UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP) is recruiting for a Health Promotion Postdoctoral Research Fellow. This full-time position is available for 2 years. This research position with focus on a better understanding of the role of diet quality in health outcomes as assessed in the context of a dietary intervention to promote a healthful diet and weight loss. This position will also support grant development skills and pilot research aimed at promoting health in a variety of contexts, including dental health. Prior experience with methods and analytic techniques related to assessment of diet quality and health outcomes strongly preferred.

The research position offers ample opportunities for training in manuscript writing, grant writing, use of innovative technology and methodology, and hands-on experience collaborating with other researchers and leading funded pilot studies. Considerable attention will be devoted to developing the fellow’s line of research. One set of responsibilities includes providing mentorship to research staff and students; assisting with data management; conducting statistical analyses; and writing scientific manuscripts. It is expected that approximately 50% of the fellow’s time will be devoted these activities. The other focus of this fellowship will be the development of skills to prepare research grants and to undertake research activities related to health promotion with a focus on dental health.

In addition, the post-doctoral fellow will provide support to other researchers at HPDP, including but not limited to: assistance with sample size estimates, collaboration on aims and study design, and consultation on appropriate statistical methods and statistical software packages. Furthermore, the post-doctoral fellow will collaborate with others at UNC and other institutions on methods developed to assess dietary quality and calculate diet quality indices from dietary survey instruments.

As a result of fellowship activities, training, and mentorship, fellows will be highly competitive for the NIH Loan Repayment Program and for NIH training grants (e.g., K awards) and for research and tenure track faculty positions. The ideal candidate will have a doctorate in nutrition or will have done doctoral level work in studies focusing on nutritional assessment and health outcomes. A strong background in statistical analysis and excellent writing skills are required.

Essential Functions:

• Overseeing research staff and students
• Developing and monitoring study protocols
• Assisting in the development of treatment protocols
• Assisting with development and iteration of technologies and methodologies of research projects
• Data processing and conducting statistical analyses
• Developing follow-up designs and grant proposals
• Writing scientific manuscripts
• Conducting assessments of potential participants
• Leading treatment groups