We are seeking a promising and motivated individual to be a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Community Health Sciences at Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) under the mentorship of Drs. Jonathan Jay and Gregory Wellenius. The fellow will lead research on how neighborhood-level heat exposure, including urban heat islands, contributes to racial disparities in firearm violence. Compensation will be commensurate with NIH guidelines. This is a 2-year appointment starting in Fall 2022. Members of underrepresented racial or ethnic groups are highly encouraged to apply.

The position is funded through the National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research. Our preliminary work on heat and gun violence has found that a sizeable proportion of city-level shootings are attributable to above-average daily temperatures. The Fellow’s work will deepen understanding of how neighborhood-level heat inequities, driven partly by structural racism (e.g., residential racial segregation, physical disinvestment), contribute to the geographical and demographic patterning of gun violence within cities. Methods will include spatial and longitudinal analyses of data on heat and firearm injuries, as well as other social and built environment data. The fellow will receive mentorship in the social epidemiology of firearm violence and environmental/climate epidemiology and participate in activities at the BUSPH Center for Climate and Health.

The position involves working with investigators and trainees with a wide range of expertise in areas such as social epidemiology, environmental health, biostatistics etc. The postdoctoral fellow will manage and transform data, conduct analyses in R, prepare tables/figures for manuscripts, present at scientific meetings, and lead manuscript and grant writing. BUSPH is committed to building and nurturing an inclusive professional community in which diversity is valued and every person feels they have a rightful place, are welcome and respected, and are supported in their endeavors. The Department of Community Health Sciences at BUSPH provides a vibrant, interdisciplinary research environment with a wealth of resources to build a career. Fellows can take advantage of training, education, and mentorship opportunities at BUSPH. A major focus will be preparing the fellow to apply successfully for academic faculty positions by the end of the fellowship term.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Conducting research on specific areas of study as assigned.
• Performing statistical analysis in support of research projects and preparing research reports and technical papers for publishing.
• Investigating the feasibility of applying a wide variety of scientific principles and theories and contributing to statistical analysis plan design and development
• Maintaining substantial knowledge of state-of-the-art principles and theories and preparing study results for presentation and manuscript development.
• Developing analytical models and systems and providing solutions and analyses to support strategic and tactical decisions. Reviewing literature related to methodological techniques and content areas.

Required Skills

• D. or equivalent degree in a public health discipline or a related field within the past 5 years.
• Excellent communication skills in both spoken and written English are required.
• Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving abilities are required.
• Strong computing and dataset analysis skills, preferably using R.

To apply, please submit a cover letter and curriculum vitae to Dr. Jay (jonjay@bu.edu ).

Please note all newly hired staff and faculty will need to be in compliance with Boston University’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Booster Requirement  within 30 days of date of hire. You must upload your vaccine documentation or request a medical or religious exemption (instructions ). For further information on the University’s response to COVID-19, please visit the COVID-19 Resources  site.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.