Postdoctoral Scholar - Research Associate

Postdoctoral Scholar

Epstein Family Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI), University of Southern California

The Epstein Family Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI) at the University of Southern California serves as a coordinating center for multicenter clinical trials and longitudinal cohort studies in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. ATRI supports trial design, data management, screening infrastructure, biomarker evaluation, and participant engagement across national and international research programs.

Within ATRI, the Recruitment, Engagement, and Retention (RER) Section focuses on scientific areas related to screened populations, population-level differences, biomarker characterization, and retention dynamics within trial-embedded and longitudinal cohort studies. The Section supports analyses examining screening pathways, biomarker profiles, and participant engagement across clinical research programs.

Location:

San Diego, CA

Epstein Family ATRI is seeking a Postdoctoral Scholar to contribute to scientific analyses within the RER Section using trial-embedded screening and longitudinal cohort datasets. The position will support manuscript development and scientific synthesis related to population-level biomarker patterns, biomarker context, and cognitive associations within ongoing clinical research programs. This is a 12-month appointment, renewable for up to 24 months total, contingent upon funding, focused on advancing defined manuscript outputs tied to ongoing funded studies.

The role operates within established analytic governance structures and collaborates with faculty and statistical teams to advance peer-reviewed publications. This position does not involve operational study management, recruitment oversight, or statistical leadership.

• Advance manuscript development based on completed and maturing analyses within trial-embedded screening and longitudinal datasets.
• Draft and revise scientific manuscripts examining population heterogeneity, screening pathways, biomarker characterization, and cognitive associations.
• Translate statistical outputs into scientific narrative under analytic supervision.
• Conduct literature integration to support manuscript framing and interpretation.
• Participate in analytic discussions within existing Section and statistical governance structures.
• Contribute to preparation of abstracts and scientific presentations aligned with defined outputs.

The Postdoctoral Scholar reports to Dr. Doris Molina-Henry, MPI of APEX, within the Recruitment, Engagement, and Retention (RER) Section, and collaborates with Section leadership, ATRI faculty and statistical teams under existing analytic governance.

• PhD in epidemiology, public health, neuroscience, population health, or related field.
• Demonstrated experience interpreting complex longitudinal or trial-embedded datasets in collaboration with statistical teams.
• Strong scientific writing skills, including first-author manuscript drafting.
• Experience integrating biomarker, screening, or cognitive data into population-level interpretation.
• Ability to structure and advance manuscripts from analytic outputs to submission.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within multi-investigator research environments.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within multi-investigator research environments.

• Experience working with screening cohorts or biomarker-based trial populations.
• Familiarity with heterogeneity analyses and subgroup interpretation.
• Experience contributing to multi-author manuscripts within clinical research settings.
• Ability to synthesize findings across related datasets.

The annual base salary range for this position is $70,304.00 - $90,000.00. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training,…