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The University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR) at The Royal has an exciting research opportunity for a postdoctoral scientist to conduct cutting-edge research at the intersection of psychiatry, machine learning, and mental health outcome prediction.
We are looking for a candidate with strong computational skills including bioinformatics and machine learning to help in the analysis of epigenomic data sets in the areas of PTSD, postpartum depression, and postpartum psychosis. Projects will involve bioinformatics analysis of data sets and the generation of prediction algorithms for outcomes of importance for clinical care. A second project area of focus will be aiding in translation efforts to implement a novel electronic health record based model for the prediction of suicide related behaviors. The successful candidate will have extensive coding experience in either R or python, preferably both. Experience in software design is considered an asset. The selected candidate will have access to excellent computing resources, and an opportunity to explore a range of questions using multimodal data. As the selected applicant, you will have the opportunity to work along side psychologists, psychiatrists, physicists, basic and clinical neuroscientists, with expertise in TMS, MRI, PET and EEG, among other methods.
About us
The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR) is one of Canada’s foremost research institutes focused on mental health, with over 70 researchers. The research environment is highly collaborative among researchers and clinicians.
You will work under the mentorship of Dr. Zachary Kaminsky, the DIFD Mach-Gaensslen Chair of Suicide Prevention Research, whose work focuses on leveraging multiple data sources, including epigenomic data, social media data, and electronic health record data to generate novel tools to drive positive change for clinically relevant mental health outcomes.
Qualifications
- Must hold a PhD degree in Neuroscience, Psychology, Engineering, or a related field.
- Strong technical background and competence in programming (eg. Python), version control, and in the use of R statistical software
- Previous research published in peer-reviewed journals
- Enjoy being part of a multidisciplinary team
- Good written and oral English skills, as well as interpersonal communication skills
The position
The position is fully funded and the salary is competitive. Support is available for a two-year period, with the possibility of an extension. The target start date is the Spring/Summer of 2025. Of note, this position is funded through a subcontract awarded to IMHR by a commercial entity outside of academia and as such, some analyses may fall under the intellectual property domain of said entity.
Application process
Applications should include:
- Cover letter
- CV (including articles under review or in preparation)
- List of 2-3 references.
Applications must be submitted via email to Zachary.Kaminsky@theroyal.ca. Applications will continue to be considered until the position is filled.
Thank you for your interest in working with us. At The Royal, we strive to be an equitable and inclusive employer. Our commitment is grounded in an institution-wide commitment to achieving a working, teaching, and learning environment that is free of discrimination and harassment. In keeping with our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions. We actively encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity, including, but not limited to First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, and all other Indigenous peoples; members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, colour, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, or place of origin; persons with disabilities; persons who identify as women; and persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.