Postdoctoral Research Associate

Submitted: 09/27/2024
Submitted By: Christina Nicholas
Department: Orthodontics
Institution: University of Illinois Chicago
Job type: Postdoc
Apply by: 11/01/2024
Application Email:
Application URL: https://uic.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/11999?c=uic

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 sub-objectives.
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:

Minimum 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