Herc-Higher Education Recruitment Consortium

The Mozaffarian Lab seeks an outstanding postdoctoral fellow to be supported by the Tufts Clinical and Translational Science (CTS) Program to work on original research projects in one of the following priority areas:

1. Food and nutrition policy comparative-effectiveness and cost-effectiveness analyses, including Food is Medicine healthcare, school, labeling, taxation, SNAP, and other interventions.
2. Epidemiologic analyses of nutritional biomarkers and cardiovascular and metabolic risk, including diet-microbiome biomarkers and fatty acid biomarkers within individual cohorts like the Cardiovascular Health Study and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and global consortia such as FORCE.
3. Food and beverage profiling using the Food Compass, a robust new nutrient profiling system, including applications for food labeling, government policy, industry reformulations, and investing.
4. Global health research on trends and distributions of food and nutrient intakes globally using the Global Dietary Database, including diet-attributable risks of chronic diseases and corresponding effective policies to address these burdens worldwide. The successful postdoctoral candidate is expected to identify at least one of these areas for particular focus in their application materials and successful research.

Candidates from diverse backgrounds and with diverse personal lived experiences are encouraged to apply. Candidates should be excited about thriving in the Friedman School's environment which prides itself on productive, positive interpersonal relationships; an equal dedication to pathbreaking research and public impact; and a commitment to and strategy for promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.

Mentoring and training will be under the direction of Principal Investigator (PI) Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, cardiologist and Dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University. The postdoctoral researcher will also work with a multi-disciplinary team, including medical doctors, nutrition scientists, public health/policy experts, epidemiologists, statisticians/modelers, decision scientists, economists, lawyers, and policy leaders, and will also have the opportunity to interface with national and international policy experts, business leaders, and other stakeholders. The two main emphases for training will be (1) the generation of cutting-edge new science and corresponding first-author original papers published in high impact journals and (2) the gaining of skills, knowledge, and networks for a successful independent research career. A competitive salary, benefits, and travel/educational opportunities are offered in the interdisciplinary environment at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.

The postdoctoral researcher will work in a team-based approach with the PI, other project faculty, and the rest of the research lab to achieve the project aims. They will focus on leading analyses, abstract preparation, and manuscript drafting, with an emphasis on timely, cutting-edge scientific analyses and manuscripts. We anticipate the postdoctoral researcher leading at least 2 original manuscripts per year as first author and contributing to additional manuscripts as a co-author. The postdoctoral researcher will also have opportunities to interact with external experts in our Policy Advisory Group and the Tufts Food & Nutrition Innovation Council, which include key stakeholders relevant to such research. The overall work and findings of the postdoctoral researcher will be critical to inform the planning, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based dietary strategies to achieve cardiovascular health and reduce health inequities in the U.S. and globally.

This position is anticipated to be for two years with renewal after the first 12 months; further extension of the appointment is possible contingent on funding availability. The ability to work in the U.S. is required in order to apply for this position. Eligibility may be further limited by CTS eligibility criteria. 

Preferred starting date is July 1, 2022. This will be an in-person position, based at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy located in downtown Boston, MA with flexible work arrangement possible until the pandemic passes.

Required education, experience and skills

Applicants must have a doctoral degree (PhD/DrPH/ScD) or MD plus additional training in nutritional epidemiology, global health, food policy, public health nutrition, decision science, biostatistics, health simulation modeling, or related fields; as well as a record of original, first-author research publications in one or more of these areas. Candidates must have outstanding written and oral communication skills, strong quantitative/analytical research skills, experience using analytic programs (e.g., STATA, SPSS, SAS, R) for data management and analysis, and the ability to work well independently and as part of a team with collaborators.

Preferred education, experience and skills

Formal coursework and research experience are preferred in areas relevant to the research aims. An interest/experience in dissemination and translational research is desirable.

Application should include:

1. Cover letter describing previous achievements, research interests, career goals, and why the candidate is suitable for this position (maximum 2 pages),
2. CV including a list of relevant publications,
3. Official copy of academic transcript(s) from undergraduate and graduate studies,
4. Three formal reference letters.

Applicants for the fellowship should also send a CV to Dr. Elizabeth Wiltrout and complete the CTS Program application. Questions can be submitted to Sylara Marie Cruz (Sylara_Marie.Cruz@tufts.edu). Applications will be considered as they are received.

Tufts University, founded in 1852, prioritizes quality teaching, highly competitive basic and applied research, and a commitment to active citizenship locally, regionally, and globally. Tufts University has also committed to becoming an anti-racist institution and prides itself on the continuous improvement of diversity, equity and inclusion work. Current and prospective employees of the university are expected to have and continuously develop skill in, and disposition for, positively engaging with a diverse population of faculty, staff, and students.

Tufts University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We are committed to increasing the diversity of our faculty and staff and fostering their success when hired. Members of underrepresented groups are welcome and strongly encouraged to apply. See the University's Non-Discrimination statement and policy here https://oeo.tufts.edu/policies-procedures/non-discrimination/. If you are an applicant with a disability who is unable to use our online tools to search and apply for jobs, please contact us by calling the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) at 617-627-3298 or at oeo@tufts.edu. Applicants can learn more about requesting reasonable accommodations at https://oeo.tufts.edu/