Postdoctoral Scholar - Research Associate

University of Southern California • Los Angeles, CA

50d • $70,000 - $80,000

About The Position

The Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at the University of Southern California (USC) invites applications for a postdoctoral research associate position in the fields of environmental health, air pollution exposure science, and geospatial modeling of environmental exposures, including the natural and built environment, and their impacts on cardiometabolic health across the life course. This position offers opportunities for multi-disciplinary collaboration and professional development, including publication, presentation at scientific conferences and involvement in proposal writing. The applicant will be co-mentored by Drs. Shohreh Farzan and Rima Habre and will have the opportunity to work with several ongoing studies and center programs, including the USC CLIMA Center (https://clima.usc.edu), the Southern California Children's Health Study, and the Maternal and Developmental Risks from Environmental and Social Stressors (MADRES) cohort. Areas of scientific investigation focus on the impacts of environmental exposures, including wildfire smoke and heat stress, on early indicators of cardiometabolic health from childhood through young adulthood. Additional areas of interest may include the joint modeling of multiple exposures and interactions with community and individual level adaptation/resilience factors on health outcomes. This position will require innovative and insightful investigations in these areas, therefore individuals with very strong data analysis skills - e.g. advanced epi methods and exposure modeling/mixtures-- will be given strong consideration. The applicant must have a PhD in environmental health, exposure science, population health, and/or a closely related field and a background in one or more of the following is preferred: environmental/cardiovascular/molecular biology epidemiology, big data methods, geospatial methods for exposure modeling and analysis, machine learning, etc. The successful applicant will be an interdisciplinary, well-rounded and experienced individual who is driven, can work and succeed independently, but can also thrive in and contribute to interdisciplinary, collaborative team settings.

Requirements

• PhD in environmental health, exposure science, population health, and/or a closely related field
• Very strong data analysis skills - e.g. advanced epi methods and exposure modeling/mixtures--
• Ability to work independently
• Driven
• Can work and succeed independently
• Can also thrive in and contribute to interdisciplinary, collaborative team settings
• Analysis
• Assessment/evaluation
• Communication -- written and oral skills
• Conceptualization and design
• Organization
• Planning
• Problem identification and resolution
• Project management
• Research
• Statistical analysis
• Calculator
• Computer network (department or school)
• Computer network (university)
• Computer peripheral equipment
• Fax
• Personal computer
• Photocopier
• 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.

Nice To Haves

• Background in one or more of the following is preferred: environmental/cardiovascular/molecular biology epidemiology, big data methods, geospatial methods for exposure modeling and analysis, machine learning, etc.
• Publications in peer-reviewed journals in the same or related field.

Responsibilities

• Generates scientific hypotheses and conducts data analysis from start to finish
• Works independently with minimal supervision
• Writes manuscripts of completed work
• Contributes intellectually to scientific goals
• Leading independent data analyses
• Conducting sophisticated geospatial data generation and exposure modeling
• Assisting with study management
• Submitting abstracts to and presenting research findings at national scientific meetings
• Manuscript and proposal writing in collaboration with Drs. Farzan and Habre
• Proactively seek guidance when needed and to generate his/her own line of research aligned with Center goals is essential.

What This Job Offers

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