Postdoctoral research fellowships - comorbidity and suicide

A postdoctoral fellowship in psychiatric epidemiology is available at the Department of Psychiatry of McGill University, Douglas Research Centre in collaboration with the Danish Research Institute for Suicide Prevention (DRISP, Copenhagen, Denmark). The Fellow will join the McGill Group for Suicide Studies (MGSS), an interdisciplinary group that uses complementary approaches (genetics, neuroimaging, epidemiology, social sciences) to understand suicide, and will work in the Life-course Suicide Epidemiology Research Lab under the supervision of Dr. Massimiliano Orri (McGill) and Dr. Annette Erlangsen (DRISP).

The Fellow will work on a project investigating the association of comorbid mental and physical disorders during childhood and adolescence with risk of mortality using administrative data from the Danish population-wide administrative registers.

The Fellow will work in a large international and multidisciplinary team to produce scholarly publications in top-tier scientific journals. They will receive direct supervision from Dr. Orri and Dr. Erlangsen, and will be able to collaborate with a team of experienced developmental psychologists, epidemiologists, pediatricians, and experts in suicide research, and mental health within the MGSS and DRISP. There will be several opportunities to apply for fellowships and awards, mentor Master- and PhD-level trainees, contribute to grant proposals, establish local (McGill, Douglas, Montreal) and international collaborations, knowledge dissemination, and advanced training.

Selection criteria: The ideal candidate will have:

·       PhD-level training in a relevant area such as psychology, psychiatry, epidemiology, mental health, public health, biostatistics

·       High level of academic performance as shown by school grades/transcripts and/or academic publications (relative to the level of training)

·       Strong methodological skills and experience using large databases and/or longitudinal datasets

·       Experience with data analysis using software such as SPSS, SAS, R, M+, STATA, etc.

·       Full English language proficiency for scientific writing

·       Prior post-doctoral experience is an asset

·       Experience and/or interest in knowledge translation is an asset

Salary: Consistent with post-doctoral level research stipends of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and commensurate to the level of experience. Each fellowship is for one year, renewable for up to 3 years

Start date: Fall 2023 (flexible)

Scientific environment: The postdoctoral fellowship is based at McGill University (Montreal, Canada), a research-intensive institution consistently ranked among the top universities worldwide. The Department of Psychiatry is internationally renowned for its breakthrough in different areas of mental health research, including psychiatric epidemiology, biological psychiatry, transcultural psychiatry. The MGSS is located at the Douglas Research Centre, the second largest mental health research center in Canada, counting 68 principal investigators (including 11 Research Chairs holders) and 250 trainees. Its vibrant multidisciplinary community of researchers investigate virtually all aspects of mental health, from genes to society. Montreal is a dynamic, multilingual city rich in culture, history, and innovation. Among the safest and most affordable cities in North America, it offers opportunities to enjoy outdoor, cultural, and other activities all-year around, with a great quality of life. The project is based on a collaboration between the MGSS and the Danish Research Institute for Suicide Prevention (DRISP), which is among the most important institutes in suicide research worldwide, in particular regarding epidemiological studies based on the unique Danish administrative registers. The Fellow will develop strong collaborations with the DRISP.

Application: Please send the following documents as well as any questions or information requests to Dr. Massimiliano Orri (massimiliano.orri@mcgill.ca):

·       Cover letter

·       Curriculum vitae

·       Names and contact information of two or three academic references

Deadline for application: June 15, 2023

McGill University and Douglas Research Centre hire on the basis of merit and are strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We welcome applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities.