"Postdoctoral Fellow - IRACDA"

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine is a premier academic medical center located in the heart of Richmond. Accounting for almost half of VCU’s sponsored research, the School of Medicine is internationally recognized for patient care and education.

Position Summary:

The Center on Health Advancement at Virginia Commonwealth University invites applications from qualified candidates seeking a postdoctoral position that provides both mentored research training and teaching experience. The VCU Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award is a unique three-year postdoctoral program designed to train fellows in biomedical research and teaching. IRACDA is funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of General Medical Sciences and combines a traditional mentored postdoctoral research experience with an opportunity to develop teaching skills through formal pedagogic training and mentored assignments at smaller, non-research-intensive institutions. The program facilitates the progress of postdoctoral candidates toward research and teaching careers in academia. Other goals are to provide a resource to motivate the next generation of scientists, as well as promote collaborations in research and teaching between VCU and Virginia State University (VSU). For the program, IRACDA fellows are matched with research mentors at VCU and teaching mentors at VSU.

Required Qualifications:

• PhD in Biomedical Sciences Field
• Excellent Communication Skills
• Submit a Personal Statement (no more than 2 pages) addressing the following points: 1. Explain why you are interested in the VCU IRACDA Program 2. Discuss your professional and career goals and how you view VCU-IRACDA as essential for implementing these plans 3. Explain how your past experiences and plans for the IRACDA experience will help you achieve these goals 4. Talk about your future research interests. What do you see as the main theme or arc of your future research program? 5. Discuss why you are interested in a particular VCU research mentor (or mentors if you are undecided at this time)
• Demonstrated Interest in Teaching - Submit a Teaching Statement addressing the following (no more than 1-1.5 pages): 1. Discuss your vision for how teaching will be part of your future career 2. Your conception of teaching and learning 3. Summarize any previous lecturing, TA, laboratory mentoring or other teaching experiences you have had (if any) 4. Provide a brief description and justification of how you teach or plan to teach (if you have not yet had any previous teaching experience)
• Ability to mentor to junior team members and ensure highest levels of standards of safety in the lab
• Excellent communication skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Established publication record in the biomedical sciences and teaching experience
• Teaching experience

University Title: Post Doc

Note to applicants: VCU is transitioning to a new applicant tracking system beginning October 1, 2025. If you apply before that date, you may be asked to resubmit your application in the new system after the system is live. Clear instructions will be provided at that time. We appreciate your understanding during this transition and look forward to reviewing your application.

This is a restricted position with no set end date and continued employment is dependent upon project need, availability of funding, and performance. Position will remain open until filled.

Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity employer.

Salary Range: Commensurate per NIH Scale

Department: Center on Health Advancement
Employment Type: PD - Post Doc
Restricted Status: Yes
FTE: 1.0
Exemption Status: Exempt

Contact Name: Ettora Burrell
Contact Email: ettora.burrell@vcuhealth.org