Postdoctoral Fellow - – Health Equity, Health Disparities, and Community-Engaged Research

Indiana University School of Nursing seeks a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow to join the Center for Enhancing Quality of Life in Chronic Illness (CEQL). This fellowship supports the development of an early-career nurse scientist pursuing an independent program of research focused on health equity, health disparities, ethics, and/or population health.

About the role

The fellow will work under the mentorship of Dr. Amy Knopf, an established nurse scientist whose research focuses on health equity, health disparities, social determinants of health, bioethics, and clinical trial access. The position is on-site in Indianapolis, Indiana, with an expectation to be on campus at least three days per week.

The Center for Enhancing Quality of Life in Chronic Illness (CEQL) is dedicated to advancing research that improves the quality of life of individuals living with chronic illness. CEQL fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, mentorship, and innovation to address complex health challenges through rigorous scientific inquiry, implementation science, and community engagement.

Research Focus Areas

• Health equity and health disparities
• Social determinants of health
• Community-engaged and participatory research
• Ethics
• Clinical trial access, enrollment, and retention
• Policy

Responsibilities

• Develop an individualized career development plan leading toward research independence and external funding.
• Conduct independent and collaborative research activities.
• Work with faculty mentor on ongoing projects, including study design, implementation, data collection, and analysis.
• Prepare manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals.
• Present research at IU School of Nursing Research Forums and at regional and national professional conferences.

Requirements

• Demonstrated interest in the research focus areas listed above.
• Commitment to a research-focused career in an academic, public sector, or health care environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary and community-based research environments.

Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications:

• Record of peer-reviewed publications.
• Experience designing and conducting quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods research.
• Experience working with community partners or stakeholder-engaged research.
• Experience in population health or health equity/disparities research.

Benefits

• Individual mentorship from Dr. Amy Knopf.
• Access to CEQL research seminars and scholarly activities.
• Opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary collaborations across Indiana University.
• Rigorous research training, grant-writing, and career development support.
• Support for conference presentations and professional networking.
• Guidance in developing competitive career development and research funding applications.

Pay

Full-time position with compensation commensurate with the National Research Service Awards (NRSA) stipend levels plus an additional $10,000 awarded by the IU School of Nursing.

Schedule

One-year appointment with the possibility of a one-year extension contingent upon performance and available funding. Expected start date: January 1, 2027.

For questions about the position, contact Jared Rutan at jmrutan@iu.edu.