Diversity and Health Equity in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Postdoctoral Fellowship

Location: West Orange, NJ

The Centers for Spinal Cord Injury Research and Outcomes & Assessment Research at Kessler Foundation, in collaboration with the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, are seeking applicants for a Diversity and Health Equity in Rehabilitation Research Postdoctoral Fellowship.

This two-year funded fellowship will provide advanced training and research experience to prepare scientists for a career in rehabilitation research with a focus on issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the rehabilitation of people with disabilities — especially those with spinal cord injury rehabilitation.

All fellows participate in an extensive training curriculum and didactic offerings. Multidisciplinary-mentored training opportunities are individually tailored to achieve specific goals considering each fellow’s prior background and interests. Opportunities to collaborate with clinicians and scientists on existing or future research are also available. Salary is commensurate with NIH guidelines.

This fellowship seeks to develop trainees from diverse backgrounds, including individuals from underrepresented groups, to enhance diversity among research scientists in the field of rehabilitation research.

Responsibilities include
Work on ongoing multidisciplinary implementation, program evaluation, and community-based disability projects investigating issues related to health equity, social determinants of health, and outcomes in persons with spinal cord injury and other medical rehabilitation populations.
Develop a mentored research project.
Work on various aspects of research projects from inception (e.g., study formulation, grant writing, etc.) through dissemination (conference presentation and manuscript publication).
Qualifications
PhD in a field relevant to medical rehabilitation or disabilities studies, such as psychology, occupational/rehabilitation therapy, behavioral science, social science, and/or public health, or a related discipline.
A strong commitment to pursuing a research career focused on issues related to addressing health disparities, equity, promoting diversity and inclusion, and demonstrated track record of related activities.
Strong foundation in methodological research skills.
Excellent academic record.
Evidence of publication productivity in conferences or journals.
Preferred qualifications
Experience with community-based research.
Proficiency in qualitative and/or quantitative methods.
To apply

Please email career@kesslerfoundation.org with a cover letter (detailing career goals, research, background, and training experience and demonstrating commitment and track record of activities promoting diversity and inclusion), curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, copy of graduate program transcripts, copies of publications or manuscripts. Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.