Postdoctoral Fellowship in Child Welfare Research with the Institute for Innovation and

The University of Maryland School of Social Work is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to begin in Summer 2021 (start date is negotiable between June 1st and August 16th). The fellowship provides an opportunity to advance child welfare research, with a particular focus on the evaluation of child welfare policy and practice to improve safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families. The Fellow will be provided time, space, and mentoring to develop early career scholarship and skills.
The Postdoctoral Fellow will work primarily with Dr. Haksoon Ahn at the School of Social Work on two evaluation projects: 1) Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) efforts across the state of Maryland; and 2) evaluation of the state’s Integrated Practice Model (IPM). The Fellow’s project-related responsibilities may include project management, supervision of data collection, data management/analyses, grant writing, manuscript preparation, and providing guidance and training to other research personnel in qualitative and quantitative analysis.
The postdoctoral fellowship is a full-time, 2-year appointment. Salary is commensurate with NIH guidelines for postdoctoral fellows (see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-16-134.html). Benefits are also provided. See http://medschool.umaryland.edu/postdoc/ for more information on postdoctoral training and benefits at the University of Maryland, Baltimore.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore, located on 32 acres in downtown Baltimore, is known as the "Campus of the Professions" and is comprised of 7 professional schools (Social Work, Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Law, and Graduate). Also located on campus is the University of Maryland Medical Center. UMSSW is one of the 10 largest schools of Social Work in the country. Currently ranked 17th by U.S. News & World Report, the School has also been ranked 5th in the nation in publication productivity. The Postdoctoral Fellow will have access to the UMB Office of Postdoctoral Scholars, which provides resources for career development, writing support, funding opportunities, and collaboration.
The School of Social Work is deeply committed to a community of excellence, equity, and diversity and welcomes applications from women, underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities, sexual minority groups, and other candidates who will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives.

Qualifications :

A doctoral degree in Social Work or a related field is required. Applicants must be within three years of completing their doctoral degree. Preference will be given to qualified applicants who have defended their dissertation prior to beginning the fellowship.
Preferred candidates will also demonstrate the ability to:
• Understand the federal Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) process, conduct CFSR on-site case reviews, train peer reviewers, analyze findings, and provide recommendations.
• Utilize proficient computer knowledge, including use of statistical packages and proficiency in navigating and maintaining databases to conduct core quantitative and qualitative analyses.
• Develop, recommend, modify and implement policies and procedures and/or methods for child welfare research. Develop protocol manuals and data collection instruments.
• Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff and community members.
• Demonstrated skill in understanding of cultural differences.
• Act in a lead role in the preparation of manuscripts, presentations, and proposals.
• Communicate effectively with providers and stakeholders on a routine basis.
• Demonstrate strong organizational, time management, and interpersonal skills

To Apply:

For best consideration, applications should be submitted by April 1, 2021. The search will remain open until filled. Please submit the following materials through Taleo:
1. Cover letter describing research skills and interests, and career aspirations;
2. Up-to-date CV;
3. Three recent writing samples (preferably at least one first-authored publication); and,
4. Contact information for three professional references.

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until a suitable candidate is selected.

The University of Maryland is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer. The School of Social
work is dedicated to building a culturally diverse faculty and staff committed to teaching and working in a pluralistic environment. We encourage applications from women, minority groups, veterans and people with disabilities.