Postdoctoral Research Fellow for NIH R01 SKyRoCKeT Study

University of North Carolina Charlotte; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 52,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to support the NIH SKyRoCKeT study, focusing on data processing, management, and analyses in Excel and R. The position is housed in the Department of Public Health & Health Administration and collaborates with Applied Physiology, Health, & Clinical Sciences.

This role requires a PhD in Statistics, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Public Health, or related fields, strong R programming skills, and

Qualifications

• PhD in Statistics, Data Science, Epidemiology, Public Health, or closely related field.
• Strong coding and data management skills in R.
• Attention to detail and ability to work in an interdisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Perform data processing, management, checking, and analysis in Excel and R.
• Participate in grants management and recruitment activities as needed.
• Lead or collaborate on manuscripts and presentations.
• Coordinate with post-award, HR and other campus offices as needed.
• Attend weekly team and sub-team meetings to discuss data management and analyses.
• Support data collection and data quality assurance activities.

Skills

R programming

Attention to detail

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Analytical mindset

Flexibility with hours

Curiosity

Education

Doctoral degree in Statistics/Data Science/Biostatistics/Public Health or related

Tools

Qualtrics

Excel

Job description

Postdoctoral Research Fellow for NIH R01 SKyRoCKeT Study

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other protected status. In keeping with this commitment, UNC Charlotte ensures that persons of any background are invited, included, and treated equally in the terms and conditions of employment.

Position Details

• Position Number: POST40
• Work Location: CHHS & Belk Gym
• Employment Type: Temporary - Full-time
• Hours per week: 40 hours/week
• Pay Rate: $58,215
• Proposed Hire Date: 12/01/2026
• Expected Length of Assignment: 1 year (with the possibility of a short-term renewal) contingent on funding

The postdoc will contribute 40 hours per week to the responsibilities as directed by their primary supervisor, Dr. Laura Gunn (PI), as well as their broader supervisory team including Dr. Daheia Barr-Anderson (PI), and Dr. Trudy Moore-Harrison (Co-I). SKyRoCKeT involves interdisciplinary team-based public health science research. Responsibilities and scheduling may vary from week to week depending on data management and analysis needs, as well as possible data collection needs and involvement throughout this position. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the postdoc to communicate and confirm their schedule and expectations regularly among the team. Because the study is focused on walking behavior in 6-17 year-olds who are in school during weekdays, then the postdoc may also be expected to participate in study recruitment events on campus or in the community, as well as work later afternoons/early evenings and/or weekends when data collection with study participants is needed, adjusting their time off during the week accordingly when/if involved in data collection and/or recruitment.

Required Qualifications

• Completed doctoral degree in Statistics, Data Science, Exercise Science, Kinesiology, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Public Health, or closely related areas
• Analytic coding skills for data management and analyses in R statistical software
• Attention to detail
• Interest in learning about and applying quantitative methods in exercise science to inform public health physical activity guidelines
• Collegiality within an interdisciplinary team; work well collaboratively & independently
• Strong intellectual curiosity
• Work flexibility with some availability in later afternoons/evenings and weekends for data collection if needed, adjusting your time off accordingly

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior primary data collection experience, particularly in the area of physical activity
• Familiarity with Qualtrics and wearable devices for accessing data
• Ability to successfully multitask and work in fast-paced environments
• Great communication skills

Duties and Responsibilities

The NIH-funded R01 SKyRoCKeT Study is an innovative critical step to provide a coherent, interpretable, objectively monitored step-based intensity metric to inform (inter)national physical activity (PA) guidelines by transforming currently vague guidelines of PA intensity into quantifiable PA recommendations that can be of widespread use. The SKyRoCKeT Study will allow for a user-friendly, interpretable metric to more accurately inform public health/behavioral interventions, assessments, analyses, school-based health and physical education curricula and programs, and public health messages for young people and their caregivers. To learn more about the study, please visit: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05770817.

The NIH-funded R01 SKyRoCKeT study is seeking an additional postdoctoral research fellow to primarily support data processing, management, checking, and analysis. The postdoc will also contribute to grants management throughout the project lifecycle in areas such as participant recruitment; data collection in the lab as needed; leading and/or collaborating on manuscripts, presentations, and/or reports; and additional responsibilities as needed. Note: This position will not be able to sponsor a visa, including for any possible renewal term.

The position is housed within the Department of Public Health & Health Administration, and the postdoctoral researcher will collaborate with team members from the Department of Applied Physiology, Health, & Clinical Sciences. Both departments are housed within the College of Health & Human Services.

Specific Responsibilities

• Complete trainings required for the study team, including (but not limited to): CITI Research Trainings (Data or Specimens Only Research, Good Clinical Practice, Social & Behavioral Research/IRB, Biomedical Research/IRB, Health Information Privacy & Security); Minors on Campus Training; First Aid, CPR, & AED Training
• Primary responsibilities will be to perform data processing, management, checking, and analysis in Excel and R (primarily), thus familiarity with R is required
• Familiarity with Qualtrics for accessing data is preferred
• Participate in other grant-related activities, which may include (though not limited to): Active recruitment of youth participants at events on and off campus, and throughout the local community
• Lead and/or collaborate on manuscripts, conference presentations, and/or reports, etc.
• Liaise, as needed, with representatives/staff in offices across campus such as with post-award, HR, etc.
• If needed, conduct participant study orientations and obtain participant consent
• Assist in training junior staff to ensure consistency in results during testing and to achieve high-quality data acquisition
• Attend weekly full study team meetings and any additional sub-team meetings specifically regarding issues related to data collection, data management, etc.
• Attend weekly data management meetings among study postdocs and Dr. Gunn to discuss and address data management and statistical analysis
• Contribute to collaborative team discussions regarding issues that may arise throughout the study, study progress, etc.
• Participate in additional projects related to research dissemination, including (but not limited to) literature reviews or validating video recordings
• If needed, perform data collection. This may involve the following: assisting with setting up equipment, ensuring it is calibrated and functioning correctly, preparing the testing environment according to procedural standards, performing anthropometric measurements, administering tests to determine metabolic rates, recording test results, using GoPro camera to record testing protocol, and manually tallying steps
• Maintain accurate records and documentation related to the research study, including downloading wearable device data and forms post-testing, etc.
• Other duties as needed/assigned

Contact

Dr. Laura Gunn, Professor & NIH-Funded SKyRoCKeT Study PI
[e-mail]