Post-Doc Research Associate

overall commitment to research excellence. Across many disciplines, postdocs contribute to the intellectual vitality of the University. They provide innovative ideas and perspectives, foster a stimulating research environment and advance knowledge within their fields. Postdocs are crucial members of our scientific research workforce, contributors to our research outputs and an important reason why Carolina is one of the leading public research institutions in the country. UNC-Chapel Hill offers postdocs comprehensive medical and vision coverage , paid leave, and benefits and services that support professional development and a healthy work/life balance. Chapel Hill regularly ranks as one of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, a reputation guided by the diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit:

Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education and research.

Patient care: We promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond.

Education: We prepare tomorrow`s healthcare professionals and biomedical researchers from all backgrounds by facilitating learning within innovative and integrated curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education to ensure a highly skilled workforce.

Research: We develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers and resources. We provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our university to support outstanding research. We foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic and population research.

Position Summary:

The Precision Medicine and Neurogenetics Division (UNC Neurogenetics) in the Department of Neurology at the UNC-CH School of Medicine invites applications for a Clinical Research Post-Doctoral Fellowship. This is a high impact postdoctoral position for aspiring clinician-scientists. It is a full-time, two-year position with a start date of July 1, 2025.

UNC Neurogenetics is a collaborative research hub, and provides outstanding evidence-based, multidisciplinary care for individuals of all ages at risk for or living with neurogenetic disorders. Fellows will have the opportunity to engage in research activities that reflect current projects within UNC Neurogenetics, including basic science and quality improvement/assurance projects based on our clinical programming. Examples including the Genetic Determinants of Neurological and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (GDNDD) study. Fellows have the advantage of joining a program with a backlog of publishable work, and are expected to have the skill set to analyze genetic and non-genetic data from existing studies, generate high quality manuscripts and presentations, and actively manage the manuscript submission process. In addition to engaging with established research programs, research duties include mining clinical and research study databases for: immediately publishable findings; immediately actionable investigator-initiated projects including ones that can be done solely within UNC Neurogenetics, with UNC-CH bench lab and clinical research collaborators, and/or with external collaborators; hypothesis generation for large scale new projects. Immediately actionable investigator-initiated projects may include projects in which the fellow can serve as a mentored PI.

UNC Neurogenetics research operates within the UNC-CH School of Medicine, and ties into clinical care across One UNC Health i.e. across North Carolina. Our Neurology-based faculty have decades of clinical research and clinical care experience across the full range of neurogenetics related specialties, and close ties with faculty across UNC-CH Departments and Institutes, including Pediatric Genetics (Department of Pediatrics), Maternal Fetal Medicine (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology), Department of Genetics, UNC Neuroscience Center, The Program for Precision Medicine in Health Care (PPMH), Carolina Health Informatics Program, and the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disorders. Our Division philosophy is based on the scientist-practitioner model. This is a 100% research-based position, with an option to tie in clinical neurogenetics training and clinical duties as appropriate to the applicant and the capacity of the Division. Additional opportunities may be available including access to professional development lectures, professional meetings, and journal clubs. Following the completion of training, the fellow will be prepared to function independently at the assistant professor level within an academic medical center or other professional setting, in a research-based position with an independent research program that ties into clinical expertise. More information about UNC Neurogenetics can be found on our website (https://www.med.unc.edu/neurology/divisions/neurogenetics/).

UNC Neurogenetics works with a number of trainees including UNC-CH graduate students from a variety of disciplines (neuroscience, biostatistics, genetics), medical students, and residents. UNC Neurogenetics also provides the neurogenetics rotation for UNC-Greensboro Masters in Genetic Counseling students. This environment offers the opportunity for the fellow to provide supervision to junior trainees and engage in collegial interaction with peers.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:

PhD or relevant terminal degree such as MD, DO, or MCG, but must demonstrate significant research training and experience beyond completion of those non-PhD degrees. Applicants interested in clinical training and/or clinical care opportunities must have completed an accredited neurogenetics-relevant residency (physicians) or MCG (genetic counselors) by the start of the fellowship year.

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience:

Qualified applicants will have a strong background in genetics research, and will have completed their doctoral training at an accredited program by the start of the fellowship year. Must have the following: Analytical Skills: Proficiency in analyzing complex datasets and integrating clinical information with genetic data. Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a proven track record of publications and presentations. Collaboration: Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team that includes research staff, clinic staff, clinical and research faculty. Ability to mentor junior researchers.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience:

Technical Expertise: Experience with next-generation sequencing, bioinformatics, and genomic data analysis is highly desirable. A neuroscience and/or health informatics background is encouraged. A background in or evidence of dedication to the field of neurogenetics specifically is encouraged but not required.

Special Instructions:

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