Research Fellow-PC Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation - Korupolu lab
About The Position
The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation seeks a motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow to contribute to Dr. Radha Korupolu’s NIH-funded R01 study, “Effects of a Mobile App-Based Mindfulness Intervention in Persons with Spinal Cord Injury and Chronic Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” The study compares a mobile app-based mindfulness intervention with health education for people with spinal cord injury and chronic pain. Under Dr. Korupolu’s mentorship, the fellow will contribute to study implementation, data analysis, scientific publications, and development of an independent research program in rehabilitation, chronic pain, and behavioral health. The fellow will work closely with investigators, research coordinators, statisticians, collaborating institutions, and community advisory board members. This temporary Research Fellow position at Mayo Clinic is intended to provide research training and education in a principal investigator’s research program. The fellow will receive mentorship in clinical trial methods, rehabilitation research, scientific writing, interdisciplinary collaboration, and grant development. Opportunities include leading publications and developing an independent research focus within the funded project. Research-subject contact may be permitted when directly related to and incidental to the research program, subject to background check and CCATS Executive Committee approval.
Requirements
- An M.D. or Ph.D. (preferably in Psychology or a closely related field), completed before the appointment begins.
- Proven track record of involvement in mindfulness meditation studies, including research design, implementation, or evaluation.
- Demonstrated interest in clinical research involving spinal cord injury, chronic pain, rehabilitation, mindfulness, or behavioral health.
- Training or experience in research methods and quantitative data analysis.
- Strong scientific writing, communication, organizational, and critical thinking skills.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary research team.
- Commitment to ethical research practices, participant confidentiality, and respectful engagement with individuals with disabilities.
- Qualified individuals should demonstrate research potential through their training and peer-reviewed publications and should become competitive for national research grants.
Nice To Haves
- Research experience in clinical, health, or rehabilitation psychology; pain management; or behavioral medicine.
- Experience with randomized controlled trials, digital health interventions, or remotely delivered research.
- Experience interacting with research participants and administering standardized patient-reported assessments.
- Familiarity with REDCap and statistical software such as R, SAS, SPSS, or Stata.
- Peer-reviewed publications or scientific presentations.
- Experience studying mindfulness, intervention adherence, or psychosocial outcomes.
- Familiarity with human subjects research and Good Clinical Practice.
Responsibilities
- Contribute to implementation of the research protocol and development of study procedures, training materials, and assessment workflows.
- Collaborate with research coordinators to support participant recruitment, engagement, retention, and completion of study assessments.
- Conduct protocol-assigned participant interviews and standardized assessments following appropriate training.
- Support consistent implementation of study procedures across participating sites, including intervention fidelity and maintenance of study blinding, as applicable.
- Evaluate participant engagement with the mobile intervention and help identify barriers to adherence and accessibility.
- Assist with data quality monitoring, data cleaning, documentation, and preparation of datasets for analysis using REDCap and other approved systems.
- Work with the study statistician and investigators on analyses of pain, psychological well-being, mindfulness, quality of life, and other protocol-defined outcomes.
- Lead and contribute to manuscripts, conference abstracts, presentations, literature reviews, and secondary analyses.
- Assist with IRB documentation, study progress reports, and research reporting under the direction of the PI and program coordinator.
- Participate in study meetings and community advisory board activities to incorporate the perspectives of people living with spinal cord injury.
- Develop research questions and grant proposals aligned with the study and the fellow’s career goals.
Benefits
- Multiple medical plan options.
- Dental coverage through Delta Dental or a reimbursement account for flexible coverage.
- Affordable vision plan with a national network.
- HSA and FSA pre-tax savings for eligible expenses.
- Competitive retirement package.
- Continuing education and advancement opportunities.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
