Job Title

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Agency

Texas A&M Agrilife Research

Department

Dallas

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Dallas, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Texas A&M AgriLife’s Institute for Advancing Health for Agriculture (IHA) Healthy Living program, based at the AgriLife Center at Dallas, seeks a Postdoctoral Research Associate with a focus on community-based research to address and ameliorate health disparities.

Texas A&M AgriLife is an organization that supports healthy living for all Texans, through the research of targeted agricultural practices that yield nutritious food sources, outreach programs that train community members on growing their own food, and preservation of natural resources via eco-friendly means, all while following practices that lead to a stronger Texas economy. Overseen by the Office of the Vice Chancellor and Dean for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M AgriLife includes the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences at Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Forest Service, and Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture (IHA) is the world’s first academic institute to bring together precision nutrition, responsive agriculture, and social and behavioral research to reduce diet-related chronic disease in a way that considers environmental and economic effects. The IHA comprises three focus areas—healthy living, precision nutrition, and responsive agriculture—and unites experts from various fields such as agriculture, nutrition, behavioral sciences, social sciences, life sciences, engineering, data and computation science, and economics.

Healthy Living programs implement, evaluate, and disseminate scientific solutions, applicable to all Texans, for improved public health. We aim to understand the means of building communities around healthy living and about facilitating the delivery of current, accurate, evidence-based programs, guidelines, and information that supports healthier living for Texans.

Areas of particular interest to Healthy Living include health disparities, food access, food systems, food and nutrition insecurity, dietary patterns and behaviors. diet/food intervention and program development and evaluation; physical activity behaviors and intervention development; policy system and environmental change; citizen science and community engaged research; and mHealth technologies for monitoring, assessment, and interventions.

The Healthy Living team, led by Dr. Rebecca Seguin-Fowler, works on a broad portfolio of extramurally funded, community-engaged research and active collaborations with community partners, cooperative extension, and many academic and nonprofit organizations throughout Texas and beyond. The IHA’s Healthy Living program welcomes applications from scholars who possess related expertise and are eager to play a role in our supportive, interdisciplinary research group, specifically focused on solutions to address risk factors for obesity and related chronic diseases. Applicants from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

The IHA’s Healthy Living program is housed at the Texas A&M AgriLife Center at Dallas, which focuses on scientific research, public outreach, and education programs. The Center is a regional hub for all Texas A&M AgriLife activity. It is one of 13 AgriLife Centers across the state - each focusing on issues specific to their region. Initiatives at Dallas hinge on healthy living, urban agriculture and forestry, and water and land resource management.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities will include playing an active role in research, including working on data, presentations, publications, project/program conceptualization and development, grant proposal development, and other related activities. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work on various projects, including active National Institutes of Health studies. Expectations also include but are not limited to leading and collaborating on manuscript preparation from relevant studies (e.g., data analysis, writing, and submission), contributing to conference presentations and reports, and developing and writing grant proposals to funding agencies.

Other Information

Customized professional development and training opportunities geared toward preparation for a faculty career will be provided. There may be an opportunity for this position to extend to or transition pending expertise alignment and performance.

Skills/Traits

• Ability to work very independently

• Excellent oral and written communication skills

• Desire and ability to work collaboratively and help maintain a supportive environment for all team members

• Highly organized and detail oriented

• Professional demeanor

• Ability to multi-task and establish effective working relationships and work cooperatively with others

• Knowledge and understanding of the mission and role of the Land Grant University System

Required Education/Experience

• Ph.D. in related field (e.g., nutrition, public health, epidemiology, kinesiology, etc.). Candidates with ABD or all requirements met but diploma pending may be considered.

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Preferred Education/Experience

• Appropriate research background, as demonstrated by direct experience with data analysis (qualitative and/or quantitative; both is preferred), publications in peer-reviewed journals, proposal development experience, scientific presentations, and stature appropriate for a postdoctoral scholar.

• Training and experience conducting human subjects research and working on research projects.

• Experience developing and designing interventions and related research studies in the following areas: underserved populations; minority and urban health; food systems; community-based health behavior interventions; and/or the integration of technology into community outreach and research.

• Experience working with various individuals and communities.

• Solid experience with qualitative and/or quantitative (at least one; both preferred) data analysis, including sufficient knowledge in statistical tools and software.

• Strong scientific manuscript writing and presentation skills, and solid experience writing/collaborating on extramural funding applications.

Note to applicants: Please include a cover letter, CV and 3 letters of recommendation.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer.