Postdoctoral Fellow
Mass General Brigham
Summary
The Cognitive-Motor Behavior Lab at the Mass General Brigham University of Health Professions (Principal Investigator: Dr. Prudence Plummer) is seeking a postdoctoral scholar (40 hours per week) to work on clinical and rehabilitation research in multiple sclerosis (MS). The position is funded by a National MS Society Mentor-Based Postdoctoral Training Grant.
Job description
Job Summary
The Cognitive-Motor Behavior Lab at the Mass General Brigham University of Health Professions (Principal Investigator: Dr. Prudence Plummer) is seeking a postdoctoral scholar (40 hours per week) to work on clinical and rehabilitation research in multiple sclerosis (MS). The position is funded by a National MS Society Mentor-Based Postdoctoral Training Grant.
The postdoctoral fellow will be responsible for aspects of project management across several types of projects, new project design and development, data analysis, and dissemination activities. Initially, the postdoctoral fellow will play a crucial role in managing an ongoing clinical trial of combined pharmacological and rehabilitation interventions in people with MS and other studies investigating mechanisms of fatigue, visual attention during postural control tasks, and intervention-related clinical outcomes under different models of care.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Mentor-directed research activities (50%)
- Dalfampridine combined with physical therapy for improving mobility impairment in people with MS
- Sensorimotor mechanisms of fatigue in MS
- Visual attention and postural stability during distracted walking
- Examination of longitudinal rehabilitation outcome data in people with progressive MS
- Identifying barriers to accessing rehabilitation by people with progressive MS
- Other lab projects
Postdoctoral fellow directed research activities (30%)
- Development of an independent project related to MS rehabilitation and aligned with the focus of the Cognitive-Motor Behavior Lab
Professional development (10%)
- Participation in weekly lab meetings
- Supervisory responsibility and mentorship of doctoral and masters students
- Conference attendance and participation
- Attendance at weekly doctoral seminar
Selected courses, training workshops, seminars (10%), may include:
- Responsible Conduct of Research
- Statistical methods
- Implementation Science workshops
- Design and conduct of clinical trials
- Grant writing courses and workshops
- Navigating NIH pathway to independence
Education, Experience, Qualifications
- PhD in a health or rehabilitation field
- Clinical training in a health or rehabilitation specialty (e.g., physical therapy) or well-aligned expertise without a clinical degree (e.g., kinesiology, human movement science)
- Interest in pursuing a career in rehabilitation research in MS
- Ability and willingness to commit to a minimum of 2 years to the postdoctoral fellowship
Skills Required
- Excellent critical thinking and appraisal skills
- Ability to learn quickly with sufficient resources and training, analytical thinker
- Strong background in statistics, biostatistics
- Experience with movement analysis systems and/or cognitive assessment
- First author of one or more peer-reviewed scientific publications or preprint
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Strong problem-solving skills
- Ability to collaborate with other lab members and scientists
Requirements
- PhD in a health or rehabilitation field
- Clinical training in a health or rehabilitation specialty (e.g., physical therapy) or well-aligned expertise without a clinical degree (e.g., kinesiology, human movement science)
- Interest in pursuing a career in rehabilitation research in MS
- Ability and willingness to commit to a minimum of 2 years to the postdoctoral fellowship
- Excellent critical thinking and appraisal skills
- Ability to learn quickly with sufficient resources and training, analytical thinker
- Strong background in statistics, biostatistics
- Experience with movement analysis systems and/or cognitive assessment
- First author of one or more peer-reviewed scientific publications or preprint
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Strong problem-solving skills
- Ability to collaborate with other lab members and scientists
Company overview
Mass General Brigham is one of the largest integrated healthcare delivery systems in the United States, formed through the merger of Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, this academic medical center system operates multiple hospitals, specialty facilities, and community health centers throughout New England. The organization is renowned for its world-class patient care, cutting-edge medical research, and comprehensive medical education programs. As a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, Mass General Brigham trains the next generation of healthcare professionals while advancing medical science through groundbreaking research initiatives. The system provides a full continuum of healthcare services, from primary care and preventive medicine to complex specialty treatments and emergency services. With a focus on innovation and patient-centered care, Mass General Brigham consistently ranks among the top hospital systems in the nation for clinical excellence and research output.