Post-Doc Researcher - Mixed-Methods Diabetes Care and Aging Research

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities and is among is the top ten research universities in the nation for federal research expenditures as well as for federally funded social and behavioral sciences research and development.

Here at Carolina, our highly skilled postdocs play a vital role in our research enterprise and towards our overall commitment to research excellence. Across many disciplines, postdocs contribute to the intellectual vitality of the University. They provide innovative ideas and perspectives, foster a stimulating research environment and advance knowledge within their fields. Postdocs are crucial members of our scientific research workforce, contributors to our research outputs and an important reason why Carolina is one of the leading public research institutions in the country.

UNC-Chapel Hill offers postdocs comprehensive medical and vision coverage, paid leave, and benefits and services that support professional development and a healthy work/life balance. Chapel Hill regularly ranks as one of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, a reputation guided by the diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

The Gillings School's Department of Nutrition is a global leader in research and training. We are the only nutrition department in the United States situated in both a school of public health and a school of medicine. We engage in innovative work that capitalizes on both these schools' approaches to health, and thus our department has an unusual breadth of scientific and policy approaches. Our faculty expertise spans from cell to society and moves from discovery to delivery. Our faculty and students work throughout North Carolina and reach populations in China, India, Malawi, Spain and the Philippines, to name a few.

Seeking a postdoctoral fellow to join a 3-year, fully grant-funded position. The selected candidate will collaborate with experts in diabetes research on two clinical trials aiming to optimize the implementation of evidence-based diabetes technologies among older adults living with diabetes.
The postdoc will join Dr. Anna Kahkoska and her team on all research and stakeholder engagement activities related to these externally funded 36-month studies. The first study will develop and evaluate a novel CGM integration program comprising a 6-week education and behavior change support for older adults (n = 150) using insulin, compared to two versions of standard CGM training in a single-site, 1:1:1 randomized trial. We will track CGM prescribing patterns over 6 months after completion of the study to evaluate clinical and patient-reported outcomes, and analyze provider documentation to identify clinical rationale, benefits, and barriers to CGM use. The second study will assess the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a patch hybrid closed-loop ( HCL) system in older adults with type 1 diabetes and moderate to severe cognitive impairment (n = 54 dyads) who require support from a care partner at three clinical sites across the US. Formative focus groups will anticipate barriers to HCL adoption and inform tailored training materials. The selected candidate will collaborate on these innovative studies developing new evidence-based approaches for implementing advanced diabetes technologies in real-world settings.
The position will be funded for approximately 36 months, starting in August of 2025. The position is based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, eligible for hybrid work, and includes opportunities for scientific leadership spanning data collection, analysis, and manuscript preparation, supervision and mentoring of research trainees, and dissemination of the results through conference presentations and seminars.

Relevant field such as public health, clinical research, epidemiology, anthropology, health psychology, nursing, medicine, nutrition, health services research, or related discipline.

-Doctoral degree (PhD, DrPH, MD, or equivalent) in a relevant field such as public health, clinical research, epidemiology, anthropology, health psychology, nursing, medicine, nutrition, health services research, or related discipline.
-Excellent scientific writing and communication skills, with evidence of peer-reviewed publications or manuscripts in preparation.
-Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary research teams.
-The ideal candidate will have experience conducting and synthesizing literature reviews, as well as protocol development and implementation.
-Experience conducting interviews and focus groups, managing qualitative data and analysis files, and applying qualitative analysis methods and reporting.
-Experience with quantitative data cleaning, data wrangling, and statistical analysis using statistical programming language, and proficiency with data management and analysis tools, such as REDCap, SAS, R, or NVivo (or willingness to learn)
-A strong interest in improving diabetes care for older adults, particularly those with complex, age-related impairments, is essential.

-Familiarity with type 1 and type 2 diabetes treatments, glucose monitoring, and advanced diabetes technology. Additional preferred experience includes working with older adult participants and conducting remote data collection and virtual study coordination.
-Expertise in mixed-methods and process evaluation, clinical trial design, behavioral interventions, and dyadic interventions is also highly desirable.
-Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
-Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
-Ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary environment.
-Interest in diabetes, aging, technology implementation, or related chronic disease management
-Demonstrated responsiveness and professionalism in email and other communications.

For information on UNC Postdoctoral Benefits and Services click here

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the University's Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at (919) 962-9982 or send an email to opahr@unc.edu.

Please note: The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.