Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Pauley Heart Center, Cardiology

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine is a premier academic medical center located in the heart of Richmond. Accounting for almost half of VCU’s sponsored research, the School of Medicine is internationally recognized for patient care and education. All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s generous benefits package that includes competitive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, Virginia Retirement System (VRS), professional development & certifications, tuition waiver, parental leave, caregiving leave and community service leave. Learn more about VCU’s benefits here: https://hr.vcu.edu/careers-at-vcu/why-work-at-vcu/

Position Summary:

The Pauley Heart Center is seeking an exceptional early-stage researcher for a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship in the American Heart Association Strategically Focused Research Network (SFRN) on Biologic Pathways of Chronic Psychosocial Stressors on Cardiovascular Health. This 2 year individually-tailored training program offers a stipend, as well as funds for health insurance expenses. Trainees will travel to annual meetings with SFRN Center Directors and Project PIs across the AHA Networks.

The overall goal of the training component of this AHA Strategically Focused CPPS Research Center is to provide an integrated career development pathway that will train new investigators in techniques and methods relevant to psychosocial stress research. We seek to provide early-stage researchers with the skills and competencies necessary to conduct clinical, social, behavioral, or imaging science research focused on the relationship between chronic psychosocial stress and LV dysfunction. The specific research themes of this Center include:

-Behavioral interventions to increase physical activity or diet modifications that may preserve LV function and maintain health-related quality of life, exercise tolerance, and LV function among patients treated for cancer experiencing psychosocial stress.
-Advanced imaging of the heart to identify relationships between psychosocial stress and measures of left ventricular function and myocardial fibrosis; or
-Inflammasome formation in cardiac muscle, skeletal muscle, and the central nervous system as a result of chronic psychosocial stress;

**In this third year of the AHA SFRN program we are seeking a postdoctoral trainee interested in working on the behavioral intervention aspect of the program as described in the third bullet point above. The selected trainee will join the two previously appointed postdoctoral trainees that are part of this program and who are focusing their efforts on the topics described in the first two bullet points.

Minimum Hiring Standards:

-Candidates should have MD, PhD, or MD/PhD.
-A named fellow may not hold another comparable fellowship award
-May not hold faculty rank
-Fellow must devote at least 75% effort to the SFRN research project

-Each fellow must have one of the following designations:
-U.S. citizen.
-Permanent resident

Preferred Qualifications:

-Postdoctoral employment is normally limited to an individual who has been awarded a doctoral degree within the previous five years. Salary will be commensurate with education and experience, using the NIH scale for postdoctoral stipends.
-The University will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment.
-Collaborative and inclusive research environment
-Access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources
-Opportunities for professional development and career advancement
-Located in the vibrant city of Richmond, Virginia
-This position will remain open until filled

Position Details:

Department: SOM, Internal Medicine, Cardiology

Employment Type: PD - Post Doc

Commensurate with experience based on NIH postdoc scale

Restricted Status: Yes

FTE: 1.00

Exemption Status: Exempt

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine is a premier academic medical center located in the heart of Richmond. Accounting for almost half of VCU’s sponsored research, the School of Medicine is internationally recognized for patient care and education.

Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action university providing access to education and employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, political affiliation, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or disability.