Systems Science in Childhood Obesity and Public Health Research:

Pre-doctoral and Post-doctoral opportunities at Johns Hopkins University

The NIH funded, Johns Hopkins Global Center for Childhood Obesity (JHGCCO) is recruiting qualified pre-doctoral and post-doctoral trainees from diverse fields (e.g. Public Health, Medicine, Engineering, Nursing, or Arts and Sciences) with a career interest in addressing childhood obesity, non-communicable chronic diseases, and related topics in public health using systems science theories and methods.

Applications are invited from exceptional individuals who will benefit from involvement with training and research activities and who will contribute to the Center and the field at large. Women and candidates from under-represented minorities are particularly encouraged to apply. Trainees will be provided with training in systems science and public health, research opportunities, and involvement in diverse Center activities. A traineeship including stipend will be provided.

Eligibility and Requirements

Candidates for a Pre-doctoral trainee slot must be enrolled in a doctoral program at one of the five Johns Hopkins Schools listed above. On average, Pre-doctoral trainees will receive 2 years of support in the form of tuition and stipend. Therefore, preference will be given to students who have already completed two years of their doctoral program and have demonstrated a strong track record of accomplishment and commitment to their field. Postdoctoral candidates must have a doctoral degree (M.D., Ph.D., Sc.D, J.D.) in a relevant field.

Application Process

To apply, send a curriculum vitae, three references, and a letter of intent to the Center's Education and Training Core (ETC) Program Manager, Rosemary Mountain, at rmountain@jhu.edu. The letter must be no more than 1000 words and should address the following points:

1. What are your most important previous experiences that make you a good candidate for this training program?

2. What are your long term career goals and how would this training program fit those goals?

3. What do you want to focus on in your research and how does that fit with this training program? Please be specific about particular skills, knowledge or certification that are relevant to your future career. Please also mention if you prefer to work with a particular Center faculty member.

4. Why are you interested in research about childhood obesity and systems approaches to public health?

Pre-doctoral candidates, please include a description of what school, department and degree program you are currently enrolled in, and a clear statement of where you are in the process. The application deadline is March 14th for currently available positions.

Frequently asked questions

• Could you tell me a little more about what it entails in terms of the experience and training post-doctoral trainees would get?

Trainees will be responsible for meeting all obligations, deadlines and milestones that pertain to the department and program into which they are accepted. Participation in the Center's training will supplement the "home" curriculum. In general, trainees will be exposed to seminars, online courses and tutorials, and opportunities to be involved in research taking place in the Center or one its affiliated studies. Another key feature of the training program is the opportunity to interact and collaborate with other trainees who represent different fields of expertise. Students with a background in public health will be able to interact with systems modelers and vise versa. All trainees will gain substantive depth in various aspects of obesity at the individual and population levels. Trainees will have the opportunity to apply for rapid response pilot projects designed to evaluate natural experiments intended to prevent or reduce the burden of obesity. As the Center is an international collaboration, trainees will be exposed to colleagues in other countries and may be involved in international research projects. Each trainee will have at least 1 Center-affiliated mentor who will meet regularly with the trainees, set training goals and coordinate the training objectives of the center with that of the home department. All trainees will be expected to attend regular research in progress sessions and to take several courses depending on previous background and training.

• When is the expected start date, and the duration (approximately) of the traineeship?

We estimate the earliest possible start date for post-doctoral fellows and currently enrolled pre-doctoral students would be April 2 2012 pending full review by the Center ETC oversight committee. We also anticipate appointing 1 or more pre-doctoral fellows at the start of the 2012-2013 academic year. Post-doctoral fellows and visiting scholars will be appointed for 1 year terms with a possibility of renewal for a second year depending on progress. Pre-doctoral trainees would be appointed until they complete their Doctorate, subject to annual review of progress, however alternate sources of funding may be sought for durations of 3 years or more.

• How much is the stipend (approximately)?

Students are provided with a stipend that is consistent with standard NIH stipend levels. Students also receive a standard benefits package that includes health insurance. The program also pays a substantial fraction of tuition based on standard NIH calculations. There are limited funds available for travel, computers, software and other training needs.

• Am I eligible to apply for a post doc if I have an MD?

Yes. Post-doctoral status includes those whose doctoral degrees are in medicine, nursing, veterinary medicine, nutrition, pharmacy or dentistry. However, candidates with a clinical doctoral degree must demonstrate sufficient background in research to be considered competitive.

• Where will the training take place?

Trainees will work with their mentors to develop a training plan that is consistent with their home department. This will include where training will take place. Seminars and work in progress sessions will be held at both the Bloomberg School of Public Health in the downtown campus as well as at the Homewood campus. Office and work space will be arranged on a case-by-case basis.