JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Institute for Bioethics and Health Humanities (IBHH) at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) seeks to hire a postdoctoral fellow to support a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project titled “Developing a Social Responsibility Toolkit for Scientists Working on Cleanup Sites” (#2418953). This is a one-year position with a renewal option for a second year dependent on satisfactory performance. The postdoctoral fellow will play a central driving role in executing ethnographic fieldwork and other qualitative research across three environmental cleanup sites in Southeast Texas and Louisiana, co-supervised by Dr. Elise Smith (PI) and Dr. Stephen Molldrem (Co-I).

Methods will include ethnographic participant-observation fieldwork, in-depth interviews, and focus groups with stakeholders at and around three environmental cleanup sites. The study will recruit people who live in affected areas, non-profit groups, environmental researchers, commercial firms, government officials, and others. The project team will also gather key policy and programmatic documents related to cleanup activities at the sites and the history of the communities where cleanups are occurring. The goals of this project are to (1) describe the social values that influence research at three cleanup sites, (2) identify how stakeholders at these cleanup sites perceive the ethical integration of social values and epistemic values in research studies, and (3) develop a toolkit to promote responsibility in translational research conducted at cleanup sites that can be used and further developed in the future. The position is ideal for ethnographers who are excited to work collaboratively in a dynamic environment at an academic health center as part of an interdisciplinary team working to bridge values and forms of knowledge-production across researchers, communities affected by environmental exposures, non-profits, and other sectors. This is a training position and is not expected to be a permanent position.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Postdoctoral fellows create a mentoring team who provides expert training and guidance in an environment that maximizes progress toward independent researcher status. Faculty mentors are in the School of Public and Population Health, School of Medicine, and School of Health Professions.
Fellowship duties include but are not limited to the following:
Planning and performing data analyses.
Preparing manuscripts for publication in scientific journals.
Presenting research at professional meetings and conferences.
Completing career development activities for the Postdoctoral Professional Development
Certificate Program and training in the ethical conduct of research.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Ph.D., M.D. or Doctoral equivalent in any field. Social science research experience in ethnography or participant observation..

TO APPLY:

By October 15th, 2024, please submit (1) A cover letter describing your experience and fit for this project, (2) Curriculum Vitae, and (3) A writing sample to Elise Smith, PhD (elissmit@utmb.edu, grant PI) and Stephen Molldrem, PhD (stmolldr@utmb.edu, grant Co-I)

SALARY:
Commensurate with experience.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:
UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a VEVRAA Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance women, minorities, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.