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Posted: 12-Nov-22
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Salary: Open
Internal Number: 226645
Interested applicants please submit (1) a letter of interest; (2) a curriculum vita; (3) contact information for two or three references who can supply a letter of recommendation. All general inquiries and questions about the position can be sent to nprieur@umich.edu.
Profs. Jessica Faul and Colter Mitchell are seeking a postdoctoral researcher in biosocial research to help examine the role of biology, social, and environmental influences on health from childhood to older age. Our grants use survey and biological data (including blood-based markers, genetic, DNA methylation, and RNA sequencing data) primarily from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study and the Health and Retirement Study to investigate the links between early life social context, biomarkers of aging, and health across the life course. Using existing and new biosocial data from these (and several other) large, population-based cohorts, in addition to novel data from multiple sources (wearables, administrative linkages, geographic and contextual data), we use a variety of approaches to address our research questions (machine learning, graphical visualization, regression models). Broadly, we are interested in understanding the degree to which biomarkers link early life context to later life health, how the relationships between exposures, biomarkers, and outcomes change over the life course, and to what degree biomarkers are valid and generalizable to population subgroups (by sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES)).
Candidates do not need to have skills in all areas listed above and can be focused in one or more areas (e.g. epidemiology, data science, bioinformatics, social science, biostatistics, statistical genetics). Openness to novel approaches, creativity, strong writing and data analysis, programming, and data visualization skills and enjoyment of working as part of scientific team is a must.
Although the position is funded by several existing grants (R01 AG07107 Biological Aging Across the Life Course; R01 AG068937 Social Circumstances and Epigenomics Promoting Health in Three Countries; R01 MD011716 Epigenetics Mediation of Adverse Social Context on Stress Response, Socioemotional Development, and Health; R01 AG060110 Biological Underpinnings of Socioeconomic Differentials in Health and Mortality), the researcher will be encouraged to develop their own independent research projects. Postdoctoral Researchers within our group in the past have developed their own independent careers and profiles while working within the broad themes of our grants and have gone on to prestigious academic positions. Training and support for preparing applications for external funding will be provided.
Background Information
Candidates will join the Population, Neurodevelopment and Genetics (PNG) Program (pngprogram.com) in the Survey Research Center (SRC) at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research (ISR), directed by Prof. Mitchell.
The Institute for Social Research is the largest academic social science research institution in the world. This interdisciplinary community includes researchers from sociology, anthropology, economics, psychology, information and computer science, statistics, geography, public policy, public health, and medicine, among others. SRC is a unique, world-renowned social science research center that conducts investigator-initiated, survey-based research on theoretical and applied problems of both social and scientific importance (see www.src.isr.umich.edu). Scholars have exceptional resources to facilitate research including access to administrative, research, and computer support staff.
- PhD degree or equivalent in data science, computational biology, epidemiology, statistics, psychology, sociology, biostatistics, economics, computer science, bioinformatics, or other relevant fields.
- Experience with large health science databases or studies
- Analysis experience in R, SAS, STATA, or a similar statistical programming language
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a research team
- Demonstrated interpersonal skills with excellent verbal and written English communication skills
Salary range is $70,000 - $85,000/year plus benefits and travel funds to relevant conferences. The appointment will be for one year, with a potential for annual renewal for up to 3 years total, start date is flexible but ideally beginning between January 2023 and August 2023.
The Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce as a reflection of our commitment to serve the diverse people of Michigan, to maintain the excellence of the University, and to ground our research in varied disciplines, perspectives, and ways of knowing and learning.
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.
The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.
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