Title of the Position: Postdoctoral Associate
Department and School: Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine
Anticipated Appointment Date: January 2026
Email/Website: thebabl.positions@yale.edu www.thebabl.net
Introduction of School/Department:
The Yale Child Study Center, which serves as the Department of Child Psychiatry for the Yale School of Medicine, has been serving families through the integration of evidence-based clinical practice, training, and research for over 100 years. Within the Child Study Center is The Before and After Baby Lab (The BABL). The mission of The BABL is to understand how the mind and brain changes during pregnancy and postpartum, with a central focus on brain-based mechanisms in the context of maternal mental health. Our goal is to use this knowledge to reliably identify families that may need additional support and guidance during pregnancy and the postpartum period to optimize parent and child well-being.
Overview of the Position:
The BABL seeks a full-time postdoctoral associate to work on a NIDA funded study entitled “Psychosocial and neurobiological stress and opioid use trajectories following pregnancy” (PIs Helena Rutherford and Sarah Yip). The primary objective of this project is to understand brain- based and behavioral markers of stress across the perinatal period in the presence and absence of opioid use disorder (OUD) and the utility of this approach to predict medication adherence and relapse in the group of mothers with OUD. The Postdoctoral Associate’s primary responsibility will be to lead data analysis and dissemination efforts and will be overseen by Drs. Rutherford and Yip.
The postdoctoral associate will also support other tasks related to the team’s research, including being involved in the analysis and dissemination of maternal EEG/ERP data and mentoring other trainees in the lab on related projects. The position provides ample opportunities for publication and supervision by national leaders in parenting, neuroscience, and addiction. This is an ideal position for a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual interested in the intersection of the maternal brain and mental health.
Key responsibilities:
- Analysis of functional MRI data and behavioral (e.g., surveys, observational tasks) and clinical data
- Prepare and publish manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals and present research findings at conferences in areas relevant to the study
- Collaborate efficiently and effectively with other research staff working on the project
Mentoring
Dr. Helena Rutherford will oversee day-to-day activities and serve as the primary supervisor, working closely with Dr. Sarah Yip on the analysis of fMRI data. The Postdoctoral Associate will have flexibility to develop their specific research focus within the context of the project team’s expertise and the needs of the larger project. The Postdoctoral Associate will benefit from mentorship on academic advancement and participate in multiple professional development trainings and opportunities (e.g., developing public speaking skills, attending YCSC postdoc seminar series, presenting research from the project at conferences). The Postdoctoral Associate position is a full-time appointment for one year, with full benefits, and with the possibility of renewal for a second year, dependent upon performance and availability of funding. Information on benefits for postdoctoral appointments can be found at https://postdocs.yale.edu/postdocs/being-a-postdoc-at-yale/benefits-summary.
This is not a remote opportunity. This position is located at the Child Study Center on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, CT. In accordance with the university’s postdoc office policy, all trainees are expected to complete their training on campus.
Skills and Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have or demonstrate the following:
- Ph.D. in a relevant field or discipline such as psychology or neuroscience
- Strong skills in pre-processing and analysis of fMRI data
- Specialization or research experience in maternal brain and/or mental health / addiction neuroscience
- Strong analytical skills and use of statistical packages and analyses
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work with complex datasets
- Strong track record of publications and research outputs commensurate with career stage
- Excellent writing skills demonstrated in academic publications
- Exceptional organizational skills, including effective time management
- Ability to work both independently with minimal supervision and collaboratively
- Ability to interact and communicate effectively (e.g., through writing, presentations) with different audiences (research community, general public)
To Apply
Qualified candidates should email thebabl.positions@yale.edu with the subject line “Postdoc Applicant: [YOUR NAME]”. Please include the following application materials:
- Current Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Cover letter describing your research background, key research accomplishments, interests, career goals, and motivation for the position (2 pages maximum)
- Contact information for 3 references
Priority will be given to candidates who apply by November 1, 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will continue until the position has been filled.
For questions about the position, email Helena Rutherford (helena.rutherford@yale.edu). Anticipated start date is January 1, 2026.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for a postdoctoral appointment, candidates must hold a Ph.D., or equivalent degree from a program in relevant field or discipline. When a candidate has completed all the requirements for a degree, but the degree has not yet been formally conferred, the candidate may present evidence of completion of the degree, together with a statement of the date on which the degree is to be conferred.