Join Our Team

Center for School Behavioral Health – Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital / Harvard Medical School

Boston, MA | Start date: Summer/Fall 2026 (negotiable)

The Center for School Behavioral Health (CSBH) at Massachusetts General Hospital invites applications for a full-time postdoctoral fellowship focused on implementation science in school-based behavioral health. CSBH’s mission is to transform youth behavioral health by advancing scalable, sustainable, and equitable prevention and early intervention strategies integrated into K-12 educational settings. Our work spans rigorous research, real-world practice partnerships with hundreds of schools, workforce development, mental health and substance use training, and policy engagement to improve student outcomes.

Fellowship Focus & Opportunities

This fellowship will immerse the postdoctoral scholar in high-impact research at the intersection of implementation science, school behavioral health systems, and prevention/intervention strategies.

The fellowship has a strong emphasis on translational research, and ideal candidates are individuals interested in pursuing an academic career. Fellows are expected to make significant contributions to the research productivity of the lab, including preparation of manuscripts as well as submitting for extramural funding (for their own research and for the lab), and will have opportunities to pursue independent research and interdisciplinary collaborations across Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. The fellow will be considered for a joint Harvard Medical School appointment (appointment is not guaranteed).

Fellows will have the opportunity to:

• Lead and contribute to multidisciplinary projects evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of evidence-based behavioral health supports (e.g., universal and Tier 2 strategies, measurement-based care, implementation strategies tailored to school contexts).

• Collaborate with school partners, community stakeholders, policymakers, and research teams to advance scalable, equitable practice and policy solutions that support student mental health.

• Engage in mixed-methods research, including qualitative and quantitative data collection, analysis, and interpretation.

• Drive dissemination, including preparation of manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals, presentations at national conferences, and contributions to grant proposals.

• Receive mentorship and professional development tailored to independent research career trajectories, including grant writing and academic leadership.

Qualifications:

• A recently completed Ph.D. or equivalent in psychology, public health, education, health services, implementation science, or a related discipline (degree conferred by fellowship start).

• A strong background in qualitative and quantitative analytical methods.

• A strong grounding in implementation science theory, methods, or frameworks (e.g., CFIR, Proctor’s outcomes, hybrid trial designs).

• Commitment to rigorous research and translating evidence into real-world practice and policy.

• Experience with mixed-methods research, community-engaged partnerships, or translational science is highly desirable.

• Excellent communication skills and a record (or strong potential) of scientific productivity.

Application Instructions

Please submit the following materials as a single PDF to rschuster@mgh.harvard.edu:

1. Cover letter outlining research interests, relevant experience, and goals for the fellowship.

2. Current CV.

3. Two representative writing samples, preferably peer-reviewed, first-authored, published manuscripts.

4. Contact information for three professional references.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Salary is competitive with excellent benefits.

Applications materials should be sent to the CSBH Center Director, Dr. Randi Schuster (rschuster@mgh.harvard.edu).