Research Scientist, Department of Surgery

Summary

Dr. Thomson, Director of Research at the Injury and Violence Prevention Program (IVPP) at Virginia Commonwealth University is seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic Research Scientist to join our Injury and Violence Prevention Research Lab. The successful candidate will work closely with faculty, graduate students, and research staff to support a variety of projects aimed at understanding and preventing violence, including externalizing disorders among youth.

Typical Duties

Research Leadership
Develop, design, and lead research studies related to violence prevention and developmental psychopathology.
Support writing efforts for external funding.
Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals.
Supervise graduate students, research assistants, and junior researchers in research activities.
Collaborate with faculty and experts across various disciplines to enhance research impact.

Data Management & Analysis
Oversee the collection, management, and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data.
Ensure data integrity and ethical treatment of human subjects.
Use advanced statistical methods to interpret data.
Develop and maintain a research database.

Outreach & Collaboration
Disseminate research findings through academic conferences, public lectures, and community events.
Establish partnerships with governmental and non-governmental organizations for research and implementation of findings.

Administrative Duties
Contribute to the preparation of annual reports, grant proposals, and other administrative tasks.
Represent the Violence Prevention Research Lab in departmental and institutional initiatives.
Provide mentorship to junior staff and students.

Required Education and Experience

• Ph.D. in Psychology, Social Science, or a closely related field
• A strong track record of research in violence prevention, developmental psychopathology, or personality disorders
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills
• Proficiency in statistical software packages (e.g., SPSS, R, SAS)
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Experience or interest in virtual reality
• Experience or interest in psychophysiology
• Publications in violence prevention or developmental psychopathology
• Research experience in gun violence prevention
• Experience in IRB proposal preparation
• Recipient of federal funding

Additional Information

University Title: Research Scientist (Open), Research & Innovation

ORP Eligibility : Yes

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

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. VCU School of Medicine comprises 18 clinical departments, eight basic health science departments, and 11 affiliated institutes and centers, and provides preeminent education to physicians and scientists in order to improve the quality of healthcare for humanity. All full-time university staff are eligible for our generous benefits package that includes choices for health, vision, and dental coverage, life-insurance, short and long-term disability coverage, retirement planning, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, flexible spending accounts, tuition benefits, significant paid-time off,12 paid holidays, and more. Explore our benefits further here: https://hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/benefits/university-and-academic-professional-benefits/

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.

Please note that if you are employed as a university employee working in any of the health system's facilities, you will need to follow VCU Health System policies, which will include but will not be limited to, vaccination requirements.