Job Vacancy Announcement – Neuropsychologist (Contractor)

Program Overview

The NIMH IRP conducts extensive research into the mechanisms of and treatments for a range of mental illnesses including psychotic, affective, and anxiety disorders in adults, childhood disorders, as well as genetic studies, and basic/translational laboratory research. With over 40 research groups conducting basic neuroscience research and clinical investigations of mental illnesses, brain function, and behavior. The IRP conducts clinical trials that are designed to expedite the exchange of information between scientists and clinicians so that basic findings can be moved quickly from the laboratory setting to the treatment of patients at the bedside. Clinical trials are of primary importance to the research mission of the NIMH. The clinical research portion of the program comprises tenured and tenure-track clinical investigators, staff clinicians, and fellows in more than a dozen clinical Branches and free-standing Sections.

The Neuropsychology Consult Service evaluates the cognitive and emotional functioning of patients by integrating NIH patient history with results from individually administered normative psychological tests (of attention, memory, language, IQ, executive functioning, mood, and personality). NIH patients can be referred for neuropsychological evaluations for clinical purposes (related to their enrollment in an NIH study) and/or as part of protocol-driven research. (Research evaluations require protocol pre-approval.) The goal of this consult service is to assist NIH researchers and clinicians with behavioral phenotyping, patient diagnosis, determining progression of disease, treatment planning, and assessing treatment effects. Evaluations are completed under the direction of licensed psychologists, can be brief (e.g., 30-40 minutes) or as long as five hours depending upon the complexity of the referral question, and can be completed in the NIH Clinical Center outpatient clinics or at patient bedside.

Position Overview

• Contractor shall provide in-person neuropsychological evaluations for clinical and research protocols in the NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD in support of the NIH intramural research program, under the direction of clinical neuropsychologists, and as guided by existing policies, procedures, and other guidance.
• Contractor shall conduct interviews (of research subjects and family informants), administer and score tests accurately (and/or oversee the testing conducted by students and other personnel), interpret neuropsychological data, and/or communicate findings/conclusions orally and in writing.
• Testing shall include standardized and well-validated tests of neuropsychological domains, including but not limited to attention, language, learning/memory, visuospatial abilities, executive functioning, personality, and mood.
• Contractor shall document reports in the patient’s electronic medical record. Reports shall be timely and include documentation of history of presenting illness, neuropsychological and psychological tests administered, quantitative test data for individual patients, individual performance on the tests as compared with normative data, and interpretation of the data based on best practices in the neuropsychology field.
• Contractor may be required to conduct standardized assessments for phenotype classification of participants in research studies; pre- and post-operative neuropsychological assessment of patients undergoing various medical procedures; or evaluate the cognitive status of potential candidates for neurosurgical procedures such as deep brain stimulation or ablation.
• Contractor shall monitor the quality of test administration/scoring of other personnel; and provide and document training.
• Contractor shall work with other personnel on research activities, including organizing and maintaining participant information and neuropsychological test data in spreadsheets and databases; performing preliminary analyses on data using statistical analysis software; and assisting in collation of research results for publication according to the timeline requested by the Government staff

Qualifications

• Licensed Psychologist or Licensed Clinical Psychologist (in one of 50 states or DC)
• Skills: Clinical neuropsychological assessment

How to Apply

This position is open to both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a statement of research interests, and contact information for three potential references to Dr. Joe Snow at josephsnow@mail.nih.gov. Please include "Neuropsychologist Application" in the subject line. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. The position is subject to a background check.

Information on the SOAR Contract

The SOAR Contract is a non-personal services contract which provides critical services across all Institutes and Centers (ICs) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH requires qualified and experienced Contractor support on a full range of activities, including new and in-progress research projects, program deployment and implementation, and other activities necessary to conduct the business and fulfill the mission of NIH's biomedical research program. The SOAR Contract was awarded to 5 vendors with a 60-month period of performance.

HHS and NIH are equal opportunity employers

The NIH is dedicated to building a diverse community in its training and employment programs and encourages the application and nomination of qualified women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities.