Job Details

Post Doc Res Assoc

Position Number: 9800369
Location: Salt Lake City, United States
Position Type: Medicine - Medical Researcher

Post Doc Res Assoc

Job Summary

The Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology at the University of Utah, in partnership with the Huntsman Cancer Institute, is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to join the lab of Dr. Mary Playdon. This position is funded by NIH grants from the National Cancer Institute (1R01CA313949; 1R21CA299749), focused on (1) translating a validated blood-based dietary biomarker into clinical practice for colorectal cancer prevention, and (2) investigating biomarkers of meal timing behaviors in relation to cancer risk.

The successful candidate will lead epidemiologic and translational analyses that integrate nutritional metabolomics, multiplex inflammatory protein (inflammotype) profiling, dietary intake, electronic medical record data, and adenoma outcomes across two high-volume academic medical centers (University of Utah and The Ohio State University), and integrating metabolomic data from multiple cohort studies in collaboration with investigators at the American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute to investigate meal timing and cancer, among other research opportunities.

The University of Utah is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and encourages applications from individuals of all backgrounds.

For more information about Dr. Playdon's research, visit her faculty profile https://profiles.faculty.utah.edu/u6017378.

Details about the NIH-funded project (1R01CA313949) can be found on NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov.

Huntsman Cancer Institute is committed to cancer prevention, care, and survivorship for all communities within the area we serve, which includes Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming, with impact worldwide.

In your cover letter or during your interview process, we invite you to share how your professional experiences have prepared you to serve as a member of our team as we work to reduce the cancer burden experienced by all people and communities. This may include description of your prior experiences related to research, prevention, clinical care, community engagement/outreach, training, administration, or other areas relevant to Huntsman Cancer Institute's mission and this position.

Responsibilities
Study related activities: Conduct epidemiologic analyses of epidemiologic and clinical trial data. Work with metabolomics, proteomics, and dietary data. Support the development of clinical trial intervention materials, including group education programming. Implement natural language processing pipelines. Collaborate with partners at the University of Utah and The Ohio State University and with metabolomics, biostatistics, and pathology cores. Prepare manuscripts for publication and present findings at scientific conferences. Assist in grant writing and progress reporting to NIH. Mentor junior researchers and contribute to lab meetings and collaborative discussions. Ensure compliance with IRB protocols and data security standards.
Required materials: 1. CV2. Cover Letter3. List of three referencesQuestions about this position should be directed to Dr. Mary Playdon at mary.playdon@hci.utah.edu.
About the University of Utah The University of Utah is the state's oldest and largest institution of higher education and offers an exceptional research and teaching environment. The University of Utah encompasses both the flagship university and the health sciences campus for the state, competes in the Big 12 conference, and is the largest research-intensive institution in the Mountain West.
About the Department of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology The Department of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology (NUIP) houses an active group of researchers, educators, and trainees dedicated to understanding how maintenance of metabolic health combats the development and progression of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. NUIP faculty members maintain active engagement with other programs within the Health Sciences Center and endeavor to translate new research findings into clinical procedures and community outreach programs that improve quality of life. The department offers degree programs that train biomedical scientists, research scholars, and clinical dietitians. Faculty strive to implement active, team-based learning strategies in all programs to transition students to a mode of learning ideally suited for lifelong careers as leaders in healthcare.
About the Division of Cancer Population Science The Division of Cancer Population Science, within the Department of Population Health Science, serves as the academic home for faculty and graduate students with emphasis in population cancer research. The University of Utah houses the Huntsman Cancer Institute, an internationally renowned cancer center with outstanding clinicians and scientists. The Division fosters the integration of cancer population sciences with clinical research and provides expertise on study design, molecular and translational epidemiology, and cancer prognosis, survivorship, and outcomes research. Many interactions on both the academic and research side take place, in particular with the Departments of Surgery, Oncological Sciences, and Pediatrics, the Division of Epidemiology in the Department of Internal Medicine, the Division of Public Health in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, the College of Health, the College of Nursing, and many more.
About Huntsman Cancer Institute HCI is an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), supporting and fostering a vibrant cancer research enterprise in a highly collaborative environment. HCI has an outstanding history of academic achievement and impact and a commitment to excellence in patient care, research, teaching, and service. In addition, the University of Utah and HCI are home to superb shared resources, such as the Utah Population Database as well as the Utah Cancer Registry, which is a long-standing and preeminent Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) site. HCI has extensive depth in population sciences research, coupled with a strong tradition of community-based research, and collaborations with clinicians to conduct transformational research for individuals and populations. As part of our scientific mission of excellence, we seek to positively impact the populations we serve, specifically those in Utah, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.

Minimum Qualifications

Preferences
PhD in Epidemiology, Nutrition, Public Health, Biostatistics, or related field. Experience in population-based research and statistical modeling, including regression and longitudinal or mixed-effects methods. Strong publication record and scientific writing skills. Proficiency in statistical software (e.g., R, SAS). Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary, multi-site team.

Special Instructions

Requisition Number: PRN46086B
Full Time or Part Time? Full Time
Work Schedule Summary:
Department: 01938 - HCI Mary Playdon Research Prog
Location: Campus
Pay Rate Range: 63,480
Close Date: 12/01/2026
Open Until Filled:

To apply, visit <a href=""https://apptrkr.com/9800369"">https://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/208627