Postdoctoral Fellow - Social and Behavioral Sciences

At VCU, we take pride in our deep commitment to our postdoctoral
community. In 2026, the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)
named VCU as one of only 12 recipients of its inaugural
Institutional Policy Awards, in recognition of our transformative
efforts to elevate quality of life and workplace equity for
postdocs. VCU postdocs are Virginia state employees, with benefits
mirroring 12-month faculty. We adhere closely to the NPA’s
guidelines for best practices in postdoc training. We work closely
with our local NPA chapter, the VCU Postdoc Association, to make
this a welcoming and productive place to complete your
training!

Duties & Responsibilities:

The Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the Virginia
Commonwealth University School of Public Health seeks applicants
for a postdoctoral research fellowship under the mentorship of Dr.
Jessica LaRose ( https://optforhealth.lab.vcu.edu/
). Applicants with an evidenced commitment to community-engaged
research and behavioral interventions are strongly encouraged to
apply.

The fellow will gain experience as part of an interdisciplinary
team on NIH funded trials with a focus on community-engaged
research, the prevention and management of cancer and chronic
disease within the context of social drivers of health, and design
and conduct of behavioral clinical trials. The fellow will also
receive mentorship and ample opportunity for training in grant
writing and data dissemination (e.g., manuscripts, community report
back events, lay facing products). Applications will be reviewed
upon receipt and will continue until the position is filled. Start
date is flexible with preferred start date of July 1, 2027.

Job Duties

• Contribute to data dissemination efforts for both scientific

and lay audiences, including both first-author and collaborative
products

• Work closely with lab faculty and staff to manage the

scientific integrity of field-based intervention implementation and
data collection

• Provide training and mentorship to junior lab members (e.g.,

research assistants, undergraduate and graduate students)

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in social and behavioral sciences, psychology

(e.g., community, counseling, health), public health, or related
field by the start date of the appointment

• Formal and/or experiential training in community-engaged

research

• Formal and/or experiential training in intervention development

and implementation

• Evidence of a deep appreciation for the social and structural

factors that drive cancer and chronic disease risk

• Exceptional scientific writing skills, including a track record

of scholarly publications and presentations

• Strong critical thinking skills
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to

work with individuals across a broad spectrum of socioeconomic
backgrounds and lived experiences

• Ability to work well independently and as part of a team,

including managing up and down to facilitate team success

• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment

of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of
faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences,
or a commitment to do so as a postdoc at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications

• Research or community outreach experience in the context of

income-based housing

• Formal and/or experiential training in implementation

science

• Formal and/or experiential training in cancer prevention and

control, particularly as it aligns with the mission of the
NCI-funded VA-ACCERT Center and its signature POWER study .

This is a restricted position with no set end date and continued
employment is dependent upon project need, availability of funding,
and performance.

Salary Range: $64,000 - $70,000

Benefits : All VCU employee types are eligible for a wide
array of benefits to support you during your employment at VCU.
Consult the benefits website
for information on benefits eligibility according to employee
type.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

ORP Eligible: Yes

Contact Information:
Contact Name: Cian Brooks

Contact Email: Brookst10@vcu.edu