Postdoctoral Fellow – Epidemiology and Cancer Control

Multiple postdoctoral fellowship positions are available in the Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control for research on childhood cancer survivorship.

Project Description:

The Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control is seeking outstanding candidates with PhD, MD, or equivalent, for postdoctoral fellowship positions in childhood cancer survivorship research. This fellowship training will involve proposing, executing, and communicating results of research projects you lead with your mentor(s) focused on survivorship research topics that are consistent with your career development goals.  We provide an exceptionally strong scientific collaborative environment that offers opportunities to work with leading researchers of the field, utilizing rich supportive structures and resources of the Department and St. Jude.  The Department houses both the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS, https://ccss.stjude.org/) and the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort (SJLIFE, https://sjlife.stjude.org/), two exceptional resources for research on childhood cancer survivors.  They contain comprehensive, long-term characterizations of diverse “late-effects” outcomes of childhood cancer and its therapy, together with medical-record abstraction of treatment exposure information (including body-region/organ-specific radiation dosimetry and cumulative doses of many chemotherapy drugs), whole genome/exome sequencing along with other omics biomarkers, physical performance measures (cardiopulmonary fitness, muscle strength, mobility, neurosensory function), neurocognitive testing results, patient-reported outcomes (symptomatology, quality-of-life, health habits), and social determinants of health.  A large percentage of publications from these two studies, including those led by our postdoc fellows and their mentors, appear in high-impact journals.  Because survivorship research entails diverse research areas of population, clinical, and biological sciences, candidates from various scientific/medical backgrounds with strong training in research are encouraged to apply. 

Position Responsibilities:

Closely working with the supervisor and mentoring committee, a postdoctoral fellow will propose, conduct, and present/publish research projects on childhood cancer survivorship, consistent with their career-development goals, utilizing the exceptional resources available in the Department and St. Jude.  Strong support and various resources are provided for postdoctoral fellows to advance their professional development in research, including those for grant writing, scientific communications, and research methodologies, and access to exceptional core facilities and biostatistical/data science support to learn and help advance research.  Our overarching goal is to train fellows such that, at the completion of fellowship, applicants will be well-positioned for competitive academic and research positions in survivorship and population science research.

Minimum Education and/or Training:

A doctoral degree (PhD, MD, or equivalent) in a relevant field.

Special Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

Our department carries out multi-disciplinary research intersecting population-, clinical-, and biological-sciences.  As such applicants for our postdoc positions are welcome, and indeed come, from a variety of research background and fields.  Strong interest in developing research-focused careers, preferably in childhood cancer survivorship, and good communication skills (both oral and written in English) are required, along with good research training in their own disciplines, typically with some lead-author research publications.  Match with the applicants’ career goals and our research and training with an appropriate supervisor in our department needs to be identified.

About the department and St. Jude:

Advantages of joining our department include the exceptionally-collaborative multi-disciplinary research environment, the well-established research-project processes and support from the concept development to the presentation/publication of findings, the outstanding research resources (analysis-ready extensive databases of the two large cohorts) and career development opportunities, and extensive national and international collaborators for interaction and networking. 

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a world-class research institution dedicated to pediatric cancer and other catastrophic diseases of childhood. The first and only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Our 300 faculty work across the spectrum of basic, translational, clinical, and population science in a highly collaborative multidisciplinary environment that includes a Nobel laureate and members of the National Academy of Science and the National Academy of Medicine. St. Jude is ranked on Fortune Magazine’s “Best Workplaces in Health Care & Biopharma” and Glassdoor’s “Best Places to Work,” and is located in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee, a vibrant and friendly city at the historic American crossroads of music, trade, food and culture.

We are in pursuit of the brightest minds in biomedical sciences, individuals poised to contribute to our research progress. Other than access to top-quality scientists and mentors, as a postdoctoral trainee at St. Jude, you will have:

• A Blend of Academic Freedom and Industrial Efficiency: Access to shared resources and facilities led by expert scientists, coupled with cutting-edge technology, accelerates research productivity.

• Customized Professional and Career Growth: Experience specifically designed programs to enhance professional growth and career readiness empowering postdocs for success beyond their training. This includes access to grant writing workshops, individual development plans, teaching and mentoring opportunities, non-research career advancement programs, professional development allowance, and so much more.

• Competitive Compensation: Embark on your journey with a competitive salary starting at $72,500 a year ($84,000 for Data-Science postdocs), comprehensive benefits and generous relocation assistance, reflecting our commitment to recognize and invest in talent.

• A Sense of Community: St. Jude fosters a vibrant postdoc community that supports a well-balanced life. A dynamic environment promotes connections and camaraderie among postdocs from all backgrounds.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has a diverse, global patient population and workforce, built on the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our founder Danny Thomas envisioned a hospital that would treat children of the world—regardless of race, religion or a family’s ability to pay. Learn more about our history and commitment.

Today, we continue the mission to advance cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. As we accelerate this progress globally, we believe our legacy of diversity, equity and inclusion is foundational to success. With the commitment of leaders at all levels of the organization, we strive to ensure the St. Jude culture, leadership approaches and talent processes are equitable and culturally responsive. View our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report to learn about the hospital’s roots in diversity, equity and inclusion, where we are today and our aspirations for an even better future.

St. Jude is an Equal Opportunity Employer

No Search Firms

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. Please do not call or email. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee or other representative at St. Jude via email, the internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place and approved by HR will result in no fee being paid in the event the candidate is hired by St. Jude.