Postdoctoral Fellow

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated and collaborative Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join our dynamic perioperative research program focused on sleep/ circadian and brain health, delirium and related perioperative neurocognitive disorders in surgical populations. This position offers an exceptional opportunity to lead and contribute to cutting-edge translational research at the intersection of neuroscience, sleep medicine, perioperative care, digital health, and data science.

Research Focus

The successful candidate will spearhead innovative and interdisciplinary research investigating the neurobiological mechanisms underlying perioperative delirium, sleep disturbances, circadian dysfunction, and cognitive impairment in surgical populations. This work integrates large-scale clinical datasets, multimodal physiological measures (e.g., sleep, actigraphy, cognition, mobility/gait, gut microbiome/biomarkers), and advanced computational and statistical approaches to advance our understanding of perioperative brain vulnerability, resilience, and recovery.

This position is ideally suited for candidates with a strong background in neuroscience, sleep and circadian science, aging, cognitive health, nursing, biomechanics, rehabilitation sciences, biomedical engineering, epidemiology, data science, biostatistics, or related fields, with experience conducting hypothesis-driven clinical, translational, or computational research in human populations.

Primary Responsibilities

Data Science & Advanced Analytics (70%)

• Lead complex statistical analyses and predictive modeling of large perioperative datasets using R, SAS, and SPSS
• Develop and implement actigraphy, electroencephalogram protocols and algorithms to process the mentioned variable collected from patients, which includes data cleaning, data analysis and interpretation
• Conduct advanced time-series/longitudinal analyses of sleep and circadian rhythm disruptions in surgical populations
• Perform multivariate analyses integrating clinical, biomarker, and neurocognitive data
• Design and execute computational approaches to analyze neuroimaging and electrophysiological data
• Manage and analyze data collected through REDCap and other clinical databases
• Create data visualizations and interactive dashboards for research dissemination

Neuroscience Research (20%)

• Contribute to mechanistic studies examining the neurobiology of perioperative brain health
• Analyze biomarkers related to neuroinflammation, gut microbiome, neurodegeneration, and synaptic function
• Integrate multi-modal (multi-omics) data (clinical phenotypes, gut microbiome, biomarkers) to elucidate pathways of perioperative brain vulnerability
• Collaborate with neuroscience and translational research teams

Clinical Research Coordination & Administration (10%)

• Coordinate clinical research protocols and ensure regulatory compliance
• Supervise data collection and quality assurance processes
• Mentor junior researchers and research staff
• Lead manuscript preparation and contribute to grant applications
• Present findings at national and international conferences

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Neuroscience, Biostatistics, Biomedical engineering, Data Science, Nursing, Epidemiology, or related quantitative field
• Strong programming skills in R (required); proficiency in MATLAB and/or Python, SAS and/or SPSS preferred
• Demonstrated expertise in advanced statistical methods (e.g., mixed-effects modeling, longitudinal analyses, survival analysis, causal inference)
• Track record of peer-reviewed publications in neuroscience, sleep/circadian science, clinical translational research, biomedical engineering or data science
• Strong scientific writing, data visualization, and oral communication skills
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively in a multidisciplinary, team-based research environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with large-scale clinical datasets and electronic health record data, registries, or longitudinal cohort studies
• Experience with multimodal physiological or behavioral data, including sleep, cognition, mobility/gait, actigraphy, EEG, neuroimaging, or biomarker analyses
• Proficiency in REDCap database design/management and clinical research data workflows
• Experience developing or implementing behavioral sleep interventions or digital health interventions (e.g., CBT-I or related approaches)
• Background in sleep and circadian science, neuroscience, delirium research, or perioperative medicine
• Grant writing experience, including fellowship or career development awards, manuscripts, or protocol development
• Clinical or translational research experience involving human participants and/or multidisciplinary research teams

What We Offer

• Mentorship from leading experts in perioperative neuroscience and anesthesiology research
• Access to rich clinical datasets and state-of-the-art computational resources
• Collaborative environment with neuroscientists, data scientists, clinicians, and biostatisticians
• Opportunities to develop independent research projects and secure extramural funding
• Support for career development, including grant writing workshops and presentation opportunities
• Potential for transition to independent faculty position

Application Materials

Cover letter describing research interests, relevant experience, and long-term career goals, including alignment with perioperative neuroscience, sleep/circadian health, and data science research

Curriculum Vitae (CV) including a complete list of publications, presentations, and relevant research experience

Names and contact information for two references

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