Job description

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine is a premier academic medical center located in the heart of Richmond. Accounting for almost half of VCU’s sponsored research, the School of Medicine is internationally recognized for patient care and education. All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s generous benefits package that includes: competitive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, Virginia Retirement System (VRS), professional development & certifications, tuition waiver, parental leave, caregiving leave and community service leave. Learn more about VCU’s benefits here: https://hr.vcu.edu/careers-at-vcu/why-work-at-vcu/

The position will be located at the Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics (VIPBG) (www.vipbg.vcu.edu). VIPBG is world-renowned for its contributions to the genetic epidemiology of behavior and psychopathology. Its faculty and affiliates represent diverse disciplines including molecular genetics, psychology, epidemiology, and statistics.

Position Summary and Primary Responsibilities

We seek to hire a Senior Research Analyst in the area of statistical analysis, genetics, and psychiatric epidemiology to contribute to projects aimed at elucidating the etiology of a wide range of psychiatric and behavioral outcomes, including alcohol and other substance use/disorders, depression, suicidal behavior, and trauma/PTSD. Specific areas of interest include deriving and testing polygenic scores in ancestrally diverse populations; estimating the relative contributions of latent genetic and environmental factors to liability for the outcomes noted above; investigating whether, how, and when environmental factors moderate the influence of genetic liability; and longitudinal, multilevel, and structural equation modeling. The overarching goal of most VIPBG research programs is to inform efforts to improve risk assessment, prevention, intervention, and treatment for psychiatric outcomes. The Senior Research Analyst would work closely with faculty, postdoctoral trainees, and predoctoral students to manage phenotypic and genetic data for a range of complex datasets, and to design and implement statistical models, with that goal in mind.

Minimum Hiring Standards

Master’s degree or PhD in Human Genetics, Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, Psychology, or closely related field; Programming skills in R and Unix/Linux; Excellent written and oral communication skills; Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team; Experience with model selection, design, and implementation; Experience with data management; Experience with data quality control; Experience with large-scale genetic analysis (GWAS, polygenic scoring); Experience with longitudinal, multilevel, and/or structural equation modeling, especially biometric (twin/family) modeling; Proficiency in speaking, comprehending, reading and writing English is required. Must have a demonstrated commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in past experiences or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Preferred Hiring Standards:

Knowledge of analytic pipeline development; Knowledge of large-scale genetic data management; Knowledge of psychometrics; Experience with Mplus, OpenMx (in R), SAS, and/or Python

Position will remain open until filled.

Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action university providing access to education and employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, political affiliation, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or disability.

The School of Medicine continuously strives for our workplace and learning environment to reflect the demographic and social milieu of the communities we serve. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

This is a restricted position with no set end date and continued employment is dependent upon project need, availability of funding, and performance.

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