Postdoctoral Scholar - Department of Epidemiology

At VCU, we take pride in our deep commitment to our postdoctoral community. In 2026, the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) named VCU as one of only 12 recipients of its inaugural

Institutional Policy Awards, in recognition of our transformativeefforts to elevate quality of life and workplace equity forpostdocs. VCU postdocs are Virginia state employees, with benefitsmirroring 12-month faculty. We adhere closely to the NPA’sguidelines for best practices in postdoc training. We work closely with our local NPA chapter, the VCU Postdoc Association, to makethis a welcoming and productive place to complete your training!

VCU is a leading public research institution committed to servingboth its students and the broader community. Energized by its urbansetting in Richmond, VCU is a hub of innovation—pushing boundaries,challenging convention, and embracing bold, forward-thinking ideas.

As a Carnegie ranked - R1 institution ranked among the top 50public research universities nationwide, VCU secured more than $506million in sponsored research funding from federal and other sources in FY2024, a nearly 50% increase since FY2020. We strive toprovide research opportunities at all levels of learning as One VCUwith opportunities in undergraduate and graduate programming - webelieve that every VCU Ram is a Researcher!

The central heart of research innovation and infrastructure at VCUis the Office of the Vice President of Research and Innovation (OVPRI), whose mission is to foster transformative research,discovery and innovation through excellence in service. In addition to supporting schools and departments throughout the researchlifecycle.

The Department of Epidemiology is a premiere public health program located in the School of Public Health, recognized for its rigorousresearch and innovative experiential training for a new generation of public health professionals. It is aligned with renowned centers and institutes that provide a platform for investigatorsfrom multiple disciplines to collaborate on cutting-edge and innovative research.

The Center on Society and Health (CSH), located in the School of Public Health, works to raise awareness about factors outside ofhealth care that shape health outcomes and to explore ways to improve population health and wellbeing. CSH’s vision is to openopportunity for all members of society and facilitate the creation of partnerships that work across sectors to help stakeholders alignincentives and advance health.

The Department of Epidemiology at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Public Health is seeking a highly motivated,research-focused Post-Doctoral Fellow to join the research programled by Dr. Emily Zimmerman. The fellow will contribute to a portfolio of federally funded research focused on community engagement and community-based participatory research (CBPR),mixed-methods research, social drivers of health, and improvingsubstance use treatment research through integration of the perspectives of people with lived experience.

The fellow will be based in the Department of Epidemiology and will participate in departmental research and professional-development activities, while also having opportunities to engage with the Center on Society and Health, where Dr. Zimmerman holds anaffiliated appointment and directs community engagement. Thisstructure will provide the fellow with access to amultidisciplinary research environment, departmental colleagues andpostdoctoral researchers, and collaborators across the School of Public Health, VCU, and community and clinical settings.

The position is particularly well suited for an early-careerscientist seeking intensive mentorship while developing an independent program of research. The fellow will have…