Postdoctoral Fellow Position: Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic | The University of Alabama

06 Nov 2023    

Overview: The UA Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic is an outpatient training clinic that provides clinical services to autistic children, teens, and young adults and their families. Services include comprehensive psychological evaluations and diagnostic autism evaluations and a range of evidence-based child and family interventions. We also work closely with school districts throughout the region to complete school-based autism evaluations and provide consultation services. The Autism Clinic is interdisciplinary, and the Psychology and Speech/Language Pathology teams work collaboratively in training, assessment, and research activities. We are involved in the teaching and training of graduate students across multiple disciplines and maintain several lines of active research that offer many opportunities for faculty and students to involved in translational research. The Autism Clinic also maintains a family support and outreach program, SERF (Supporting and Enhancing Resilient Families), that is funded by a service grant and aims to prevent child abuse and neglect across West Alabama. We maintain collaborations with various groups on campus, including the Center for Innovative Research in Autism (CIRA) and the Center for Youth Development and Intervention (CYDI) – two programs at UA that facilitate interdisciplinary translational research in autism spectrum disorders. In collaboration with CYDI, the Autism Clinic will be participating as one of the sites on a multisite clinical trial funded by PCORI examining the effectiveness of mindfulness-based therapy for autistic adolescents and adults in the context of a large hybrid effectiveness-implementation trail. 

Position: The postdoctoral fellow will be involved with school-based autism evaluations and consultation services. They will receive additional training in gold standard autism assessment with an emphasis on differential diagnostic processes. They will also receive training on educational consultation models and gain experience working within the interdisciplinary school setting most commonly in rural, low-resource school districts. The postdoctoral fellow will also be a key clinical provider on the PCORI clinical trial under the clinical supervision of a licensed psychologist. As part of this clinical trial, the person will receive extensive training on the Unified Protocol. School-based services and involvement with the PCORI clinical trial will be the primary responsibilities for this position. However, there will also be opportunities for the postdoctoral fellow to engage in clinic-based assessments and receive training on pediatric neuropsychological assessment batteries and to engage in individual, group, and family therapy. They will receive supervision for all clinical activities and have opportunities to supervise graduate student in clinical work, as well. There will also opportunities for involvement with and leadership in the SERF Program Grant activities including program development and implementation, service provision, and supervision of graduate and undergraduate students. Additionally, the postdoctoral fellow will benefit not only from supervision of clinical hours towards licensure but also supports and mentorship within that process. They will benefit from grantsmanship training and supports towards securing independent funding as well as opportunities for publications and supports around those and other scholarly activities.

Application Deadline and Method of Application: This position will remain open until it is filled. Please visit the job posting for more information and to apply. To be considered for this position, the following materials must be supplied: 1) A cover letter describing your clinical and research experiences and your interests and goals with each 2) A curriculum vita, 3) Three letters of reference, 4) Available start date (preferred start is January or February 2024). Interested applicants can also contact Dr. Elizabeth McRae (emmcrae@ua.edu) directly with questions about the position and/or the application process.

About The University of Alabama: The University of Alabama is located on a beautiful 1,200-acre campus. The mission of the university is to advance the intellectual and social condition of the people of the state of Alabama and beyond through teaching, research, and service. The UA campus is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which is considered one of Alabama’s most progressive cities and was recently named one of America’s “100 Best Communities for Young People”. Tuscaloosa blends a rich history with a contemporary culture. This family-friendly town boasts a strong sense of community, particularly within the culture of the University of Alabama itself. Together with the shopping, food, art and museums, music and entertainment, parks and outdoor activities, and college town culture, Tuscaloosa is an easy place to call home. It is also conveniently surrounded by many popular travel destinations in the Southeast including Birmingham, New Orleans, and the beautiful Alabama beaches.