Job Description

Posting Details

Department

Social Medicine - 424901

Posting Open Date

09/16/2025

Application Deadline

09/19/2025

Open Until Filled

No

Position Type

Postdoctoral Scholar

Position Title

Post-Doc Research Associate

Vacancy ID

PDS004644

Full-time/Part-time

Full-Time Temporary

Hours per week

40

FTE

1

Work Location

Chapel Hill, NC

Position Location

North Carolina, US

Hiring Range

$62,533

Proposed Start Date

10/01/2025

Estimated Duration of Appointment

12 Months


Position Information

Be a Tar Heel!

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

consistently ranks as

one of the nation's top public universities

and is among is the top ten research universities in the nation for federal research expenditures as well as for federally funded social and behavioral sciences research and development.
Here at Carolina, our highly skilled postdocs play a vital role in our research enterprise and towards our 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 Postdoctoral Research Associate will work in a collaborative research environment conducting public health research under the mentorship of Dr. Leah Frerichs. This position offers the opportunity to lead and contribute to two distinct but complementary research initiatives: a youth-engaged project focused on mental health interventions and a clinic-based study addressing colorectal cancer screening disparities in underserved populations.



The successful candidate will play a key role in all phases of research implementation, from study design and data collection to analysis and dissemination. Responsibilities include coordinating community partnerships, managing research protocols, analyzing quantitative and qualitative data, and leading manuscript preparation for peer-reviewed publication. The position also involves substantial grant writing activities, including preparing proposals for federal and foundation funding opportunities.



This role is ideal for an early-career researcher passionate about community-engaged research. The postdoc will gain valuable experience in mixed-methods research, community partnership development, and translational science while building a strong publication record and grant writing portfolio. The position provides mentorship in career development and opportunities to present findings at national conferences.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

PhD in a related field

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) or community-engaged research experience

Youth engagement or adolescent health research background

Culturally sensitivity and awareness of health disparities

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

Experience with clinic-based research or healthcare settings

Background in quantitative and qualitative research methodologies

Special Physical/Mental Requirements