Postdoctoral Scholar: Contemplative Science of Youth and Undergraduate Flourishing

The Crown Institute's research focuses on practices, programs, and policies that foster wellness among children and youth, families and caregivers, educators, and mental health and health providers. Scholars in multiple fields work together and in partnership with families, teachers, young people, and community members.

Program Development, Implementation, and Facilitation:

• Co-design program content, curricula, delivery tools, and training resources for the undergraduate and school-based context while maintaining fidelity to source teachings and psychological science.
• Facilitate delivery of programs for youth and undergraduate students in the context of research studies.
• Contribute to the design and evaluation of facilitator training pathways (e.g., near-peer and staff facilitator models) that extend reach while maintaining quality and integrity.
• Develop, implement, and analyze program evaluations to inform cycles of iterative improvement and to ensure alignment with program objectives and deliverables.
• Integrate procedures for responding to participant distress and connecting students with other resources.

Research:

• Contribute to the collaborative design and implementation of all aspects of the research program, including guiding the collaborative design of program materials, development and management of IRB protocols, managing research implementation, setting team and project goals and ensuring they are met, overseeing data collection, management, analysis, and interpretation, and communicating results to academic and lay audiences.
• Use quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate feasibility, acceptability, engagement, and outcomes related to mental health and flourishing.
• Contribute to conceptual scholarship situating research studies within contemplative science and clinical or educational psychology.
• Prepare and publish manuscripts and present findings at research conferences.
• Train and supervise undergraduate research assistants in quantitative and qualitative research methods, research ethics, data management, and presenting research, and professional development.
• Present reports to Crown Institute leadership summarizing program impacts.
• Contribute to grant applications and reports for funders and partners as needed.
• Develop independent research questions and pursue fellowship and career-development funding.

Partnership and Project Leadership:

• Build partnerships that support research design and implementation.
• Coordinate project timelines, recruitment, and logistics across activities.
• Complete and maintain current trainings required by university policy.

• This is a two-year postdoctoral position.
• Anticipated start date: August 2027.
• This position follows the Crown Institute's hybrid work schedule and requires regular on-site work in Boulder, Colorado, with a minimum of two days per week in the office.
• This position is not eligible for new visa sponsorship now or in the future.

• The salary range for this position will be $70,000-$80,000 annually.
• Candidates may be eligible for onboarding assistance.

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one of Forbes' America's Best Large Employers, ranking #4 among large employers in Colorado and #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

• PhD in clinical or counseling psychology or related field
• Experience designing, implementing, and investigating contemplative practices in the context of mental health and education settings with youth
• Strong quantitative skills, including experience with R and longitudinal multilevel modeling, and strong qualitative skills, including designing and conducting interviews and focus groups and analyzing qualitative data.

• Excellence in integrity, responsibility, and ethics with regard to the conduct of research, mentoring, and professional relationships, including attention to detail with regard to compliance with ethical, professional, and fiscal standards and guidelines; excellent judgment and analytical skills to identify problems when they arise and to develop solutions effectively and efficiently; flexibility to meet challenges as they arise; and excellent time management skills, with capacity to prioritize tasks and set deadlines to ensure overall integrity, responsibility, and ethical practice in all tasks.
• Commitment to inclusive excellence, including demonstrated knowledge and skills in being oriented to diversity, equity, and inclusion as evidenced using ongoing reflective practices and other core skills that promote equitable, diverse partnerships.
• Excellent capacity for innovation, including the ability to think expansively and apply ideas to action, to initiate new ideas and programs, and to work autonomously.
• Excellent collaboration skills, including skills in working with diverse stakeholders (e.g., students, faculty, staff, community partners, contemplative teachers, and funders), working well as a member of interdisciplinary teams, and functioning independently when needed.
• Excellent communication skills, including verbal and written communication skills across sectors and disciplines, and the ability to navigate complex dynamics and motivate groups of people.

• Clinical training in risk assessment and evidence-based practices with youth or college students.
• Experience with participatory, co-design, or design-based research methods.
• Experience with data collection systems (i.e., REDCap) and statistical analysis software.
• A record of peer-reviewed publications on the topics of contemplative science and/or human flourishing.