Postdoctoral Research Fellow — Independent Investigator

Department:

Humana Health System Sci InstSalary: starting salary of $65,000

The Humana Institute at the University of Houston (UH) seeks a Postdoctoral Research Associate with expertise in mixed methods research and an interest in digital health to support academic-industry and community-engaged research projects. Drawing on UH’s substantial research enterprise and its partnership with Humana Inc., the Institute advances healthcare transformation by addressing the interrelated social, economic, and environmental factors that contribute to health disparities.

The Postdoctoral Research Associate will contribute to research examining how digital health tools support chronic disease management, patient engagement, and access to care. The postdoc will design and conduct qualitative and quantitative research, integrate findings across methods, and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and research partners. Opportunities include field research, data collection and analysis, manuscript development, presentations, and grant proposal development, with mentorship to support an independent research career.

The position is a one-year appointment based at the University of Houston College of Medicine and is renewable depending on performance and funding.

Essential duties include:

• Design and conduct mixed methods research examining the adoption, implementation, and outcomes of digital health interventions.
• Develop interview guides and other data collection instruments; conduct interviews, focus groups, and field research with patients, providers, and community partners.
• Conduct qualitative analyses, including codebook development and thematic or framework analysis.
• Integrate qualitative and quantitative findings to understand patient experiences, technology usability, engagement, and barriers to sustained use.
• Apply implementation science frameworks to assess how digital health tools fit into clinical workflows and community settings.
• Lead and contribute to manuscripts, publication-ready tables and figures, and conference presentations.
• Contribute to grant proposals, research protocols, and analysis plans.
• Communicate research findings to diverse audiences, including clinicians, healthcare payers, and community partners.

Required qualifications:

• Ph.D. in health services research, public health, psychology, sociology, health informatics, or a related field
• Demonstrated capabilities in qualitative research design, data collection, and analysis.
• Interest in digital health, chronic disease management, patient engagement, or technology-supported care.

All positions at the University of Houston-System are security sensitive and will require a criminal history check.

The University of Houston System and its universities are Equal Opportunity Institutions. Everyone is encouraged to apply.