"Postdoctoral Research Fellow"

Are you passionate about creating fair and accessible environments for older adults and people with disabilities? The Center for Inclusive Mobility Environments (CIME), housed in the School of Kinesiology, is seeking a highly motivated post-doctoral researcher to advance cutting-edge work in inclusive mobility, environmental design, and health equity. CIME is dedicated to leveraging diverse data to study how environmental and social factors impact mobility, participation, and health in aging populations and individuals aging with or into disability. Our collaborative, interdisciplinary team works at the intersections of policy, technology, innovative methods, and advocacy.

Join us in building a world where everyone has the opportunity to navigate their surroundings freely and with dignity.

The successful candidate will work closely with CIME's interdisciplinary research team to develop evidence-based innovations and solutions that dismantle barriers to community mobility. This position is ideal for scholars interested in leveraging large datasets to investigate how transit design, wearable technologies, and universal access features impact physical activity, social participation, and health outcomes for older adults and people with disabilities.

Key responsibilities include:

• Data Analysis & Dissemination (30%): Analyze causal relationships and environmental impacts using complex, integrated data sources (e.g., NHATS), focusing on inclusive, real-world mobility outcomes. Prepare manuscripts, abstracts, and policy briefs to share findings with scientific, advocacy, and policy audiences.
• Research Collaboration (30%): Lead and support sponsored projects examining the role of wearable technologies, universal design, and public transit features in improving accessibility and participation for older adults and people with disabilities.
• Mentorship & Teamwork (20%): Supervise and mentor graduate and undergraduate students, fostering an inclusive, collaborative research culture.
• Methodological Innovation (10%): Contribute to the development of advanced analytic plans, causal methods, and data visualizations that highlight intervention targets for inclusive mobility and environmental design.
• Stakeholder Engagement (10%): Manage data and facilitate communication with industry and community partners to ensure research relevance and impact.

Required Qualifications:

• PhD in Kinesiology, Gerontology, Public Health, Data/Statistical Science, Engineering, Urban Planning, Disability Studies, or other relevant fields.
• Strong programming and data analysis skills (R, STATA, Python, Java, etc.).
• Demonstrated commitment or interest in inclusivity and accessibility for older adults and/or people with disabilities.
• Outstanding organizational, communication, and teamwork skills.
• Prior research experience related to mobility, accessibility, aging, or disability is preferred.

Position Details:

• Immediate start date; initial appointment for 2 years (set up in 1 year appointment increments per university policy), renewable with funding and performance.
• CIME is located on the Ann Arbor campus; hybrid work options may be available.
• Learn more about CIME's vision and research at https://www.kines.umich.edu/research/labs-centers/center-inclusive-mobility-environments-cime and explore recent publications on NCBI and Google Scholar.

Upload a resume/CV, cover letter, and contact information for two referees (combined into a single PDF) via the U-M applicant system.

Questions about the position should be directed to Erica Twardzik at etwardzi@umich.edu.

Posted: 22-Jan-26

Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan

Internal Number: 273080