Postdoctoral Fellow - RESILIENCE

Competition 2286

This position is part of the Post Doctoral Fellows Association and has an initial appointment of one year.

This position has a comprehensive benefits package.

Location - This role is in-person at North Campus, Edmonton.

Working at the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all FirstPeoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is a community of knowledge seekers, change makers and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to over 14,000 faculty and staff, more than 40,000 students and a growing community of 300,000 alumni worldwide.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross-section of people — from our students and community members, to our renowned researchers and innovators, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger and more just. Learn more.

Working for the Department of Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science (AFNS)

The Department of Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science (AFNS) offers research and teachings related to the fields of Animal Science, Food Science and Bioresource, Human Nutrition and Plant Biosystems. AFNS offers undergraduate Bachelor of Science degrees in Agriculture, Animal Health, Agricultural/Food Business Science and Nutrition & Food Science each with a variety of majors. AFNS students can also pursue a course-based or thesis-based Master of Agriculture, Master of Science or a PhD.

Position Summary

Dr. Carla Prado, in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences (ALES) at the University of Alberta, invites applications for a 1-year postdoctoral fellowship in the areas of clinical trials of lifestyle interventions in women with cancer.

Duties 

• The successful candidate will contribute to various ongoing studies with a primary focus on two 2-site randomized controlled trials with the Universities of Alberta and Toronto. Both trials involve a multimodal lifestyle intervention aimed at improving body composition and cardiometabolic health in endometrial and breast cancer survivors. This position is based in-person at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, with close working relationship with the University of Toronto site, PI, Dr. Amy Kirkham in the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education. The candidate will support the implementation and management of study protocols across the study sites, plus management of the local site for one trial, and contribute to the local site only for the second trial.
• Responsibilities include providing mentorship and support to a team of graduate students and staff to manage research ethics, participant recruitment, screening, and assessment as well as overseeing trial delivery components such a digital health platform and nutrition education. The fellow will analyze and interpret clinical data derived from state-of-art body composition and cardiovascular assessment techniques (such as DXA, MRI, ultrasound), dietary assessments, physical activity and sleep monitor data, metabolic cart, and metabolic biomarkers, among others. In one of the trials data collection includes assessments of physical and cognitive function.
• The candidate will also lead and collaborate on the preparation of abstracts, manuscripts, and conference presentations, and support the development of educational and knowledge translation materials for participants and funders. Opportunities to assist with grant writing will be provided and encouraged. The postdoctoral fellow will also provide mentorship and support to trainees in the lab ranging from undergraduate to doctoral levels, as well as to research staff. Active engagement with multidisciplinary research teams from various institutions and both clinical (especially oncology and cardiology) and academic collaborators will be essential.
• This role offers valuable experience in clinical trials, oncology, digital health tools, cardiometabolic health, and multimodal lifestyle interventions. These experiences are expected to provide the candidate with unparalleled preparation for developing their own independent lab.

Qualifications

• PhD in Nutrition Sciences, Dietetics, Kinesiology, Exercise Physiology, or a closely related discipline involving Human Nutrition and/or Physiology
• Experience working on clinical trials, preferably randomized controlled trials.
• Experience with rigorous collection of physical measurements in a human research setting is essential.
• Strong track record of scholarly research productivity and ability to independently perform patient recruitment, research data collection and analysis
• Exceptional organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills
• Experience providing mentorship, direction, and support to junior researchers/trainees.
• Experience with data management and statistical software (e.g., REDCap, SPSS, Excel, or R).
• Experience and strength in manuscript and grant application writing is a major asset.
• Ability to work independently while effectively contributing to a collaborative team environment.
• Registered dietitian or exercise physiologist credentials are an asset for the position.
• Prior experience with clinical research conducted in Canada or a similar system is an asset.

How to Apply: 

To apply, please submit ALL of the following in a single PDF document: 

• Cover Letter 
• Curriculum Vitae 
• List of Publications 
• References (Please provide names and contact information of 2 references. We are not requesting reference letters with the initial application.)