Postdoctoral Researcher

Position Description :

Every day, in ways both big and small, the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is impacting lives for the better. MCW ... changemaking for a healthier Wisconsin.

POSITION PURPOSE

The postdoctoral Researcher will engage in the Biobehavioral Oncology Training Program (BBOT) activities to gain the knowledge, skills, and experience to become an independent investigator who can apply the science of biological and behavioral aspects of cancer prevention and control to address cancer health outcomes with a focus on cancer disparities.

BBOT will immerse trainees in the center of the rich, interactive, transdisciplinary, and collaborative training environment that exists at MCW.

The MCW Cancer Center is an environment that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and this fellowship program embodies those values.

The goalof the BBOT Program is to provide a stimulating, rigorous, comprehensive, and nurturing training environment in which to prepare the next generation of biobehavioral oncology scientists for successful research careers.

BBOT is implemented within an environment of integrated clinical and research experiences. The cornerstone of our structured postdoctoral training environment is to mitigate "siloed exposures" to a single discipline or closely related fields and to facilitate transdisciplinary training opportunities and career preparation.

Our training program includes four components designed to overcome potential barriers for launching and sustaining a successful research career focused on cancer health disparities : i) didactic learning;

ii) interdisciplinary biobehavioral oncology mentored research experience; iii) community engagement; and iv) career development.

Each post-doctoral fellow will partake in creating an individualized development plan (IDP) to optimize these four components to meet core competencies and achieve defined annual milestones.

The BBOT program takes two years to complete. Trainees will be guided by primary mentors who belong to one or more thematic areas : i) biology of stress and disparities, and ii) social determinants of health, behavior and outcomes.

The fellows' experiences will be guided by faculty members who have a strong commitment to mentorship and training. Faculty mentors also value inclusivity and belongingness in their mentorship.

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), a postdoc is an individual who has received a doctoral degree (or equivalent) and is engaged in a temporary and defined period of mentored advanced research training to enhance the professional skills and research independence needed to pursue his or her chosen career path.

In addition, according to the National Postdoc Association (NPA), Postdoctoral appointees can pursue basic, clinical or translational projects so long as their primary effort is devoted toward their own scholarship.

Postdocs are essential to the scholarly mission of the mentor and host institution, and thus are expected to have the freedom to publish the results of their scholarship.

Characteristics of a postdoctoral appointment :

It is expected that postdocs at MCW, with the assistance of their supervisor, will :

• Transition to career independence through the development of professional skills that enable the postdoc to actively pursue a career of his / her own choosing.
• Be supervised by at least one senior scholar who actively promotes the postdoc's professional development.
• Establish an individual development plan (IDP) that incorporates equally the postdoc's career and training goals and the mentor's research goals.
• Pursue basic, clinical, or translational projects so long as effort is focused primarily on research.
• Publish results of the postdoc's research and scholarship during their appointment.
• The postdoctoral appointment is temporary by nature, the aggregate amount of time spent as a postdoc is recommended to not exceed five years (not including family medical leave or maternity / paternity leave).
• As postdocs are important members of the host institution's community, appropriate levels of compensation, health care, and other benefits commensurate with their essential status should be afforded, independent of the postdoc's source of funding.

Primary Functions

• Plan, design and execute complex research studies, procedures and protocols.
• Participate in discovery projects.
• Coordinate research study activities; lead and manage projects.
• Oversee organization, synthesis and analysis of data and findings.
• Prepare scientific reports, outcome findings and scientific manuscripts.
• Participate in meetings with principle investigator and research staff in which you will evaluate / interpret the validity of data, develop methodologies, and design and evaluate lab procedures.
• Maintain supplies, may require negotiation with vendors, and track purchase orders.
• May oversee the work of laboratory personnel including training and development as well as daily work direction, delegation and establishing priorities.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Attend and engage in all BBOT training activities based on IDP :
• Core curriculum - responsible conduct of research, health disparities, grant writing, equity, diversity, and inclusion in research, and / or others
• Mentored research experience - lead and contribute to mentor's scientific activities
• Professional development - attend professional development seminars within BBOT and college-wide
• Community engagement - complete community research scholars program, participate in cancer center community outreach and engagement activities and / or contribute to community-engaged and culture-centered research.
• Lead and contribute to high quality scientific manuscripts and presentations in collaboration with program directors, research mentors and / or other trainees.
• Design a focused research study and develop a rigorous funding proposal ready for submission.
• Contribute to design and execution of focused research study grounded in existing center projects.
• Attend and present to BBOT Internal and External Advisory Board meetings as requested.

Preferred Schedule :

Monday - Friday 8 : 00 AM to 4 : 30 PM

Position Requirements :

MINIMUM POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

Appropriate experience may be substituted for education on an equivalent basis

Education : PhD or equivalent prior to starting the position in public health, social sciences, exercise or human physiology, genetics, or related disciplines and / or MD + residency in related field

Experience : Background in basic, clinical, behavioral, and / or population health research methodologies. Previous experience with lab-based and / or human subjects research.

Experience with health disparities / health equity, diversity and inclusion, community engagement and working in transdisciplinary teams (all preferred).

Why MCW?

• Outstanding Healthcare Coverage, including but not limited to Health, Vision, and Dental. Along with Flexible Spending options
• 403B Retirement Package
• Competitive Vacation and Paid Holidays offered
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid Parental Leave
• Additional discounted rates on items such as : Select cell phone plans, local fitness facilities, Milwaukee recreation and entertainment etc.

For a full list of positions see : www.mcw.edu / careers

Eastern Wisconsin is a vibrant, diverse metropolitan area. MCW is intent on attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse workforce and faculty body that reflects the community we serve.

We value diversity of backgrounds, experience, thought, and perspectives to advance excellence in science and medicine. MCW is a welcoming campus community with a strong culture of collaboration, partnership, and engagement with our surrounding community .

MCW as an Equal Opportunity Employer and Commitment to Non-Discrimination

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, gender identity / expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristic, or military status.

Employees, students, applicants or other members of the MCW community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic.