Post-doctoral Fellow - Epidemiology, Traumatic Brain Injury, Brain Aging, and Dementia

University of Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania; On-site; USD 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Pennsylvania invites applications for a Post-doctoral Fellow in Epidemiology focusing on Traumatic Brain Injury, brain aging, and dementia. You will work within NIH-funded studies leveraging large longitudinal cohorts to understand how TBI influences cognitive decline and AD/ADRD across the lifecourse.

Collaborating across neurology, epidemiology, biostatistics, and population health, you will analyze biomarker data and vascular risk factors, contribute to grant applications,

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in epidemiology, biostatistics, or a related field.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills.
• Experience with statistical programming (R, Stata, or SAS).
• Experience analyzing longitudinal epidemiologic data is preferred.
• Strong scientific writing and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Harmonize TBI, cognitive, vascular, biomarker, and neuroimaging measures across large longitudinal cohorts.
• Examine the relationship between cumulative TBI exposure and long-term cognitive trajectories and dementia risk.
• Develop life-course approaches to understanding the intersection of TBI, vascular disease, brain aging, and AD/ADRD.
• Develop independent research questions and manuscripts based on the fellow's interests.

Skills

Quantitative analysis

Statistical programming

Longitudinal data analysis

Scientific writing

Interest in TBI/dementia

Education

Doctoral degree in epidemiology/biostatistics

Tools

R

Stata

SAS

Job description

Post-doctoral Fellow - Epidemiology, Traumatic Brain Injury,Brain Aging, and Dementia

Location: University of Pennsylvania

Open Date: Oct 19, 2026

Deadline:

Dr. Andrea Schneider in the Departments ofNeurology and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania isseeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow tojoin an NIH-funded research program focused on understanding howtraumatic brain injury (TBI) contributes to cognitive decline andAlzheimer's disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) across the lifecourse.

TBI is an important and potentially modifiable risk factor fordementia, yet the mechanisms through which TBI influences long-termcognitive health-and the time course over which these associationsemerge-remain poorly understood.

This project addresses thesecritical gaps by leveraging data from more than 40,000 participantsfrom four large, NIH-funded prospective cohort studies: theNational Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (AddHealth), Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, CoronaryArtery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study, andMulti-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

The project uses anaccelerated longitudinal/cohort-sequential design and provides anopportunity to work with exceptionally rich longitudinal dataspanning adolescence through older adulthood.

The post-doctoral fellow will play a key role in a collaborativeresearch program investigating how cumulative TBI exposure acrossthe life course relates to cognitive trajectories and incidentAD/ADRD; how pre- and post-injury vascular risk factors (includinghypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, smoking, and obesity)modify these associations; and how TBI relates to biomarkers ofneurodegeneration and vascular disease.

Open to applications from U.S. citizens and foreignnationals.

Research Opportunities

Depending on the post-doctoral fellow's interests and experience,projects may include:

• Harmonizing TBI, cognitive, vascular, biomarker, and neuroimagingmeasures across large longitudinal cohorts
• Examining the relationship between cumulative TBI exposure andlong-term cognitive trajectories and dementia risk
• Developing novel life-course approaches to understanding theintersection of TBI, vascular disease, brain aging, andAD/ADRD
• Developing complementary independent research questions andmanuscripts based on the post-doctoral fellow's own scientificinterests

Training and Mentorship

The post-doctoral fellow will receive close mentorship inneuroepidemiology, longitudinal epidemiologic methods, life-courseepidemiology, dementia epidemiology, biomarker analyses, andanalysis of large population-based cohorts. The position isdesigned to support the post-doctoral fellow's development towardan independent research career, with opportunities to leadpublications, present findings at national and internationalmeetings, develop grant applications, and pursue independentresearch questions.

The fellow will be part of a highly collaborative researchenvironment spanning neurology, epidemiology, biostatistics,neurocritical care, and population health. There will also beopportunities to collaborate with investigators acrossinstitutions.

Qualifications

Applicants should have:

• Doctoral degree in epidemiology, biostatistics, or a relatedfield
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills
• Experience with statistical programming (e.g., R, Stata, orSAS)
• Experience analyzing longitudinal epidemiologic data ispreferred
• Strong scientific writing and communication skills
• An interest in TBI, dementia/ADRD, neuroepidemiology, aging,biomarkers, or related areas

Experience with large population-based cohorts, longitudinal dataanalysis, survival analysis, biomarkers, or neuroimaging would beparticularly valuable, but candidates with strong quantitativetraining and an interest in developing expertise in these areas areencouraged to apply.

Any questions, or follow up inquiries, can be emailed to Dr. AndreaSchneider ([e-mail]).

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer.Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race,color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin(including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenshipstatus, age, disability, veteran status or any class protectedunder applicable federal, state, or local law.