Research Scientist

Employment Type: Permanent Staff (EHRA NF)

Vacancy : NF0009790

Salary Range: $80,000 - $95,000

The Injury Prevention Research Center at UNC
-Chapel Hill is seeking a Research Scientist. This position will be responsible for applying for and executing new research grants. Necessary skills include grant writing, expertise in epidemiology and behavioral health design, operation and analysis of research projects in the social sciences as it relates to opioid addiction, opioid overdose prevention, and harm reduction.

This position will work with multiple investigators and as a Principal Investigator on projects focused on opioid addiction and overdose prevention. It will also work as part of the Opioid Data Lab team and develop original and independent research. In addition, the person in this position will provide expertise in mixed-methods, qualitative analysis, implementation science, surveillance and community engagement.

The position will be responsible for supporting the work of the Opioid Data Lab in the design, conduct, and analysis on funded studies. It will work collaboratively with our team including a qualitative methodologist, administrative staff for study conduct, community liaisons, and people with lived experience. Research dissemination to community partners via blog posts and scientific publications is expected.

In addition, this position will be an integral part of IPRC staff supporting Center growth and Center student mentoring. It will lead the IPRC Injury and Violence Prevention Fellowships program, providing support to students, monitoring projects, and organizing training events.

It will also be responsible for developing original and independent research including design, conduct and analysis with the support of IPRC staff and personnel. The position will provide overall support to IPRC projects and studies related to opioid addiction and overdose prevention. Support IPRC’s efforts to collaborate with partners such as the Injury and Violence Prevention Branch (IVPB) of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Service and to engage in the education and training of the next generation of IVP researchers.

In‑person attendance on campus in Chapel Hill is expected at least two days per week.

Preferred candidates will have a strong publication record for their career stage and strong oral and written communication skills and proven team‑working skills.

Work experience that advances public health and injury prevention, e.g., that facilitates policy decision‑making, empowers community‑based organizations and coalitions is preferred.

Familiarity with student fellowship programs.

Candidates must have experience conducting data analyses using two or more quantitative and qualitative statistical tools including SAS, Stata, R, or Python, and separately qualitative software (ATLAS.ti, NVivo, etc.). Experience in mixed‑methods implementation and data analysis is required.

Experience analyzing street drug analytical chemistry results required, including visualizations and statistical analysis in R or Python.

Previous experience leading the conduct of research in opioid addiction and prevention, and experience working directly with community partners and harm reduction programs is required. We will ask for references from community partners.

Demonstrated experience in public health community engagement, surveillance and research translation.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.