Postdoctoral Scholar in Environmental Epidemiology

Do you want to conduct impactful research to inform public policy around environmental health?

Position description. Prof. Erika Garcia of the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at the USC Keck School of Medicine (KSOM) is seeking a motivated postdoctoral scholar in environmental epidemiology to join a multidisciplinary team of researchers investigating the effects of climate change-related environmental exposure on a broad range of human health outcomes. Examples of ongoing and planned research projects include health impacts of temperature and air pollution co-exposure, wildfire-related pollution effects, factors contributing to differential heat/pollution effects across communities with varying vulnerabilities, and use of causal inference methods to estimate health effects of hypothetical policy interventions.

Prof. Garcia and her research group have published in JAMA , PNAS , American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine , and other high-impact peer-reviewed journals. Their research has been highlighted in TIME Magazine , Scientific American , New York Times , NPR , The Conversation and other media outlets. See:

• https://time.com/6201615/heat-pollution-health-risk/
• https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/when-heat-waves-meet-air-pollution-death-risks-rise-substantially1/
• https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/14/health/coronavirus-hispanic-california.html
• https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/05/21/725364857/when-las-air-got-better-kids-asthma-cases-dropped
• https://theconversation.com/extreme-heat-air-pollution-can-be-deadly-with-the-health-risk-together-worse-than-either-alone-187422

The postdoctoral scholar will participate in scientific activities including all aspects of study design, analysis, manuscript preparation, and development of research proposals. Key responsibilities include:

Conduct statistical analyses independently for studies of air pollution, temperature, and other environmental exposures in various study design settings, including cohort, case-control, case-crossover, and time-series Write manuscripts for publications in scientific journals Present scientific results at meetings, seminars, and conferences Collaborate with multidisciplinary research teams and subject-specific working groups Contribute to the development of research proposals

Training opportunities. Successful candidates will receive research training in environmental epidemiology, including use of advanced research methodologies with specific emphasis on causal inference approaches. In addition to individual mentorship in their research areas, postdoctoral scholars have the opportunity for advanced multidisciplinary training through coursework in any USC department, including epidemiology and biostatistics. They will also have numerous opportunities for career development training through meetings, seminars, and workshops hosted by KSOM. The enriched career development program will help early investigators develop essential skills for an independent research career, including grant and manuscript writing, scientific presentation, and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. Postdoctoral scholars will also have opportunities to form new collaborations and to gain experience in guiding pre-doctoral trainees and medical and undergraduate students.

Training environment. The growing USC Health Sciences Campus is home to several world-class environmental health centers including the Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center (SC-EHSC), the Maternal And Developmental Risks from Environmental and Social Stressors (MADRES) Center, and the Center for Translational Research on Environmental Health (R-TEN). The Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at KSOM has one of the nation’s leading research programs in epidemiology and biostatistics with strengths in environmental health, cancer and chronic disease, genetics, and the development of novel statistical methods. The Department has a strong track record of supporting postdoctoral scholars in developing successful NIH K Awards and preparing them to be competitive candidates for faculty positions at leading universities as well as for positions in government and industry.

Position qualifications. Postdoctoral scholars must have a doctoral degree in a relevant field (epidemiology, environmental health sciences, biostatistics, or related field), and have demonstrated interest in environmental health, preferably with experience in air pollution or climate change research. Intermediate to advanced skills with at least one statistical and/or programming software is required (e.g., SAS, R, or Python). Collegiality, resourcefulness, and motivation are essential for success.

Minimum Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate within previous five years Minimum Experience: 0-1 year Minimum Field of Expertise: Directly related education in research specialization with advanced knowledge of equipment, procedures and analysis methods. Preferred Field of Expertise: Publications in peer-reviewed journals in the same or related field. Skills: Other: Analysis Assessment/evaluation Communication -- written and oral skills Conceptualization and design Organization Planning Problem identification and resolution Project management Research Statistical analysis Skills: Machine/Equipment: Calculator Computer network (department or school) Computer network (university) Computer peripheral equipment Fax Personal computer Photocopier Supervises: Level: May oversee student, temporary and/or casual workers.