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!

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) 

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.