Postdoc: Social & Behavioral Health for Aging & Microbiome

Harvard University; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Harvard University’s Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow in Social and Behavioral Sciences beginning Winter 2027.

The position focuses on NIH-funded research exploring optimism and other psychosocial factors and their links to cognitive health in older adults, with attention to physical activity and the microbiome. The fellow will work with a diverse team of epidemiologists, psychologists and other experts, producing multiple publications,

Qualifications

• Doctoral-level degree in psychology, health and human development, social epidemiology or related field.
• Proof of successfully defending dissertation.
• Experience managing and programming large-scale epidemiologic data sets.
• Proficiency with advanced statistics.
• Knowledge of the interface between mental and physical health.
• Publication record beyond thesis papers.
• Excellent planning, analytical, organizational, communication, and decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

• General Research Activities: carry out designated tasks using longitudinal designs, moderation/mediation, causal inference, and descriptive analyses.
• Data Cleaning and Management: handle large datasets (N ~100,000) across cohorts.
• Data/Statistical Analysis: summarize data using R, SAS and other tools.
• Acquires Specialized Training: attend trainings to gain new statistics skills.
• Reporting Results: prepare periodic reports and suggest improvements.
• Manuscript Preparation: lead or contribute to publications and progress reports.
• Data Safety: monitor data safety protocols for responsible conduct of research.
• Responsible Conduct of Research: promote reproducible research with commented code and R Markdown.

Skills

Data analysis

Statistical expertise

Research planning

Communication skills

Education

Doctoral degree in psychology/related field

Defended dissertation

Tools

R

SAS

Job description

Harvard University’s Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow in Social and Behavioral Sciences beginning Winter 2027.

The position focuses on NIH-funded research exploring optimism and other psychosocial factors and their links to cognitive health in older adults, with attention to physical activity and the microbiome. The fellow will work with a diverse team of epidemiologists, psychologists and other experts, producing multiple publications,