Postdoctoral Research Associate

Job Title

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Agency

Texas A&M University Health Science Center

Department

Epidemiology & Biostatistics

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Our Commitment    

Texas A&M University is committed to enriching the learning and working environment by promoting a culture that respects all perspectives, talents & lived experiences.  Embracing varying opinions and perspectives strengthens our core values which are: Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Selfless Service.   

  

Who we are   

As one of the fastest-growing academic health centers in the nation, Texas A&M Health encompasses five colleges and numerous centers and institutes working together to improve health through transformative education, innovative research and team-based health care delivery.  

  

What we want   

The Postdoctoral Research Associate is responsible for assisting the Principal Investigator with Global Health research on emerging and epidemic diseases. The candidate will aid in preparations, logistics, and study conduct at the College Station campus and the international field sites. The PDA will participate in data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation. Substantial travel, including international travel to tropical areas, required. The ideal candidate will have experience and interest in field epidemiology, international health, and/or tropical medicine and will join a collaborative and busy team studying CKDu, COVID, tropical infections/environmental diseases and other emerging tropical health issues.

What you need to know

Salary: Compensation will be commensurate to the selected hire’s experience. 

Other Requirements or Other Factors: Proficiency in SPANISH is required

Required Education:

• PhD or Appropriate doctoral degree

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Working fluency of SPANISH language

• Substantial travel, including international travel to tropical areas, required.

• Must be able to work independently, including at field sites

• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others, including co-workers, leadership, faculty, students, trainees, clinicians, health officials, other scientists, etc.

• Ability to work independently

• Ability to communicate clearly

• Ability to manage time effectively

• Ability to travel to and work in tropical countries

• Working knowledge of epidemiologic study design & conduct

• Working knowledge of common statistical approaches and analyses

• Proficiency with data analysis, including standard software (e.g. Stata, R, SAS, SPSS)

• Ability to analyze and interpret data (e.g., epidemiologic, clinical, laboratory)

• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word

• Proficiency with a reference manager (e.g. RefWorks, Mendeley)

• Ability to present research data and findings (e.g. publication, poster, presentation)

• Potential to generate research grant proposal and publication

• Ability to write a manual of standard operating procedures for research

• Ability to oversee field logistics and operations, including training study teams

• Ability to organize and coordinate study teams in the field

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Doctoral degree in epidemiology or other public health field

• Coursework in global health, international health, or tropical medicine

• Coursework or training in field epidemiology or field operations

• Experience with epidemiologic study design, procedures & protocol development, data analysis, interpretation, and presentation; international fieldwork; and/or tropical medicine

• International experience with health or public health projects

• Manuscript preparation and publication

• Grant preparation and publication

• Experience conducting field studies and/or laboratory studies

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to work cooperatively on interdisciplinary teams, which may include other researchers, faculty, students, trainees, clinicians, health officials, other scientists, etc.

• Ability to communicate across disciplines

• Ability to lead teams and supervise students

• Knowledge on designing and implementing research studies, including epidemiologic studies

• Ability to develop, test, and pilot survey and questionnaire tools

• Experience initiating and maintaining regulatory clearance (e.g. IRB, biologic permits, import/export documentation)

• Working knowledge and experience in laboratory setting, for infectious diseases or toxicology

• Proficiency with electronic data collection system (e.g. REDCap)

• Understanding of human subjects research and ability to maintain confidentiality, security, and privacy.

• Ability to obtain informed consent from potential research participants

• Understanding of tropical health concerns, infectious or toxic in nature

• Experience shipping biospecimens and other research materials

• Experience with project management or coordination

• Demonstrated publication/presentation record

• Ability to manage project budget

Responsibilities:

• Research development and conduct - Aid in design and development of research tools. Aid in design and development of research protocols. Develop manual of procedures for assigned research projects. Communicate and coordinate with study team, collaborators, and international field sites/teams. Oversee and monitor day to day activities and operations of field teams/sites. Oversee data collection. Develop and manage databases (e.g. REDCap). Develop and maintain informed consent documentation. Collect, transport, store biological, clinical, environmental specimens for analysis. Analyze specimens, as directed. Participate in weekly team meetings and one-on-one meetings with PI as needed. Develop and comply with mentorship agreement. Develop and achieve research milestones. Travel to international field sites to coordinate with site, implement procedures, provide training, collect data, and other duties above.

• Prepare publications, grant proposals, and scientific communications - Conduct statistical analysis, visualization, and interpretation on research data. Interpret statistical analyses appropriately and draw scientific conclusions. Identify areas of research, gaps in knowledge, and suggested directions. Prepare and format presentations, publications, and proposals. Coordinate submission of presentations, publications, and proposals for consideration  . Identify and develop an independent grant proposal (e.g. NIH/NSF career award).

• Manage research projects - Manage and maintain regulatory documents, approvals, and certifications pertaining to assigned research projects. Manage and monitor budgets. Maintain research operating procedures. Supervise and train of graduate and undergraduates on assigned projects. Schedule and attend meetings between collaborators and international field teams (may involve travel). Purchase supplies and equipment for assigned projects, as needed. Performs other duties as assigned.

Instructions to Applicants: Applications received by Texas A&M University must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to prepopulate the online application.    

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer.