Postdoctoral Scholar Position in Childhood Obesity Prevention

Description

About ChildObesity180

ChildObesity180 is a national leader in childhood obesity prevention – blending scientific evidence and rigor with innovation and experience from the private sector to develop, implement, evaluate, and scale high-impact obesity prevention initiatives in the US. ChildObesity180’s unique value proposition rests in the ability to leverage the experiences, intellect, and assets from multiple sectors to address one of society’s most pressing public health problems – childhood obesity. ChildObesity180 is part of the Gerald J and Dorothy R Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University and is located at Tufts University’s Boston, MA campus. The Friedman School is a rare blend of nutrition scholarship and policy expertise, and a leader in science, education, and public policy, whose faculty work together to address large and complex nutrition issues across the globe. The ChildObesity180 Postdoctoral Fellow will have the opportunity to join over 200 Friedman School graduate students, other postdoctoral fellows, and faculty in seminars, workshops, and other scholarly and social activities as part of the Friedman School and the larger Tufts community, including the recently launched Tufts Institute for Global Obesity Research (TIGOR), a Tufts-wide initiative to foster collaborations that are urgently needed to address the complex societal problem of obesity, with both a domestic and global focus. 

 

Duties & Responsibilities:

Dr. Christina Economos, Professor at the Friedman School and Director of ChildObesity180, will be the primary mentor for the Postdoctoral Fellow to work on ongoing research activities related to the application of systems science methods to community-based obesity prevention. The Postdoctoral Fellow position provides a unique opportunity to refine a framework for community-based obesity prevention that blends three systems science approaches (agent-based modeling, community-based system dynamics, and social network analysis) with nutrition science and technical assistance to help communities implement interventions that directly impact children’s health. Additionally, the position provides an exciting opportunity to rigorously evaluate different components of the framework, and meaningfully translate those analyses into guidance to guide community decision-making.

 

The postdoctoral fellow will work with a multi-disciplinary team, including nutritionists, statisticians/modelers, system science experts, and community partners.  Key responsibilities of the Post-Doctoral Fellow will include

• Conducting data analysis, evaluation and interpretation, and leading the development of data visualizations and methods for sharing data with community partners to guide decision-making efforts at the local level
• Developing grant proposals to support research efforts
• Developing peer-reviewed publications, and abstracts for presenting research findings internally and at scientific meetings
• Assisting with synthesis of cross-disciplinary expertise from project co-investigators to guide implementation of the framework, including nutrition science, systems science, public health, and organizational theory
• Synthesizing findings to support research efforts
• Supervising graduate students and intern research projects related to development and implementation of the framework

 

The Postdoctoral Fellow will mainly be involved with the JPB Foundation-funded Catalyzing Communities to Prevent Obesity and Codifying Healthy Harlem for Replication and Scale projects, and other research activities based on interests and expertise. In addition, candidates will have the opportunity to participate in additional research given their experience and interests, within the larger research team of ChildObesity180 and TIGOR. Examples may include evaluating the impact of food policy councils, modeling the impact of extended out of school time on children, or collaborating with the WIC Telehealth Intervention and Evaluation Project.

A major emphasis will be placed on leading original analyses and manuscripts, career development, and transition toward an independent research career. A competitive salary, benefits, and travel/educational opportunities in the interdisciplinary environment at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy are offered. The position is for a one-year period with renewal conditional on performance. Position available starting in mid 2020. Candidates from all over the world are encouraged to apply who are willing to conduct their research work in the US, at the Friedman School of