Postdoctoral Fellowship, NHGRI

Details

Posted: 18-Aug-26

Location: Bethesda, Maryland

Required Education: Doctorate

Years of Experience: Less than 2

Type:

Full Time

Level:

Experienced

The Engagement Methods Unit (EMU) is seeking a postdoctoral fellow for two primary projects. This work will build upon the genetic literacy instrument first published in Little ID et al., Am J Hum Genet 2022, and recently expanded in Ramírez-Renta G et al., Am J Hum Genet 2025. The measure has since modernized/validated into the Evaluation and Assessment of Genetic Literacy (EAGL, Barna et al HGG Advances 2026) and included in national studies. First, the fellow will work with clinical and educational partners to incorporate the EAGL measure into MyChart and clinical studies. Second, they will analyze large-scale survey data from the All of Us platform, along with newly generated datasets. Experimental questions include (1) what are the effects of adding a genetic literacy or related measures or clinical interactions? (2) how do social and psychological factors influence genetic literacy, which is not what people know but how they apply genetics and genomics in everyday situations?

The position would also use existing and build new educational intervention tools for genetics and genomics based on the results of these surveys, particularly in the area of autism or gene x environment interactions. Applicants will be involved in designing studies (including mixed-methods work), conducting data analysis, and preparing presentations and publications under the supervision of the investigator.

Additional information about Dr. Gunter's research is at https://www.genome.gov/staff/Chris-Gunter-PhD

Interested candidates should submit their curriculum vitae, a detailed statement of their research interests, and the names and contact information for three references to Dr. Chris Gunter (chris.gunter@nih.gov).

The fellowship is designed for motivated candidates who have completed their doctoral training within the last 5 years and wish to join a group of enthusiastic scientists.

Experience in asking behavioral/social science research questions is required and experience in human genetics is preferred. Applicants should have strong quantitative skills and experience with statistical methods. As such, we welcome candidates with doctoral degrees in a variety of disciplines including human genetics, genomics, psychology, science or health communication, public health, and related areas.

Experience with qualitative or mixed-methods research is preferred but not required. The post-doctoral fellow will be expected to gain understanding of qualitative methods within the position. Applicants should be skilled in learning how to use new software, critical thinking, problem-solving, and working semi-independently. Enthusiasm for collaborative, interdisciplinary research that is responsive to emerging topics in health and medicine is required. Excellent communication skills and fluency in both spoken and written English are essential. It is important that the successful candidate be able to present data and ideas through lab meetings, seminars, conferences, and written publications.

The fellowship includes a competitive salary, benefits, and a professional travel stipend. Length of the fellowship is negotiable.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply. NIH welcomes foreign nationals with the exception of individuals from this list.

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About Engagement Methods Unit, National Human Genome Research Institute

As part of the Social and Behavioral Research Branch of NHGRI, the Engagement Methods Unit (EMU) headed by Dr. Gunter has three major scientific goals: Develop new measures for genetic literacy and understand what factors affect understanding of genetics. Because genetic research drives innovation and involves much of the public, it is equally important to assess its impact on genetic literacy. Our unit updated and administered a set of genetic literacy measures to thousands of people, showing that although this literacy has improved over the past decade, genetics and genomics education are still widely needed. We continue to analyze social and psychological modifiers of genetic literacy, especially in complex genetics and gene x environment contexts. Evaluate impact and effectiveness of dissemination of genomic knowledge, with a focus on behavioral conditions. Given the wide range of methods for communicating science, how can we know the "impact" of any of our efforts? Differences in methods and metrics between studies pose a significant barrier to understanding both short- and long-term effects of science communication and engagement. Here, the Engagement Methods Unit will use... mixed-methods studies and adapt existing frameworks to evaluate the effectiveness of specific projects in human genetics, such as social media campaigns, science festivals, or public lecture series. Collaborate with practitioners to create an evidence base for genomic applications. The Engagement Methods Unit will leverage Dr. Gunter's existing work with autism as an example of a situation where genomic knowledge needs to be disseminated to families and practitioners, by working with experts to create and evaluate decision tools around genetic testing.

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