Post-Doc Research Associate (Haendel)

University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill (NC); On-site; USD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and vision coverage

Paid leave

Professional development support

Job summary

The Post-Doc Research Associate (Haendel) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will explore methods for defining rare disease cohort controls and assessing re-identification risk across EHR, claims, registry, and real-world data sources. You will design disclosure controls and collaborate with patient advocacy groups and IRBs to balance data utility with privacy.

This role requires a Ph.D. in a quantitative field and experience with health data.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in biostatistics, statistics, epidemiology, biomedical informatics, computer science, or a related quantitative field.
• Experience with statistical disclosure control, privacy-preserving data methods, or re-identification risk assessment.
• Experience in R or Python for statistical modeling, simulation, and analysis of large health datasets.
• Experience working with sensitive health data (EHR, claims, registry) and completion of human subjects training.
• Ability to work with a geographically distributed team.

Responsibilities

• Investigate methods for defining rare disease cohort controls and assessing re-identification risk.
• Develop a framework for organizing privacy risk factors unique to rare conditions.
• Design and evaluate the creation of control populations for small, rare disease populations.
• Design disclosure controls, including ontology-based aggregation, phenotype coarsening, suppression, and access-based methods.
• Engage with patient advocacy groups, data stewards, and IRBs to align research goals.

Skills

Statistical disclosure control

R or Python

Sensitive health data handling

Distributed team collaboration

Education

Ph.D. in biostatistics or related quantitative field

Tools

sdcMicro

ARX

Job description

Posting Information

• | Department | Genetics – 423501 |
• | Posting Open Date | 11/02/2026 |
• | Application Deadline | |
• | Open Until Filled | Yes |
• | Position Type | Postdoctoral Scholar |
• | Position Title | Post-Doc Research Associate (Haendel) |
• | Vacancy ID | PDS005013 |
• | Full-time/Part-time | Full-Time Temporary |
• | Hours per week | 40 |
• | FTE | 1 |
• | Work Location | Chapel Hill, NC |
• | Position Location | North Carolina, US |
• | Hiring Range | $65,000 – $75,000 |
• | Proposed Start Date | 01/04/2027 |
• | Estimated Duration of Appointment | 12 Months |

Position Information

| Be a Tar Heel! | A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top public universities and is among is the top ten research universities in the nation for federal research expenditures as well as for federally funded social and behavioral sciences research and development. Here at Carolina, our highly skilled postdocs play a vital role in our research enterprise and towards our overall commitment to research excellence. Across many disciplines, postdocs contribute to the intellectual vitality of the University. They provide innovative ideas and perspectives, foster a stimulating research environment and advance knowledge within their fields. Postdocs are crucial members of our scientific research workforce, contributors to our research outputs and an important reason why Carolina is one of the leading public research institutions in the country. UNC-Chapel Hill offers postdocs comprehensive medical and vision coverage, paid leave, and benefits and services that support professional development and a healthy work/life balance. Chapel Hill regularly ranks as one of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, a reputation guided by the diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

| Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit | The UNC School of Medicine has a rich tradition of excellence and care. Our mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of North Carolinians, and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education, and research. We strive to promote faculty, staff, and learner development in a diverse, respectful environment where our colleagues demonstrate professionalism, enhance learning, and create personal and professional sustainability. We optimize our partnership with the UNC Health System through close collaboration and commitment to service. OUR VISION Our vision is to be the nation’s leading public school of medicine. We are ranked 2nd in primary care education among all US schools of medicine and 5th among public peers in NIH research funding. OUR MISSION Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care and education. Patient Care: We will promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond. Education: We will prepare tomorrow’s health care professionals and biomedical researchers by facilitating learning within innovative curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education. We will cultivate outstanding teaching and research faculty, and we will recruit outstanding students and trainees from highly diverse backgrounds to create a socially responsible, highly skilled workforce. Research: We will develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers, and resources. We will provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our University to support outstanding research. We will foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic, and population research.

| Position Summary | The Postdoctoral Research Associate will investigate methods for defining rare disease cohort controls and assessing and reducing re-identification risk in rare disease data, including EHR, claims, registry, and linked real-world data. Specifically, this will include developing a framework for organizing privacy risk factors unique to rare conditions, estimating sample and population uniqueness using multiple data resources and reference populations, and modeling added risk from public sources such as advocacy registries, case reports, and social media. The Postdoctoral Research Associate will design and evaluate the creation of control populations for small, rare disease populations where traditional propensity methods may not be appropriate. They will also design disclosure controls, including ontology-based aggregation, phenotype coarsening, suppression, and access-based approaches such as enclaves and federated analysis, and measure their effects on statistical utility. The work will involve engagement with patient advocacy groups, data stewards, and IRBs, and requires human subjects research training. The goals of the work will be to develop practical guidance and methods that protect rare disease patients while preserving the scientific value of their data for research.

| Minimum Education and Experience Requirements | Ph.D. in biostatistics, statistics, epidemiology, biomedical informatics, computer science, or a related quantitative field.

• The position requires: – Experience with statistical disclosure control, privacy-preserving data methods, or re-identification risk assessment, shown through coursework, research, or publications
• – Experience in R or Python for statistical modeling, simulation, and analysis of large, complex health datasets
• – Experience working with sensitive health data such as EHR, claims, or registry data, and completion of (or willingness to complete) human subjects research training
• – Ability to work with a geographically distributed team

• The preferred candidate will have the following: – Research experience in rare diseases, or familiarity with the challenges of small-population and low-count data
• – Knowledge of biomedical ontologies and coding systems such as Mondo, HPO, ICD, SNOMED CT, or OMOP
• – Familiarity with de-identification standards and regulations, including HIPAA Safe Harbor and Expert Determination, and with disclosure control tools such as sdcMicro or ARX
• – Experience with secure data environments, including data enclaves, federated analysis, or cloud-based research platforms
• – Experience engaging patient advocacy groups, IRBs, or community stakeholders in research design or data governance
• – A strong publication record and excellent written communication skills, including the ability to turn technical findings into practical guidance for non-technical audiences

| Special Physical/Mental Requirements |

Posting Contact Information

• | Department Contact Name and Title | Sam Robinson |
• | Department Contact Telephone or Email | [e-mail] |
• | Postdoctoral Affairs Contact Information | If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the University’s Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at [phone] or send an email to [e-mail]. Please note: The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.
• | Equal Opportunity Employer Statement | The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.