Faculty positions at the National Center for Opioid and Addiction Research (NCOAR)

Arkansas Children’s, in partnership with the University of Medical Sciences (UAMS), is seeking clinician scientists to join the National Center for Opioid and Addiction Research (NCOAR).

NCOAR is a first-of-its-kind, state-launched national research center dedicated to transforming the prevention and treatment of opioid and substance misuse among infants, children, adolescents and families. 

These positions are backed by an unprecedented public investment and anchored in maternal and child health within Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI). This is a rare opportunity to build, lead and shape a new national research enterprise from the ground up.  

Areas of work we are interested in, but not limited to:

• Examines the neurobiological mechanisms of opioid and other substance use disorders 
• Evaluates pharmacological or behavioral interventions through rigorous clinical trial designs 
• Leverages brain-based biomarkers to advance diagnosis, treatment response or recovery outcomes in pediatric and family populations 

Researchers will have access to the full infrastructure of ACRI, including a dedicated 24/7 Pediatric Clinical Research Unit and advanced support in biostatistics, biomedical informatics and community-engaged research. Additional resources at UAMS include the Translational Research Institute (TRI), the Addiction Research T32 Training Program, and more.

About NCOAR

NCOAR was launched in 2024 through a $75 million investment from Arkansas opioid and vaping settlement funds, with additional substantial support from Arkansas Children’s. Faculty will be housed in a new 65,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art research facility, with occupancy anticipated in early spring of 2027.

A new 65,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art research facility is currently under construction on the Arkansas Children’s Golisano’s campus in Little Rock, with occupancy anticipated in early spring of 2027. The facility will house advanced research infrastructure, collaborative team science spaces and cutting-edge technology, while also offering flexible areas designed to support convenings, workshops and community-engaged activities. This space is dedicated to NCOR’s mission and has been purposefully designed to accelerate discovery and translation.

NCOAR and ACRI

NCOR is a collaborative program within the ACRI, a not-for-profit corporation that is a nationally recognized pediatric research institute where children are at the center of every discovery. Researchers at ACRI span the full continuum of science from basic and translational research to clinical trials and community-based implementation, addressing in-utero development through young adulthood. ACRI includes the Pediatric Clinical Research Unit (PCRU), a dedicated research unit embedded in the Arkansas Children’s Hospital available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as well as dedicated pre- and post-award grant services, specialized expertise in biostatistics, informatics, community-based participatory research, and dissemination and implementation science. ACRI is located in Little Rock on the campus of Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH). ACH is a full-service, state-of-the-art medical facility, offering a complete array of clinical services ranging from well-child care to the medical management of critically ill and injured children.

An M.D., D.O., D.N.P., Ph.D. or other terminal degree with a record of peer-reviewed publications and receipt of extramural funding is required. 

Positions are open at all career stages, with appointments at the assistant, associate or full professor level commensurate with experience, with priority for mid- to senior-level career stage. Generous start-up packages and opportunities for NCOAR and ACRI leadership roles are available.