Postdoctoral Associate

at  University of Colorado Boulder

Requisition Number:
59247
Location:
Boulder, Colorado
City
Boulder
State
Colorado
Employment Type:
Research Faculty
Schedule:
Full-Time
Posting Close Date:
18-Oct-2024
Date Posted:
16-Sep-2024

JOB SUMMARY

A postdoctoral position is available on an NIH-funded project that focuses on evaluating whether music engagement (and other activities) are protective for adolescent substance use behaviors. This project includes analyses of longitudinal twin datasets including the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study and the Colorado Adoption/Twin Study of Lifespan behavioral development and cognitive aging (CATSLife). Approaches include longitudinal twin/family analyses and evaluating models of gene-environment interplay using polygenic scores. This position is ideal for highly motivated individuals with skills in behavior genetics and an interest in working with a multidisciplinary group of collaborators.
The successful candidate will work closely with Dr. Daniel E. Gustavson, with opportunities to interact with other team members including Dr. Naomi Friedman and Dr. Chandra Reynolds. Other team members include Dr. Hermine Maes at Virginia Commonwealth University. Opportunities to develop research projects will include evaluating substance use outcomes, and research on the genetic underpinnings of music engagement and ability.
The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

WHO WE ARE

The Institute for Behavioral Genetics (IBG) is an organized research unit of the University of Colorado Boulder Graduate School dedicated to conducting and facilitating research on the genetic and environmental bases of individual differences in behavior. There is a particular interest in the genetics of substance use disorders as well as psychiatric, behavioral and neurological disorders. IBG researchers make use of well characterized longitudinal data arising from both family-based and population based samples. Statistical and epidemiological approaches being used at IBG include longitudinal twin/family studies, genome-wide association studies, and related approaches using these data (including polygenic scores and LD-score regression). Within IBG, Dr. Daniel Gustavson’s lab leverages longitudinal, genetic approaches to examine how genes and environment influence behavior, mental health, cognitive functioning, and dementia outcomes.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

The position is open for a 24-month fellowship, with opportunity to extend to additional years.

• Collaborating with Dr. Daniel Gustavson on scientific projects associating trajectories of substance use across adolescence with individual differences in engagement with music and other activities (e.g., art, sports).
• Taking lead on scientific projects and seeing them through to publication as the first author.
• Participating in data management, e.g., applying scoring to phenotypic and genomic datasets.
• Writing and running scripts.
• Interacting with team members within and across sites.