Postdoctoral Fellowship in Human Evolution and Biomechanics

The Human Evolutionary Biology Lab in the Department of Anatomy at Midwestern University (Arizona) invites applicants for an NSF-funded Postdoctoral Fellowship, specializing in biomechanics and paleoanthropology.

The anticipated start date of the appointment is August 1, 2023. The appointment is anticipated for up to two years, renewed annually. The Postdoctoral Fellow will contribute to NSF-funded research investigating the evolution of hominin walking and running using a combination of gait biomechanics and musculoskeletal modeling-simulation. The project is part of an ongoing collaboration between Midwestern University (O’Neill Lab) and the University of Michigan (Umberger Lab).

Responsibilities: The project will include collection of lab-based biomechanical data, including 3-D video, force platform, electromyography and respirometry data, as well as musculoskeletal modeling and the development of new computational tools using OpenSim and MATLAB. The postdoctoral fellow will be involved in data collection, analysis, presentation and publication of results, student mentoring and public outreach. There will also be opportunities to participate in the service and teaching missions of the Department of Anatomy.

Requirements: Ph.D., or evidence of completion by start date is required. Application documents must include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statement of research interests and contact information for two references. The ideal candidate will have expertise in either lab-based locomotor biomechanics or computational biomechanics, or both. Research experience in biological anthropology, functional morphology, kinesiology, and/or locomotor biomechanics is required. Experience with MATLAB and OpenSim is also beneficial.

To apply, please visit midwestern.edu/faculty-and-staff/employment. For primary consideration, applications should be submitted by July 27, 2023. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis thereafter.

Information on Midwestern University and its graduate programs is available at www.midwestern.edu. Inquires about the position should be directed to Dr. Matthew O’Neill at moneill@midwestern.edu.