Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons
Department of Emergency Medicine

The Department of Emergency Medicine at Columbia University is seeking a highly motivated, full-time Postdoctoral Research Fellow to work on a federally funded research program examining substance use, mental health, and opioid-related harms, with a particular focus on cannabis use disorder (CUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD). The postdoctoral fellow will play a central role in the execution of an NIH-funded longitudinal study using large-scale Veterans Health Administration (VHA) electronic health record data (1R01DA
064130). This National Institute on Drug Use-funded project investigates associations between CUD and opioid-related health outcomes, treatment engagement, and individual- and policy-level modifiers of these relationships.

The postdoctoral fellow will be primarily responsible for data analysis, manuscript preparation, and dissemination of findings, including submission of conference abstracts and peer-reviewed publications. The fellow will work closely with the study Principal Investigators, Dr. Ofir Livne and Dr. Zach Mannes, and in close collaboration with co-investigators across the Departments of Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, and Epidemiology at Columbia University, as well as with collaborators at VA Puget Sound.

Salary and benefits are commensurate with Columbia University policies and experience.

• Conduct statistical analyses using large longitudinal healthcare datasets (VHA EHR data)
• Lead and contribute to manuscript preparation for peer-reviewed journals
• Prepare and submit abstracts for national and international scientific conferences
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary investigators across institutions and departments
• Participate in regular study meetings and contribute to the interpretation of findings
• Support dissemination of findings to academic, clinical, and policy audiences

• PhD, MD, or equivalent doctoral degree in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Public Health, Psychology, Health Services Research, or a related field
• Strong quantitative and data analytic skills; experience with longitudinal or EHR data strongly preferred
• Demonstrated interest in substance use, mental health, opioid-related outcomes, and health policy
• Experience with statistical software (e.g., R, SAS, Stata, or Python)
• Strong writing skills and interest in academic publishing
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment

Our research division has broad expertise in bioinformatics, translational science, clinical psychology, and psychiatric and substance use epidemiology. Strong mentorship exists both within our department and through ongoing collaborations across the larger university. Postdoctoral fellows receive robust support from our existing research infrastructure, including dedicated pre- and post-award grants administration. Additionally, fellows are supported by a team of full-time research coordinators and interns, as well as IRB support.

The Columbia University Department of Emergency Medicine is consistently ranked among the top emergency medicine departments in NIH funding. Since 2019, the Department has received more than $72 million in federal, state, and private research funding across more than 50 sponsored projects.