Job/Fellowship/Scholarship Positions

The REACT (Response and Exposure to Advertising and Communication on Health) Lab in the Department of Health, Behavior & Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is accepting applications for a postdoctoral fellow to begin in the fall of 2026 (anticipated start date of September 1, 2026). The focus of this fellowship is on research to examine ways to communicate about the tobacco product continuum of risk. This work, funded via an NIH U01 grant, involves an online survey, neuroimaging and eye-tracking study and an EMA-based study examining response to messaging. Information about the lab and current work is available here. The research fellow will work closely with Dr. Meghan Moran. More information.

Job Description:

Dr. David Mendez, Professor of Health Management and Policy in the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan, MPI of CAsToR, seeks a postdoctoral research fellow to join the Center for the Assessment of Tobacco Regulations (CAsToR).  The specific research project, led by Dr. David Mendez and Dr. Thuy Le, proposes to develop a novel comprehensive agent-based model of nicotine addiction among adolescents and young adults, including the influence of environmental, social, and biological factors on individuals' behaviors towards nicotine products. Use the model to explore potential pathways of nicotine addiction among adolescents and young adults under different nicotine product mix availability, and the short-term consequences of potential regulatory actions over such products, such as reducing nicotine in combustible tobacco products to non-addictive levels but allowing higher levels of nicotine in non-combustible nicotine delivery products. Project the likely long-term consequences of nicotine addiction among adolescents and young adults, including tobacco-use-attributed premature deaths and life-years-lost, and long-term nicotine dependence. The research project focuses on Addiction, Behavior, Impact Analysis, and Health Effects as Scientific Domains.

The postdoctoral research fellow will work with an interdisciplinary team that includes epidemiologists, economists, tobacco scientists, applied mathematicians, and statisticians.  The successful candidate will develop and examine simulation models of tobacco use that explicitly consider multiple tobacco-products and multiple disease outcomes. The project will conduct analyses of the public health impact of tobacco regulations across a range of tobacco-related conditions and policy outcomes. Desired areas of expertise include: dynamic and complex systems, agent-based modeling, computer programming (familiarity with R, Python, Netlogo), statistical analysis/econometrics, and epidemiology modeling. Experience developing mathematical/simulation models to address problems in public health, epidemiology, or health outcomes is a plus.

The postdoctoral research fellow will prepare manuscripts (as first or co-author), prepare conference abstracts, and will be supported in leading their own grant applications (e.g., career development awards, fellowships, etc).

Required Qualifications: Doctoral degree in Epidemiology, Health Economics, Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Operations Research / Management Science, or a related field

Duration and Benefits:

Competitive salary commensurate with federally approved rates for postdoctoral researchers.

Comprehensive health insurance and retirement benefits.

Standard benefits package.

The postdoctoral fellowship is a one-year term-limited appointment, with the possibility of renewal in the second year, contingent upon funding and satisfactory performance.

Salary: Compensation (salary and benefits) will be offered in accordance with University of Michigan and NIH guidelines. 

Work Location:

University of Michigan, School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI.

Remote or hybrid work options within the United States may also be available to support work-life balance.

Michigan Public Health is seeking a dynamic staff member committed to contributing to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for all community members.

Application Process:

Interested candidates should submit the following documents in a single PDF file:

1. Cover letter expressing interest in the position and highlighting relevant research experience.

2. Curriculum vitae (CV) including a list of publications.

3. Contact information for three professional references.

Applications should be emailed to [CASTOR.Postings@umich.edu] with the subject line "Postdoctoral Fellow Application—Research Project 2".  Candidates should also apply through the University of Michigan Careers portal, Job Opening ID 274328

Dr. Shyanika Rose, Associate Professor of Behavioral Science in the College of Medicine and Acting Director, Center for Health, Engagement, and Transformation at the University of Kentucky (UK) seeks a postdoctoral scholar to join the UK Appalachian Tobacco Regulatory Science Team (AppalTRUST). The overarching goal of the AppalTRUST Center is to examine tobacco use patterns and the potential impacts of FDA regulations on reducing geographic disparities in tobacco use in Appalachian Kentucky. The specific study led by Dr. Rose (also MPI AppalTRUST) focuses on the prevalence and impact of marketing and novel tobacco product use in Appalachian Kentucky, and how FDA regulations may affect patterns of use for conventional and new products among young adults across levels of rurality. Data will be collected via retail store and digital audits of tobacco retailers, online surveys and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to assess marketing exposure to conventional and new tobacco products in young adults.

The Postdoctoral Scholar will work with a multidisciplinary team that draws on experts in public health, nursing, social and behavioral science, biostatistics, epidemiology, psychology, public policy, health equity, and young adult and rural health. The Postdoctoral Scholar will have opportunities to collect data, manage and analyze large datasets, prepare manuscripts (as first or co-author), prepare conference abstracts, and will be supported in leading their own grant applications (e.g., career development awards, fellowships, etc.).

The Postdoctoral Scholar will also be given the opportunity to develop supplementary studies that support the overarching goals of the AppalTRUST project and will be encouraged to publish and present their research findings. Postdoctoral Scholars are eligible for pilot funds and participating in career enhancement activities through the AppalTRUST Career Enhancement Core. Opportunities are also available for interdisciplinary mentoring and training in other tobacco research areas (e.g., public health, behavioral economics, tobacco cessation, qualitative methods, rural health, etc.).

Initial appointment will be for one year, with renewal for subsequent year(s) contingent on progress and available resources to support continued placement.

The FDA's Office of the Chief Counsel is looking for experienced attorneys with a demonstrated interest in public service, and is particularly focused on attorneys with expertise in any of the following: litigation, the regulation of animal drugs, the regulation of food, the regulation of medical products, the regulation of tobacco products, administrative law

Attorney, GS-0905-11, 12, 13, or 14 (PDF - 334KB)

Attorney, GS-0905-15 (PDF - 323KB)

Dr. Mikhail Koffarnus, Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Kentucky (UK) seeks a postdoctoral scholar to join the UK Appalachian Tobacco Regulatory Science Team (AppalTRUST). The overarching goal of the AppalTRUST Center is to examine tobacco use patterns and the potential impacts of FDA regulations across geographic regions in Appalachian Kentucky. This position will work on a project using behavioral economic methods including an Experimental Tobacco Marketplace to assess the impact of three proposed tobacco product regulations on the tobacco product purchasing patterns of adults living in Appalachian Kentucky. Tobacco product use and behavioral surveys and questionnaires will be collected via mHealth apps.
 

The postdoctoral scholar will work with a multidisciplinary team that draws on experts in public health, nursing, social and behavioral science, biostatistics, epidemiology, psychology, public policy, young adults, and rural health. The Postdoctoral Scholar will have opportunities to collect data, manage and analyze large datasets, prepare manuscripts (as first or co-author), prepare conference abstracts, and will be supported in leading their own grant applications (e.g., career development awards, fellowships, etc.).
 

The postdoctoral scholar will also be given the opportunity to develop supplementary studies that support the overarching goals of the AppalTRUST project and will be encouraged to publish and present their research findings. The Postdoctoral scholar will be eligible for pilot funds and will participate in career enhancement activities through the AppalTRUST Career Enhancement Core. Opportunities are also available for interdisciplinary mentoring and training in other tobacco research areas (e.g., tobacco cessation, qualitative methods, rural health, etc.).

Initial appointment will be for one year, with renewal for subsequent year(s) contingent on progress and available resources to support continued placement. In addition to CV and cover letter, please include statement of research interests of no more than two pages.

Preferred Education/Experience

PhD, MD, or MD/PhD in public health, behavioral/social science, psychology or a related specialty and relevant research experience. Applicants with experience in mHealth approaches, rural populations, tobacco regulatory science, and/or behavioral economic methodology will be given priority consideration.

Deadline to Apply

03/31/2026

Required Documents: Curriculum Vita, Cover Letter

The NIH is looking for applicants for several postdoctoral fellowships across various Institutes at the NIH.