Description
The School & Applied Child Psychology program in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary is accepting applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar in Mental Health Intervention Implementation in Neurodivergent Youth to join the ENHANCE research lab (https://www.enhancekidshealth.com/).
Supervisor and Lab Director: Dr. Carly A. McMorris, Registered Psychologist, Associate Professor, School & Applied Child Psychology, Werklund School of Education ([email protected]), Canadian Research Chair (Tier II) in Neurodiversity and Mental Health, Director of the ENHANCE Lab (enhancekidshealth.com)
Area: Autism, ADHD, Mental Health, Psychological Intervention, Implementation, Children, Youth and Young Adults
Duration:1 year, with possibility of extension
Start Date: November 1st, 2026
Salary: $60,000/year plus extended health care benefits and travel/conference support
The Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary are accepting applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar (PDS). The PDS will lead research projects related to co-designing, evaluating, and implementing psychological interventions to help improve mental health symptoms in neurodivergent youth and young adults.
Neurodivergent youth and young adults experience heightened rates of mental health concerns (including anxiety, depression and suicide) related to their neurotypical peers. Some of the work in our lab focuses on co-designing interventions alongside people with lived experience, evaluating their effectiveness in reducing mental health symptoms and improving quality of life and daily functioning, and implementing these interventions into the community to support the ongoing sustainability of the intervention. The PDS will be leading two projects: 1) co-designing a post-diagnostic peer support program led by and for late-diagnosed neurodivergent youth and young adults; and 2) implementing a group CBT-intervention for youth with ADHD and anxiety in partnership with a variety of community agencies.
The PDS will have an important role in supporting the mental health of neurodivergent youth to our team¿s community partners, health care providers, and other key stakeholders. PDS supervision will be provided by Dr. Carly McMorris, Werklund School of Education. This fellowship is embedded in a strong clinically focused research program with extensive connections to local community partners and trans-disciplinary researchers, as well as national and international collaborators.
Job Description:
A full-time Postdoctoral Scholar (PDS) opportunity is available at the University of Calgary, Canada, to begin on or about November 1st, 2026. This PDS will contribute to a variety of projects aimed at gaining deeper insights into the co-creation, evaluation, and implementation of interventions for neurodivergent youth and young adults. The PDS will work on a variety of different projects that include psychological intervention, implementation science, co-creation/co-design, patient-engaged research, and knowledge mobilization. Additionally, the PDS will have the opportunity to collaborate on additional projects with researchers from various faculties across campus and institutions across the country, as well as engage in supervision of undergraduate students on different research projects.
In addition to contributing to these existing research projects, the PDS will expand research in these areas through the development of complementary research proposals and projects.
PDS Responsibilities:
- Co-lead two of the sub-studies in the above-described research program
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Actively seek additional, external funding opportunities (both scholarships to support their position and operating grants) at local, provincial and national levels
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Actively contribute to the development of peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national and international conferences related to the studies undertaken as part of the PDS appointment
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Provide leadership on knowledge translation/mobilization activities to non-academic audiences
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Provide leadership and mentorship at weekly research team meeting, including supervision of trainees and support staff
- Coordinate and lead additional research activities as needed
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Undertake additional clinical training (if interested and suitable based on candidates training)
Opportunities for applied training are available, related to assessment and intervention for mental health issues in neurodivergent youth, implementation science, patient-engaged research, grant development and writing, student supervision, knowledge translation of clinical research into practice and policy, and multi-stakeholder collaboration with a range of research collaborators in the areas of psychology, psychiatry, social work, nursing, speech and language pathology, and neuroimaging). Given the clinical and sensitive nature of the projects, the PDS will need to be in Calgary; however, opportunities to work remotely or hybrid during that time is also possible.
Qualifications:
Requirements include:
- PhD in a relevant social science or health science discipline including psychology, nursing, social work, etc. Clinical expertise and comfort (e.g., school, counselling, clinical psychology) is a strength but not required.
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Applicants must have completed their degree within the last 5 years
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Familiarity with research related to autism, ADHD, mental health, and/or children/youth
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A strong background in quantitative and qualitative data analysis
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Experience with co-design and patient-engaged research is an asset
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Demonstrated productivity through a strong record of peer-reviewed publications and presentations
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Interest in working collaboratively with research partners across disciplines at UCalgary and nationally, as well as people with lived experiences, health care providers and policy makers
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Strong leadership skills and an interest in supervision and mentorship of graduate and undergraduate students are a huge asset
This is a full-time (1.0 FTE), benefits-eligible, one-year appointment with the opportunity to renew. For additional information and policies regarding postdoctoral scholars at the University of Calgary, please see: http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/postdoc
Application Details:
Applications are welcomed from Canadian and international candidates.
Preliminary inquiries by e-mail are welcome. To apply, individuals should submit:
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A curriculum vitae
- A letter of interest describing how your research experience, qualifications, research interests and career goals fit with this position
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The names of 2-3 research-related references who would be willing to provide a reference upon request (reference letters will be required for final decisions)
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Two (2) writing samples (published or unpublished) that best exemplify your scholarly work, along with an explanation of your role in each sample.
Applications should be submitted as a single PDF to Dr. Carly McMorris ([email protected]) Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Applicants are thanked in advance for their interest, however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
Additional Information
To learn more about postdoctoral scholar opportunities at the University of Calgary and all we have to offer, view our Postdoc website. For more information about the Werklund School of Education visit https://werklund.ucalgary.ca/
The terms and conditions of employment are covered under the UCalgary and PDAC Collective Agreement. To find out more about postdoctoral scholar program at the University of Calgary visit our Postdocs website.
To learn more about postdoctoral scholar opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Postdoc Careers website.
About the University of Calgary
UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.
About Calgary, Alberta
Calgary is one of the world's cleanest cities and has been named one of the world's most livable cities for years. Calgary is a city of leaders' in business, community, philanthropy and volunteerism. Calgarians benefit from the strongest economy in the nation and enjoy more days of sunshine per year than any other major Canadian city. Calgary is less than an hour's drive from the Rocky Mountains and boasts the most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network in North America.
With a growing urban Indigenous population of approximately 50,000 people, there are several Indigenous organizations and many events and ceremonies taking place in the city throughout the year.
The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy ii' taa'poh'to'p committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.
The university's commitment to the Indigenous Strategy is evident through the oversight of 18 Elders serving on the Circle of Advisors and the many unit-based circles working towards implementation of the strategy including the Faculty Advisory Circle and teams such as the Office of Indigenous Engagement, the Writing Symbols Lodge, and the Indigenous Research Support Team. Many Indigenous-based events and processes are impacting curriculum, programming and polices at the University of Calgary.
As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to People & Culture ([email protected]).
