Post Doctoral Fellow - Neurology (Stroke Recovery)

Department:

SOM KC Neurology - Stroke

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Research in Exercise and Cardiovascular Health Laboratory

Position Title:

Post Doctoral Fellow - Neurology (Stroke Recovery)

Job Family Group:

Professional Staff

Job Description Summary:

The Stroke Recovery Research Fellow will contribute to and lead translational research in stroke recovery within the Department of Neurology at the University of Kansas Medical Center. This position offers a unique opportunity to lead and publish analyses from the Fitness After Stroke (FAST) clinical trial examining the effects of high-intensity interval training and moderate-intensity continuous training on a recumbent stepper (ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT05936008). Data are available to explore in-depth analyses of cardiorespiratory fitness, brain health, and walking outcomes. The fellow will work within a research environment with access to rich datasets, structured mentorship, and active projects including the HIT Stroke trial. The fellow will also be integrated into a successful stroke team that leads the region in vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) for stroke recovery and serves as a top site for the VNS-paired GRASP longitudinal study.

The environment is intentionally structured to support that progression by combining access to high-quality data, strong mentorship, and meaningful leadership roles on ongoing projects. The fellow will be expected to contribute to team-based science and scholarly output, while progressively developing their own research questions and portfolio, with the level of independence tailored to prior experience and career goals. The position also provides access to a range of professional development opportunities at both the institutional and national level, including grant writing support, career development programming, and engagement with leading research networks.

Job Description:

Key Roles and Responsibilities

Clinical Research Implementation & Participant Engagement

• Contribute to implementation and advancement of ongoing stroke recovery clinical trials, including participant screening, enrollment, study execution, and hands-on exposure to high-quality trial infrastructure such as adverse event reporting, cross-site coordination, and protocol standardization.

• Build relationships with participants and caregivers through professional communication, education, and ongoing engagemen.t

• Assist in intervention delivery and protocol execution, consistent with licensure, training, and study requirements.

Outcome Assessment

• Conduct standardized clinical and functional outcome assessments.

• Monitor participant safety and physiological responses during testing and intervention sessions.

• Ensure high protocol fidelity, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance across active studies, including HIT Stroke and vagal nerve stimulator-related initiatives.

Scholarship and Career Development

• Lead publishable analyses from the Fitness After Stroke (FAST) clinical trial examining exercise intensity, walking recovery, cardiorespiratory fitness, and brain health outcomes.

• Contribute to abstracts, conference presentations nationally, and manuscript development, with strong opportunities for first-author productivity.

• Lead components of data analysis and writing based on prior experience and career goals.

• Engage in regular research discussions, lab meetings, and collaborative scientific projects.

• Work closely with investigators, clinicians, and trainees in a highly collaborative, team-based environment.

• Build an individualized pathway toward external funding, career development awards, and research independence.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. It is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, duties, and assignments. Furthermore, job duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Work Environment

• Physically support and transfer an individual in a wheelchair to/from exercise device or chair with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Move blocks from side to side in a repetitive fashion with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Move 25 lbs with or without reasonable accommodation.

Required Qualifications<