Postdoctoral Fellow, Kinder Institute for Urban Research

Position Summary

The Community & Public Health Research Center, a center of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University, is seeking a full-time Postdoctoral Fellow to collaborate on an NIH-funded research project addressing the link between food and cardiovascular health. This is a one-year on-campus position, with potential for renewal based on performance, and will begin June 2026. The position is structured to support the Postdoctoral Fellow in advancing an independent research agenda alongside their work on the NIH-funded project.

We especially encourage applicants with demonstrated experience in Hispanic/Latino health and mixed-methods research. We also seek candidates who are eager to expand their methodological skill sets and engage in research alongside community partners.

The Kinder Institute for Urban Research aims to improve lives through data, research, engagement, and action. The institute is currently working to build out five research centers focused on critical aspects shaping the social and cultural landscape of the Houston area. The five centers will research housing, education, community and public health, economic mobility and inequality, and population dynamics. Each center will investigate its topic area and will work across centers.To achieve this, each center is building interdisciplinary teams specializing in solutions-oriented research while using a partnership model of research. The partnership model works to jointly design, develop, and conduct research that values diversity in expertise and prioritizes the community in identifying and addressing the most pressing questions and challenges facing the Houston area. The goal is for the institute's research to inform decision-making and bring about systemic change.

Ideal Candidate Statement

The ideal candidate thrives in a team environment, actively leading, collaborating, and motivating others. They will have superior interpersonal, scientific, and numerical skills with meticulous attention to detail and accuracy.

Workplace Requirements

This position offers a hybrid work schedule within Harris County and surrounding counties, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Salary

$60,000 - $63,000

This is a one-year term position with the possibility of extending for an additional year.

Minimum Requirements

• Ph.D. or other doctoral degree in psychology, public health, or a related field by the start date.
• Bilingual in Spanish.

Skills

• Excellent technical and data analysis skills, particularly in qualitative or mixed methods.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including experience presenting research to academic and non-academic audiences.
• Ability to work in a team environment, to participate actively, to collaborate and to motivate others.
• Strong project management skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to handle bulk data collection and analysis.

Preferences

• Demonstrated interest in one or more of the following: community-engaged research, health disparities, and Hispanic/Latino health.
• Mastery of one or more programming languages commonly used for computational social science (e.g., R or Stata).
• Strong time management skills with a proven ability to multitask and work successfully with little supervision.

Essential Functions

• Lead project management activities, coordinating research tasks and timelines while conducting research in collaboration with the project PI, collaborators, technical staff, and other institutional resources.
• Implement research protocols; adapt procedures or analytical approaches as needed.
• Prepare research findings for dissemination through peer-reviewed publications, reports, and conference presentations.
• Mentor, oversee, and/or train graduate and undergraduate research team members.
• Participate in research-related travel, workshops, and university-sponsored events.
• Assist with grant proposal development.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Special Instructions to Applicants

All interested applicants should attach a cover letter and resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application. We suggest the documents be in a PDF format to avoid formatting issues. To be considered for this position, all supplemental questions must be answered.