Post-Doctoral Trainee

Posting Information

Posting Details

Department:
Physical Medicine Rehab - 413401

Posting Open Date: 10/07/2025

Final date to receive applications: 01/15/2026

Open Until Filled:
No

Position Type:
Postdoctoral Scholar

Position Title:

Post-Doctoral Trainee

Vacancy

Full-time/Part-time:
Full-Time Temporary

Hours per week: 40

FTE: 1

Work Location:

Chapel Hill, NC

Position Location:

North Carolina, US

Qualifications:

Hiring Range:
Dependent on Qualifications

Proposed

Start Date:

07/01/2026

Estimated Duration of Appointment: 12 Months

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a national leader in innovative teaching, research and public service. It consistently ranks among the nation’s top public universities and is a top ten research institution for federal research expenditures and for federally funded social and behavioral sciences research. The mission of the organization is to improve the health and well‑being of North Carolinians and beyond by providing leadership and excellence in patient care, education and research.

The Program on Integrative Medicine (PIM) within the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation seeks qualified candidates for a Postdoctoral fellowship that cultivates independent researchers to investigate the efficacy, effectiveness, mechanisms, and implementation of complementary and integrative health (CIH) therapies in clinical practice.

• Develop and conduct a research project aligned with the PIM or UNC collaborators.
• Attend Responsible Conduct of Research courses at NC TraCS Institute and the fall semester course, Principles, and Practices of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
• Participate in the T‑32 Fellows Weekly Seminar with monthly in‑person meetings.
• Create an Individual Development Plan (IDP), submit in September and March each year.
• Meet with a Fellowship Director every two weeks and with all three directors biannually.
• Complete relevant graduate coursework at UNC‑Chapel Hill, including optional Master’s in Clinical Research.
• Attend an integrative health conference annually and other approved conferences.
• Present research at national meetings and university groups.
• Submit 1–3 manuscripts (first year) and 2–3 manuscripts (second year) to peer‑reviewed journals, with at least one first‑authored manuscript.

• Receive rigorous training in clinical trials, feasibility testing, mechanism evaluations, advanced quantitative and qualitative methods, systematic reviews/meta‑analysis, and implementation science methods.
• Develop a firm grounding in CIH concepts and research issues.
• Participate in the ongoing research of strong mentors.
• Develop and conduct significant studies that will provide a foundation for future funded research.
• Participate in the development of innovative research tools and measures to better examine CIH approaches to care.

This is a full‑time hybrid position for one year with an option for renewal contingent upon performance and funding availability. Candidates need to reside within commuting distance of UNC and come to campus at least two days a week.

• Participation in a primary research project with Drs. Gaylord, Giscombe, Faurot, and potentially another approved UNC faculty mentor. See the program website for details of mentors committed to the program.
• Dr. Gaylord studies mindfulness interventions for pain conditions, anxiety, and risk of depression.
• Dr. Giscombe studies biopsychosocial research, including biomarkers associated with mindfulness and the Superwoman Schema for Black/African American women and healing professionals.
• Dr. Faurot studies nutrition interventions for chronic pain conditions, dietary supplement safety, and mindfulness interventions for caregivers of persons living with dementia.
• Other affiliated researchers have expertise in implementation science.

Applicants must possess a doctoral‑level degree in a health‑related field (e.g., MD, ND, Ph.D., DO, DC, DOM, Pharm

D, DPT, OTD, DNP).

Applicants must be a permanent U.S. resident or U.S. citizen.

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