The Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at the University of Southern California seeks candidates for a one-year research fellowship. Postdoctoral positions provide mentored training in research as well as protected time to participate in publishing, grant writing, and other career development activities. The Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate will work on a grant funded by the California Department of Health Care Services through the California Opioid State Targeted Response (STR) to the Opioid Crisis Grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This work is a part of the state’s Tribal Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Project which aims to meet the specific opioid use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery needs of California’s American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities.

 

Under this funding, USC has five projects: 1) Providing technical assistance with data gathering and analysis to 30 Tribal and Urban Indian grantees 2) Evaluating the Tribal and Urban Indian grantees 3) Delivering an OUD/SUD policy advocacy training program 4) Supporting collaboration between local, state, and Tribal entities to facilitate the development of meaningful partnerships and increase non-Tribal staff knowledge of working effectively with Tribes and/or serving Tribal patients 5) Developing a website in partnership with a state-level tribal organization to function as an accessible, one-stop-shop for TMAT-produced educational and training materials We seek candidates with backgrounds and interests in health disparities among vulnerable populations, social/environmental determinants of health, behavioral and social science methodologies (e.g., collective impact, social ecological model, social network analysis, qualitative research), and evaluating innovative health services research.

 

The Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate will be highly involved in manuscript preparation using data from completed and ongoing studies, grant writing to secure future funding, and report writing for the funder. Qualified individuals must have completed a PhD, MD, or equivalent. Excellent writing and analytical skills are required. Experience with OUD/SUD/tobacco research, AIAN communities, health disparities, quantitative methods, and statistical analysis (e.g., SAS programming) is preferred.

The annual base salary range for this position is $65,000-75,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS: Minimum Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate within previous five years Minimum Experience: 0-1 year Minimum Field of Expertise: Directly related education in research specialization with advanced knowledge of equipment, procedures and analysis methods. Preferred Field of Expertise: Publications in peer-reviewed journals in the same or related field. Skills: Other: Analysis Assessment/evaluation Communication -- written and oral skills Conceptualization and design Organization Planning Problem identification and resolution Project management Research Statistical analysis Skills: Machine/Equipment: Calculator Computer network (department or school) Computer network (university) Computer peripheral equipment Fax Personal computer Photocopier Supervises: Level: May oversee student, temporary and/or casual workers. Comments: A copy of the doctoral diploma or other certification that indicates that the terminal degree has been completed satisfactorily is required. If the doctoral candidate has not yet obtained a degree, he/she should provide evidence that a thesis has been approved together with a documented indication of the expected date of formal graduation. It is the responsibility of the faculty mentor to verify this documentation. The documentation is to be filed with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.