NIH Neighborhoods and Health Lab (National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, MD)

The Neighborhoods and Health Lab is seeking a full-time postdoctoral fellow. We invite candidates broadly interested in environmental context of cardiometabolic health and related behaviors to share their experience, skills, and ideas. Newly established in the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the Neighborhoods and Health Lab – under the direction of Dr. Shannon Zenk – has a history of innovative work in studying the environmental context of health behaviors, with a particular emphasis on food and built environments. The Lab has expertise in observational and intervention research. It has collected data using observation (e.g., systematic social observation), wearable sensors (e.g., global positioning system tracker, accelerometer), and surveys (e.g., intercept, ecological momentary assessment). In addition, the Lab has expertise in the use of secondary health and environmental data such as electronic medical records, administrative records, and commercial business lists. The Neighborhoods and Health Lab takes an explicitly contextual and spatial approach to health outcomes and behaviors and uses a variety of resources to measure the environment and environmental exposures, including mapping, geographic imputation, and policy analyses. Finally, given the complex and contextual nature of the questions and data with which this lab engages, a variety of analytic and statistical approaches ranging from econometric to geospatial to simulation are used. Cross cutting each research project is a strong emphasis on the role of environmental exposure in creating and propagating health disparities. With the re-establishment of the Neighborhoods and Health Lab at NIH, the Lab will also pursue investigation of biological mechanisms to further illuminate causal pathways between exposures and health outcomes. Efforts undertaken by this lab will include observational studies of community cohorts, community interventions, and evaluations of natural experiments. The Fellow will assist in the research including analysis of secondary data, design and implementation of community-based research, and dissemination of findings. The Fellow will work collaboratively with other Lab personnel to develop and answer innovative research questions.

Postdoctoral fellows in the NIH Intramural Research Program, located in Bethesda, MD, receive support and training with formal programs in grant writing, journal clubs, speaker series, and professional development, although the position’s primary responsibility will be in conducting research as part of the Neighborhoods and Health Lab.

Qualifications and required skills

• Strong interest in minority health, health disparities, and contextual health research
• Excellent written and oral communication
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Strong publication record
• Strong analytic skills
• Experience with human subjects research a plus
• Experience with geographic information systems a plus

We invite candidates with doctoral degrees attained within the previous five years in nursing science, public health, epidemiology, psychology, medical sociology, biostatistics, urban planning, kinesiology, economics, geography, or related fields to apply by emailing a cover letter outlining research interests and experience, a curriculum vita, and 3 letters of reference to Dr. Kelly Jones at [email protected] with the email subject heading: Neighborhoods and Health Lab Postdoctoral Fellow Application [applicant last name]. For questions please contact Dr. Kelly Jones at [email protected]. Review of applications will begin immediately upon receipt. The NIH is dedicated to building a diverse community in its training and employment programs. HHS and NIH are Equal Opportunity Employers.