NIH T32 Postdoctoral Fellow: Environmental Health at Silent Spring Institute

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We seek a candidate who is excited about receiving postdoctoral training in community-based research while working in environmental epidemiology, toxicology (including computational toxicology), exposure science, or environmental health communication as part of the NIEHS Training Program, “Transdisciplinary Training at the Intersection of Environmental Health Science and Social Science” (EH SS), co-directed by **MEMBERS ONLY**SIGN UP NOW***. and Northeastern University’s Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute (SSEHRI). This two-year training program prepares scientists for successful research careers at the nexus of environmental health, social science and policy.
The postdoctoral fellow will spend 2/3 time at **MEMBERS ONLY**SIGN UP NOW***. and 1/3 at Northeastern University. The fellow will collaborate with **MEMBERS ONLY**SIGN UP NOW***. scientists on one or more ongoing research projects related to Silent Spring’s mission: to uncover the links between chemicals in our everyday environment and women’s health, with a focus on breast cancer prevention. The postdoctoral fellow will also have access to cutting edge resources and excellent colleagues at Northeastern University and other collaborating institutions.  Fellows will be expected to publish and develop proposals within their scientific area of expertise and will also have opportunities to contribute to interdisciplinary publications and projects related to environmental justice, communications, science policy, and ethics.
Silent Spring researchers collaborate with investigators at Harvard, Northeastern, UC Berkeley, Brown, US EPA, US CDC, and other top-tier research institutions, as well as with diverse environmental and health advocacy groups, to conduct high-impact research in partnership with the public. As a core member of Silent Spring’s multi-disciplinary, mission-driven research team, the postdoctoral fellow will work on one or more of the following projects:
Contribute to epidemiological analysis for ongoing
health studies of PFAS-exposed communities
in projects funded by NIEHS and ATSDR.
Evaluate chemical mixtures using innovative statistical methods to support exposure source identification, inform toxicological testing, identify associations with measured health outcomes, and inform human health risk assessment.
Contribute to new
methods for reporting back to individuals
about their own chemical exposures and inspiring them to change individual behaviors and engage with civic solutions.
Perform computational analysis of microscopy images as part of an effort to understand the
early effects of chemical exposures in breast tissue
Apply novel approaches in
biomonitoring and exposure assessmen
t
including non-targeted analysis and metabolomics (and other omics) to identify novel exposures and early biochemical changes associated with chemical exposures.
Evaluate the relative contribution of
residential exposures to overall PFAS exposures
in children and adults living in communities with previously PFAS contaminated drinking water.
Contribute to exposure research focused on achieving
environmental and beauty justice
by measuring exposure disparities, identifying key exposure sources, and developing strategies to mitigate them.
Evaluate the influence of
housing rehabilitation programs
on dust levels of semivolatile organic compounds collected from low-income households.
Combine experimental and computational approaches to
develop novel chemical safety screening and risk assessment methods
that capture biological mechanisms related to endocrine disruption and carcinogenesis.  Many questions can be addressed using publicly available data, for example from US EPA’s ToxCast testing program.
Candidates may have doctoral training in one or more of the following areas: exposure science, environmental engineering, social science, endocrinology, developmental biology, cancer biology, epidemiology, biostatistics, toxicology, chemistry, or computational image analysis, with a focus on environmental health. Applicants should demonstrate an excellent academic and research record and an interest in understanding the roles of chemicals in carcinogenesis and hormonally-mediated toxicity.  Experience with breast cancer biology, computational toxicology, epidemiology, or statistics are assets. The candidate should have an interest in public health, community-based participatory research, and the social context of environmental health.
**MEMBERS ONLY**SIGN UP NOW***.
Situated just outside Boston with a staff of about 25, **MEMBERS ONLY**SIGN UP NOW***. (
silentspring.org
) recently celebrated our 29th anniversary as the nation’s leading scientific research organization focused on breast cancer prevention through environmental research and outreach programs. Our nationally-recognized, innovative, mission-driven research focuses on the link between women’s health and environmental pollutants, especially hormone disruptors and carcinogens. We develop and apply new technologies to differentiate hazardous and safer chemicals, to measure exposures, and to identify effective exposure reduction strategies. Our funding comes from the NIH, EPA, and other federal and state agencies, as well as private foundations and charitable contributions. See **MEMBERS ONLY**SIGN UP NOW***.’s publications
here
and staff bios
here
to learn more about our work.
Northeastern University
The Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute (
northeastern.edu/environmentalhealth/
), at Northeastern since 2012, continues the legacy of the Contested Illnesses Research Group at Brown University, which began in 2000, in training graduate students and postdocs in community-based participatory research aimed at transforming and improving environmental health.  By linking environmental health science, sociology, science and technology studies, and work with Community-Based Organizations, SSEHRI develops novel approaches to studying environmental health questions. It currently has 6 core faculty and 8 affiliate faculty. Both the **MEMBERS ONLY**SIGN UP NOW***. and Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute have extensive collaborations with many breast cancer, environmental health, and environmental justice organizations.
This position is appointed through Northeastern University and offers an NIH stipend and benefits package.
To apply, please do ALL of the following:
Send an application packet containing a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, writing samples (published or unpublished), and graduate and undergraduate transcripts to Professor Phil Brown by email at
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AND to
****
(put “T32 postdoc” in subject line).
Send three letters of reference, including one from your dissertation advisor, to Professor Phil Brown by email at
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AND to
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We are currently seeking applicants for one position to start in September 2024. Review of applications will begin immediately, and the search will remain open until the position is filled.  We encourage applicants from groups who are traditionally under-represented in STEM. We value diversity and an inclusive work culture, and we do not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, religion, color, national origin, gender identification, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
This position is based in Newton, MA. Silent Spring is currently working in hybrid mode, with an expectation of two days per week in our Newton office.
Questions? Write to Ruthann Rudel at
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