opportunities to build an independent research agenda. In contrast, the Research Associate classification is designed for individuals who have already completed postdoctoral training or who bring equivalent research experience and are prepared to contribute more independently to research and evaluation activities without a formal postdoctoral training plan. While both roles engage in similar core responsibilities, the Postdoctoral Scholar role places greater emphasis on mentored training and professional development, whereas the Research Associate role reflects a more advanced level of autonomy and professional experience.
This position will report to the Director of Program Evaluation, Dr. Prerna Martin. This individual will receive co-mentorship by Dr. Prerna Martin and Dr. Sarah Kate Bearman on implementation science, feasibility testing, effectiveness research, and mixed methods for program evaluation, as well as professional development to support the applicant in pursuing a successful career in a research, applied, or policy position.
This role is designed for in-person engagement. Remote work options may be evaluated for exceptionally qualified candidates. This position may provide guidance and oversight to graduate students and project staff. Expected start date is spring/summer 2026, with some flexibility in start date.
Minimum Requirements
• A Ph.D. in Clinical, Counseling, or School Psychology from an APA-accredited program, or other related field, in hand by the start of the appointment.
To qualify for the rank of Postdoctoral Scholar:
• Two years of research experience in youth mental health or implementation science (graduate training counts).
• One year of experience with community-based research in schools, healthcare, or other community settings.
To qualify for the rank of Research Associate:
• Three years of research experience in youth mental health or implementation science.
• Two years of documented leadership in community-based research activities within schools, healthcare, or other community settings.
Professional Competencies
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Effectiveness working with multilevel stakeholders in schools, healthcare settings, or other community organizations.
• Interpersonal skills that foster teamwork and collaboration, the ability to work effectively individually and as part of a team, and the ability to coordinate multiple projects and staff.
• Excellent scientific writing ability, including translating research findings for diverse target audiences.
• Knowledge and understand of anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion and ability to apply these principles to the work of the position.
• Strong computer, statistical, and technical skills.
Preferred Qualifications
• Prior experience with qualitative data collection and analysis for implementation research, including rapid qualitative methods.
• Prior experience in conducting quantitative analyses on applied research studies.
• Prior experience in training providers in evidence-based practices.
• Prior experience with writing publications (or equivalent scholarly output such as a conference presentation or submitted manuscript) related to youth mental health or implementation science research.
• Prior experience writing grants or serving as a Co-I on an externally funded grant.
TO APPLY
Please submit an application here: https://careers.uoregon.edu/en-us/job/536543/ballmer-institute-postdoctoral-scholarprotem-research-associate
Application materials must include:
• Letter of Interest – Describe your relevant training and experience. Please include details about specific research skills you have developed, community-based settings you have done research in, and exposure to evidence-based treatments in your research/clinical practice
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Complete Contact Information for Three Professional References (the candidate will be notified prior to references being contacted).
Please reach out to cbsohr@uoregon.edu with any questions.