Research Fellow (CoRAL)

Who We Are

Point32Health is a leading not-for-profit health and well-being organization dedicated to delivering high-quality, affordable healthcare. Serving nearly 2 million members, Point32Health builds on the legacy of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan to provide access to care and empower healthier lives for everyone. Our culture revolves around being a community of care and having shared values that guide our behaviors and decisions. We’ve had a long-standing commitment to inclusion and equal healthcare access and outcomes, regardless of background; it’s at the core of who we are. We value the rich mix of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences of all of our colleagues, which helps us to provide service with empathy and better understand and meet the needs of the communities where we serve, live, and work. 

We enjoy the important work we do every day in service to our members, partners, colleagues and communities. Learn more about who we are at Point32Health.

Job Summary

Are you interested in becoming part of a dynamic team that is looking to innovate and improve? Would you like to work for a company that has been rated by the BBJ (15+yrs) as one of the best places to work? Do you want to be part of a company that is committed to giving back to the community?

We are seeking qualified and highly motivated individuals for a postdoctoral research fellowship in the area of nutrition policy evaluation.

Fellows will be based in the Department of Population Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. They will work directly with Dr. Joshua Petimar & Dr. Jason Block and their teams on evaluating the impact of nutrition policy interventions in the retail food environment. Drs. Petimar & Block have NIH-funded projects investigating 1) the nutritional effects of pandemic-era changes to food assistance programs (SNAP & WIC) and 2) the impact of nutrition labeling interventions in supermarkets.

Fellows will be responsible for research activities such as developing analysis proposals, conducting data analysis, presenting at scientific meetings, and writing manuscripts. There will also be opportunities to develop new projects including through grant writing. Applicants should have the ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team. The length of the fellowship will last a minimum of one year and may be renewed thereafter.

The Department, School, and University provide a vibrant, interdisciplinary research environment along with a wealth of resources to build a career. Fellows can take advantage of training, education, and mentorship opportunities at partner institutions including the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Mass General Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Fenway Health. Fellows can also join the Harvard SOGIE Health Equity Research Collaborative.

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING
• Working with large datasets of supermarket sales and employing quasi-experimental methods (e.g., interrupted time series, difference-in-differences) to evaluate changes in grocery purchasing patterns in response to nutrition policy interventions
• Working with the study team to develop analytic plans and conduct analyses
• Reporting results at scientific conferences and disseminating findings in peer-reviewed publications
• Working closely with DPM faculty mentor(s) to monitor progress and resolve questions or issues that arise during the course of the research

WHAT YOU NEED:
• PhD in nutrition, epidemiology, public health, health policy, or a related field
• Proficiency in at least 1 statistical software package, such as SAS, Stata, or R
• Comfort working with large datasets
• Ability to learn techniques for analyzing complex data
• Proven record of scientific publications and research excellence
• Previous experience with quasi-experimental study designs is desirable

WHAT MAKES US STAND OUT
• Work-Life-Flexibility
• Paid volunteer time off (up to 3 days annually)
• Educational Reimbursement

Working Environment
Standard office working environment.

Disclaimer
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility (DEIA) and Health Equity
Point32Health is committed to making diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and health equity part