Occupational Therapy Post-Doctoral Fellowship

University of Pittsburgh • Pittsburgh, PA

4h • Hybrid

About The Position

The University of Pittsburgh Healthy Home Laboratory is seeking applications for a one-year Occupational Therapy Post-Doctoral Fellowship beginning July 2026. The Healthy Home Laboratory is a distinctive interprofessional research, education, and training laboratory dedicated to developing, evaluating, and implementing innovative technologies and evidence-based solutions that support aging in place for older adults. The laboratory brings together faculty, staff, and students from the Schools of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, and Social Work, creating a rich collaborative environment for advanced training, scholarship, and community impact. The primary research focus of this Occupational Therapy Post-Doctoral Fellowship is a one-year project funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, Let There Be Light, aimed at developing and implementing an evidence-informed aging-in-place program for community-dwelling older adults across Pennsylvania. The selected fellow will work closely with the project's principal investigator and play an active leadership role in advancing the following three aims: Aim 1: Develop a low-tech lighting toolkit for older adult consumers using a primary prevention model Aim 2: Design a toolkit training and delivery model for implementation through Pennsylvania senior centers Aim 3: Implement the lighting toolkit program across senior centers throughout Pennsylvania using a train-the-trainer dissemination model. This position offers substantial leadership and professional development opportunities, including conducting focus groups, collecting and managing quantitative and qualitative data, supporting program recruitment, and leading training module development and dissemination activities. The fellow will collaborate closely with the investigative team to analyze findings using established implementation science frameworks, including FRAME, CFIR, and RE-AIM. This is a community-facing position that involves regular, direct interaction with senior center program managers in suburban and rural Pennsylvania, as well as community-dwelling older adults. Some travel throughout Pennsylvania will be necessary. Applicants must have access to a personal vehicle and possess a valid driver's license. The fellow will have the opportunity to work closely with an interprofessional team of investigators and gain advanced skills in implementing evidence-based solutions that support aging in place. In collaboration with their primary mentor, the fellow will also have the opportunity to contribute to one or more additional ongoing Healthy Home Laboratory projects, providing exposure to diverse areas of research within the laboratory, including technology development and commercialization, technology evaluation, and translational research. The fellowship offers hands-on experience with the full range of technologies housed within the Healthy Home Laboratory, as well as opportunities to develop education and training skills through participation in educational open houses, community tours, and experiential learning activities across University programs. In addition, the fellow will receive mentored training in home assessment and environmental modification, as well as dissemination and implementation science, through University resources such as the Dissemination and Implementation Science Core (DISC). Lastly, this fellowship also provides a unique opportunity to collaborate with health policy leaders, gaining experience in the development of health policy briefs and recommendations related to aging in place.

Requirements

• Access to a personal vehicle
• Possess a valid driver's license
• Must be on track to complete all occupational therapy doctoral degree requirements no later than June 1, 2026

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated interest in occupational therapy with older adults
• Demonstrated interest in assistive technology
• Demonstrated interest in home modifications
• Demonstrated interest in implementation science
• Training, clinical experience, or leadership experiences beyond classroom curricula related to older adult practice
• Prior research experience

Responsibilities

• Play an active leadership role in advancing Aim 1: Develop a low-tech lighting toolkit for older adult consumers using a primary prevention model
• Play an active leadership role in advancing Aim 2: Design a toolkit training and delivery model for implementation through Pennsylvania senior centers
• Play an active leadership role in advancing Aim 3: Implement the lighting toolkit program across senior centers throughout Pennsylvania using a train-the-trainer dissemination model
• Conduct focus groups
• Collect and manage quantitative and qualitative data
• Support program recruitment
• Lead training module development and dissemination activities
• Collaborate closely with the investigative team to analyze findings using established implementation science frameworks, including FRAME, CFIR, and RE-AIM
• Engage in regular, direct interaction with senior center program managers in suburban and rural Pennsylvania, as well as community-dwelling older adults
• Contribute to one or more additional ongoing Healthy Home Laboratory projects
• Participate in educational open houses, community tours, and experiential learning activities across University programs
• Collaborate with health policy leaders, gaining experience in the development of health policy briefs and recommendations related to aging in place

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees