Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Susan Peters, PhD, in the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, invites applications for a postdoctoral fellow to join the Center for Work, Health, & Well-being(the Center), a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Total Worker Health® Center of Excellence. The Center’s research focuses on policies, programs, and practices that improve working conditions and support employee safety, health, and well-being.

This position will begin as soon as an appropriate candidate is identified, with the possibility of annual renewal, depending on progress and available funding. We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow with a background in occupational health and well-being, with strong experience in quantitative research, data management, data analysis, and writing for publications. This fellowship will include mentored research and related activities focused on the Center’s Thriving Workers, Thriving Workplaces Study. There may also be opportunities to collaborate across other Center studies and the Center’s Outreach Core which is responsible for translating our research into practice.

For more than a decade, the Center has been studying the concept of thriving from work, building on many years of research on worker well-being. Grounded in our research, well-being theory, and current evidence, Dr. Susan Peters has led research in the development, validation and implementation of a model, theory, and measurement of Thriving from Work, a composite integrated well-being construct that encapsulates how the experience of work and working conditions has a positive influence on the well-being of workers, not only at work but also in their lives outside of work. Future research will focus on advancing the theory and measurement of thriving from work, conducting research to evaluate the determinants of thriving from work and its relationship with key organizational enterprise outcomes (such as turnover and productivity). Research will also be focused on the future of work, such as the implementation of AI in the workplace, and its impact on worker health and well-being.

The successful candidate will be a self-motivated and organized researcher who can manage multiple projects and competing deadlines while also thriving as part of a collaborative, multi-institution team. We are looking for someone with excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to tailor complex findings for academic, organizational, and lay audiences. Strong interpersonal skills are essential, as the role involves building and sustaining relationships with collaborators, study partners, Center investigators, and participating organizations. The ideal candidate brings intellectual curiosity, attention to detail, sound judgment, and a problem-solving orientation, along with the adaptability to navigate an evolving research agenda, including emerging issues. They will be receptive to feedback and committed to their own professional growth, and they will demonstrate the initiative and interpersonal maturity needed to mentor and support junior team members and research assistants.

The postdoctoral fellow will contribute to Center research activities such as completing systematic and scoping literature reviews; statistical analyses including item response theory, structural equation modelling, multivariate and multi-level analyses; managing large datasets, including data collection, cleaning, maintenance, and psychometric testing; leading and contributing to peer-reviewed journal publications; publishing and presenting findings to a wide variety of audiences using different methods; activities to translate research to practice; grant writing; and may also include mentoring research assistants and student team members.

• Doctoral degree in public health or health sciences (including occupational or environmental health, epidemiology, biostatistics, health and social behavior, and related fields), social and behavioral sciences (e.g., sociology, psychology), organizational psychology, or related fields. Pre-doctoral candidates with relevant training and work experience will be considered, provided their degree will be conferred before the start date.

• Specialization or demonstrated interest in the study of workers’ health and well-being

• Advanced skills in statistical analysis, including experience conducting psychometric, multivariate, and multi-level analyses, including item response theory and structural equation modelling

• Demonstrated experience leading research papers for publication in peer-reviewed journals

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively

Please address questions to Lisa Burke ([email protected]) and apply via the ARIeS portal. Review of applications will begin immediately.

Please note that letters of recommendation will be ONLY required for short-listed candidates.

Lisa Burke, MSEd

Assistant Director

Center for Work, Health, & Well-being

Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

$65,000—73,000 based on qualifications and experience