Postdoctoral Research Associate (People, Health, and Place Unit) - Brown School

Position Summary

To apply for this postdoctoral research opportunity, please follow the directions below in "Applicant Special Instructions."

The position is in the People, Health, and Place (PHP) Unit at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. The PHP Unit is a research, teaching, and capacity building division of the St. Louis Prevention Research Center (PRC) focusing on the population-level effect of space and place-based factors on health and wellbeing, both locally and globally. Research at the Unit includes studies of active and public transport, parks and green spaces, urban design, food access, and community development, all in relation to human and planetary health.

Faculty in the PHP Unit and St. Louis PRC conduct preeminent, culturally relevant, and community-engaged research on the built environment and health equity at local and global scales. The PHP Unit is committed to developing researcher and practitioner capacity in methods of measurement, evaluation, and intervention on environmental determinants of health.

The PHP Unit conducts research on a wide range of issues. Joining the Unit will produce many opportunities for collaboration with public health faculty within the St. Louis PRC, across the academic campuses of Washington University as well as with PHP partner institutions, including the University of Texas at Austin, the Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica in Mexico, and Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná in Brazil.

Information on being a postdoc at Washington University in St. Louis can be found at https://postdoc.wustl.edu/prospective-postdocs-2/ .

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

The successful candidate’s major responsibilities will include assisting with the development of grant proposals and managing and contributing to the implementation of mixed-methods research studies. Research projects will assess the role of built and natural environment features on health behaviors such as physical activity; the effective and culturally relevant dissemination and implementation of health and place research; and measuring and alleviating the inequitable health impacts of global climate change. The postdoctoral research associate will support research projects through study management and planning, oversight of data collection and analysis, helping coordinate teams of research assistants and data collectors, and preparing novel research study proposals for funding. The postdoctoral research associate will work directly with the research team of Dr. Rodrigo Reis. The postdoctoral position is a one-year position beginning in the spring of 2024, with the possibility of extension contingent on performance and funding.

The postdoctoral research associate trains under the supervision of a faculty mentor to accomplish the following (including, but not limited to):

• Managing their own project, which should lead to publication.
• Developing expertise in methods of measurement, evaluation, and intervention on environmental determinants of health.
• Developing proficiency in career skills including writing, public speaking, networking, and critical evaluation of area literature.
• Presenting work both inside and outside the University with excellent oral communication skills.
• Assisting with grant preparation and reporting.
• Preparing and submitting papers on research with excellent writing skills.
• Designing a research project or projects.
• Maintaining conscientious discharge of research responsibilities.
• Maintaining conformity with ethical standards in research.
• Maintaining collegial conduct towards co-trainees, staff members and members of the research group or department.
• Adhering to all applicable University policies, procedures and regulations.

Required Qualifications

• Doctoral degree or be in the process of obtaining a postdoctoral degree (e.g., MD, PhD, DrPH, EdD) in a public health related discipline or other relevant discipline (e.g., urban design, environmental science) with an interest in transitioning to research in public health or health behavior.
• Postdoc applicants are expected to be no more than five years beyond their postdoctoral or fellowship training when they enter the program.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated interest in the built environment, global health, health equity, and/or the social and environmental determinants of health.
• Demonstrated experience with mixed-methods studies including quantitative and qualitative data sources and analysis.
• Experience with or interest in community-engaged research methods.
• Experience with or interest in topics and methods in global health.
• Strong skills in statistical and/or spatial analysis, including use of software such as R, SAS, STATA, and ArcGIS.
• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Some experience working with large, complex datasets.

Salary Range

The minimum compensation for Washington University Postdoctoral Research Associates and Scholars for FY2024 will be $56,880 per year as of July 1, 2023 (per year defined as a 12-month appointment). This amount is based on the NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Year 1 stipend amount.

Applicant Special Instructions

Interested candidates should send a CV, cover letter, brief writing sample, and list of professional or academic references to: Áine O’Connor at [email protected] and Rodrigo Reis, PhD at [email protected] . Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Questions can be directed to [email protected] .

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ .

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email [email protected]  or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

Pre-Employment Screening
All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees. Benefits eligibility is subject to employment status, full-time equivalent (FTE) workload, and weekly standard hours. Please visit our website at https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/ to view a summary of benefits.

EEO/AA Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity and especially encourages applications by those from underrepresented groups. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.

Diversity Statement
Washington University is dedicated to building a diverse community of individuals who are committed to contributing to an inclusive environment – fostering respect for all and welcoming individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Individuals with a commitment to these values are encouraged to apply.