Postdoctoral Scholar for the Child Health Research Center

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants.

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

This is a term position; length of the term will be discussed during the interview process. Continuation past the term length discussed will be based on university need, performance, and/or availability of funding.

POSITION SPECIFICS

Dr. Jennifer Savage Williams, Professor of Nutritional Sciences, and colleagues in the Child Health Research Center (CHRC, http://childhealth.psu.edu) at Penn State are seeking a postdoctoral scholar. Aligned with the Center’s pillars of team science, innovation, and community-engaged research, this position provides mentored training within a collaborative environment that integrates basic, clinical, and population sciences. The fellow will have the opportunity to work on externally funded projects related to early-life obesity prevention, nutrition security, responsive parenting, pediatric primary care–community integration, and health equity among underserved populations with and without special health care needs, neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), and children and families with special health care needs. Scholars will be supported in developing independent lines of inquiry while leveraging robust clinical and community partnerships across Penn State University and Penn State Health. The program emphasizes rigorous methodology, cross-disciplinary collaboration, grant writing, and career development to prepare fellows for successful careers as externally funded investigators dedicated to improving child health outcomes locally and nationally.

CHRC is a college-wide research center created to catalyze innovative interdisciplinary research and development of evidence-based interventions to improve health and well-being among children and families. Our mission is to enhance the health and well-being of children, families, and their communities through pioneering research, interdisciplinary collaboration, training the next generation of professionals, and robust community partnerships. The successful postdoctoral scholar will possess a doctoral degree (in public health, nutrition, kinesiology, psychology, human development, health services research, or a related field, with demonstrated expertise in child health research. Competitive candidates will also have strong methodological training in quantitative and/or mixed-methods research, a record of peer-reviewed publications, and grant-writing potential. Knowledge of early-life prevention, health equity, child development, and research inclusive of children with disabilities and families of children with special health care needs is highly desirable, as is experience in implementation science or pragmatic trial design.

The successful candidate will join a dynamic team at CHRC that includes faculty, research staff, outreach staff, postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduate research assistants. We work closely with a number of other units throughout Penn State including the departments of Nutritional Sciences (http://nutrition.hhd.psu.edu), Biobehavioral Health (http://bbh.hhd.psu.edu), Human Development and Family Studies (http://hhd.psu.edu/hdfs) and Kinesiology (http://hhd.psu.edu/kines), the Social Sciences Research Institute (http://ssri.psu.edu), and the Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (http://ctsi.psu.edu), as well as with colleagues at Penn State College of Medicine, and government and community organizations throughout Pennsylvania.

The postdoctoral scholar will gain experience, knowledge, and skills in evaluating interventions, performing advanced data analysis, preparing manuscripts and grant proposals, and mentoring graduate and undergraduate students. Primary responsibilities include leading and contributing to externally funded research projects; designing and managing data collection and analysis; preparing manuscripts and conference presentations; assisting with grant development (e.g., K- or R-series applications); mentoring graduate and undergraduate trainees; and actively engaging in interdisciplinary team science across the Penn State University Child Health Research Center and Penn State University community. Additional duties may include, but are not limited to: supervision of graduate students and wage-and-payroll student employees; developing intervention curricula and materials; developing study protocols; training staff to deliver interventions and collect data; developing and overseeing intervention fidelity-monitoring systems; study coordination; data collection; and data management.

This position is guaranteed for one year, with the possibility of extension contingent on funding availability. The position provides a salary and benefits comparable to those of an NIH postdoctoral fellow. Candidates will have a PhD in nutrition, public health, human development and family studies, psychology, or a related field. We are especially interested in candidates with strong quantitative and analytical skills, with proficiency in SAS preferred. The scholar will be expected to develop an independent research trajectory aligned with the Center’s mission and to contribute meaningfully to collaborative projects that advance equitable child health outcomes. To be considered for the position, please submit a cover letter, CV, and research statement, along with the names of 3 academic references along with your application. The position will remain open until filled, but review will begin April 1, 2026.

This position requires the following clearances:

• PA State Police Criminal Background Check

• PA Child Abuse History Clearance Form

• Federal (FBI) Fingerprint Criminal Background Check

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

This position requires the following clearances in addition to applicable background checks: PA State Police Criminal Background Check, PA Child Abuse History Clearance Form, and Federal (FBI) Fingerprint Criminal Background Check.

BENEFITS

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being.

For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page. (Note: For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page.)

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