The Food is Medicine Institute at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University (the Institute) seeks an outstanding postdoctoral fellow to work on an original research project funded by the National Institutes of Health, under the mentorship and guidance of Institute Director Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian. Bringing together research, training, patient services, policy development, and community engagement, the Institute aims to serve as a catalyst to drive change, improve health, reduce health disparities, and create a more equitable and resilient healthcare system that recognizes the power of nourishing food.  Its efforts are centered in health equity to work collaboratively with and improve the lives of traditionally marginalized, vulnerable populations. The Institute also hosts and builds networks with partnerships with stakeholders within and beyond healthcare to ensure that efforts advance well-being and policy broadly and reach the people who need them most.

The successful candidate will meaningfully contribute to advancing the grant?s aims and strategic objectives in several capacities.  This may include research and activities related to:

·      Health, equity, and cost impact evaluation of Food is Medicine (FIM) programs: Evaluate the impacts of different FIM program design options, including program dose and duration, types of food groups provided, and targeted conditions for intervention

·      Feasibility of scaling FIM programs: Explore the administrative and legal feasibility of expanding FIM interventions at larger scales, including via coverage for FIM under Medicare and Medicaid; Analyze integration for FIM into clinical care pathways, including social determinants of health modules in electronic medical records

·      Assessment of FIM intersections with other healthcare interventions: Investigate the potential synergies between FIM and new clinical drug treatments (e.g., GLP-1 agonists)

·      Model development and validation: Further develop and validate national and state-level microsimulation models to estimate cardiometabolic disease (CMD) benefits, costs, and cost-effectiveness of FIM; impact of food and nutrition insecurity on health and cost outcomes; the health and cost effects of novel drug treatments like GLP-1 agonists; among others.

·      Dissemination of findings: Disseminate research findings to relevant stakeholders, including the scientific community, healthcare sector leaders, legislative bodies, and advocacy groups and agencies. 

The fellow will work within a close-knit, collegial multi-disciplinary team of other trainees, students, and staff within the Institute. In addition to mentoring from Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, the fellow will interact with and gain knowledge and experience from a range of other expert faculty across various institutions, including the Institute, Tufts University School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Harvard Law School, and New York University School of Global Public Health. The fellow will also benefit from meetings, seminars, and coalitions of multi-sector leaders in Food is Medicine including healthcare, community-based, retail, policy, and advocacy organizations. The training program will emphasize the design and publication of original analyses and manuscripts as first author, career development, and transition toward an independent research career.

Candidates must possess a relevant medical or doctoral degree in health sciences (e.g., medicine, nutrition, public health, health services, etc.), social sciences (e.g., economics, political science, sociology, etc.), or related professions (e.g., public policy, business, law, etc.).  Individuals who work well across disciplines, are collegial and collaborative, and have interest in the intersections of medicine, nutrition, health, and equity will particularly thrive in this role. Candidates must have a track record of successful interdisciplinary research as evidenced by multiple original, peer-reviewed research publications in a relevant field. The successful candidate will also have strong interest and experience in health equity, cultural relevance, and community-integrated efforts.  We seek candidates whose work is relevant to diverse stakeholders in public and health sectors.  Experience in clinical trials, quasi-experimental evaluations, health care delivery, or nutrition policy would be an asset.

This is a full-time, 12-month hybrid position based in Downtown Boston; renewable annually based on performance and funding. The ability to work in the U.S. is required to apply for this position. Start date is negotiable. This position comes with a competitive salary, strong benefits, and travel/educational opportunities.

Required education, experience and skills

Applicants must have an MD or doctoral degree (PhD, DrPH, ScD); additional training in nutrition, health services, epidemiology, public health, economics, food policy, biostatistics, or related fields; and a record of original, first-author research publications in relevant areas.  Candidates must have excellent written and oral communication skills, strong quantitative/analytical research skills, experience using analytic programs for data management and analysis (e.g., STATA, SPSS, SAS, R), and the ability to work well independently and as part of a team with collaborators.

Preferred education, experience, and skills

Formal coursework and research experience are preferred in areas relevant to the research aims.  Individuals who work well across disciplines, are collegial and collaborative, and have interest in the intersections of medicine, nutrition, health, and equity are preferred.  Experience in clinical trials, quasi-experimental evaluations, health care delivery, or nutrition policy would be a plus.

A complete application will include; cover letter, CV, and names of three references (if available, reference letters welcomed). Applications should be submitted via Interfolio. Questions can be directed to Danisha Charles (danisha.charles@tufts.edu). Applications will be considered as they are received.

Tufts University, founded in 1852, prioritizes quality teaching, highly competitive basic and applied research, and a commitment to active citizenship locally, regionally, and globally. Tufts University has also committed to becoming an anti-racist institution and prides itself on the continuous improvement of diversity, equity and inclusion work. Current and prospective employees of the university are expected to have and continuously develop skill in, and disposition for, positively engaging with a diverse population of faculty, staff, and students.

Tufts University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. See the University?s Non-Discrimination statement and policy here https://oeo.tufts.edu/policies-procedures/non-discrimination/. If you are an applicant with a disability who is unable to use our online tools to search and apply for jobs, please contact us by calling the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) at 617-627-3298 or at oeo@tufts.edu. Applicants can learn more about requesting reasonable accommodations at https://oeo.tufts.edu/

About Tufts University

Tufts is a leader in American higher education, distinctive for its success as a moderately sized university that excels at research and providing students with a personal experience. Our unique combination of research and liberal arts attracts students, faculty and staff who thrive in our environment of curiosity, creativity and engagement.

Connections working at Tufts University