What are the responsibilities and job description for the Postdoctoral Research Associate - Orthodontics - College of Dentistry position at University of Illinois?
Postdoctoral Research Associate - Orthodontics - College of Dentistry
Hiring Department: Orthodontics
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Requisition ID: 1027608
Posting Close Date: 04/14/2025
Salary: The budgeted salary range for the position is $58,500 to $73,500 Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity.
About the University of Illinois Chicago
UIC is among the nation’s preeminent urban public research universities, a Carnegie RU/VH research institution, and the largest university in Chicago. UIC serves over 34,000 students, comprising one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation and is designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPSI) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Through its 16 colleges, UIC produces nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary academic programs in concert with civic, corporate and community partners worldwide, including a full complement of health sciences colleges. By emphasizing cutting-edge and transformational research along with a commitment to the success of all students, UIC embodies the dynamic, vibrant and engaged urban university. Recent “Best Colleges” rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, found UIC climbed up in its rankings among top public schools in the nation and among all national universities. UIC has over 300,000 alumni, and is one of the largest employers in the city of Chicago.
Benefits eligible positions include a comprehensive benefits package which offers: Health, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability & AD&D insurance; a defined benefit pension plan; paid leaves such as Vacation, Holiday and Sick; tuition waivers for employees and dependents. Click for a complete list of Employee Benefits.
Description:
Position Summary
A postdoctoral research associate position is available in the lab of Dr. Christina Nicholas, University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry. The Nicholas Lab applies deep phenotyping approaches to clinical, anthropological, and evolutionary questions primarily in the area of human craniofacial growth and development (https://sites.google.com/uic.edu/nicholaslab/home). This position is funded by an award from the National Institute of Justice, "DENTAGE: A multicomponent subadult dental age estimation method". The Nicholas Lab does not conduct forensic casework, though a candidate with prior experience may have opportunities to collaborate with Dr. Michael Colvard (forensic dentist) outside of the time allotted to the grant research. The post-doc will focus on research and scientific techniques within the fields of dental anthropology, forensic dentistry, and craniofacial biology. ) In addition to submitting the online application (“Apply Now” below), candidates should provide a CV, a list of 3 academic references, and a one-page cover letter briefly describing relevant qualifications, career goals, and availability for a preferred expected start date to Dr. Christina Nicholas (clnichol@uic.edu). A start date in January or February 2025 is preferred but negotiable, with the ability to start no later than July 2025.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Collaborate with Principal Investigator, co-investigators, and other lab researchers to design and refine the research objectives and subobjectives.
- Test, optimize and implement both new and existing methods/techniques.
- Conduct research on dental age estimation, including application of standard scoring methods and advanced computational approaches.
- Collect, analyze, and interpret data.
- Generate data, compile figures and draft documents for grant applications and peer-reviewed manuscripts.
- Supervise and train undergraduates, dental students, dental residents, and other trainees working in the lab.
- Present research findings at national/scientific conferences.
- Publish original research in peer-reviewed journals.
- Other duties as assigned.
- Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned.
Qualifications:
- PhD in biological anthropology, anatomy, computational biology, or related field. Will also consider those with a PhD in other science disciplines with demonstrated experience collaborating on anthropological and/or anatomical research.
- Possesses and applies comprehensive knowledge of research principles, concepts, practices and methods.
- Proficient in use of R, Python, or other programming language for standard statistical analyses.
Preferred Qualifications
- Expertise with geometric morphometric analyses
- Expertise in machine learning for anthropological or biomedical applications
- Strong background in human anatomy/osteology, particularly craniofacial
- Proficiency in use of radiograph and 3D imaging programs (e.g., 3D Slicer, ImageJ, Geomagic)
- Experience designing web applications
- A record of peer-reviewed publications
The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.
The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees. Request an Accommodation
Salary : $58,500 - $73,500
