Post Doctoral Research Fellow

Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship at the Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI) and

the Department of Surgery at Hennepin Healthcare

The Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI) is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the spinal cord injury (SCI) neuromodulation program of the Neurosurgery Restorative Neurotrauma Lab , with joint appointments at the University of Minnesota. The lab runs one of the largest active portfolios of epidural and transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation studies in the country, including the E-STAND trial, long-term outcomes follow-up of implanted participants, home-based and rhythm-based stimulation protocols, and a new noninvasive transcutaneous stimulation line. Our work spans restoration of volitional movement, autonomic function (cardiovascular, bladder, bowel, and sexual function), and data-driven optimization of stimulation parameters.

The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will work directly with the Principal Investigators as a scientific writing and analysis partner: leading manuscripts from existing datasets, drafting and assembling grant applications, and analyzing electrophysiological, kinematic, and autonomic data. The Fellow will also support the day-to-day science of the lab by participating in stimulation sessions, helping refine protocols, and mentoring graduate students and trainees. This position is well suited to a candidate who intends to build an independent research program in neuromodulation and wants a productive, data-rich environment in which to publish and write.

This is a 50/50 hybrid role requiring a minimum of 50% onsite presence in downtown Minneapolis, MN.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

- Under the direction of the Principal Investigators, work closely with HCMC/HHRI investigators to define research questions, analyses, and data elements for spinal cord injury neuromodulation projects.

- Scientific writing: lead and co-author manuscripts from ongoing SCI studies; draft specific aims, significance, approach, and preliminary data sections for federal (NIH, DoD) and foundation grant applications; prepare progress reports, abstracts, and conference presentations. (35%)

- Data analysis: analyze surface EMG, kinematic/accelerometer, cardiovascular, and autonomic time-series data; build and maintain reproducible analysis pipelines in Python and/or MATLAB; produce publication-quality figures and statistical analyses. (30%)

- Study and lab support: participate in stimulation and assessment sessions; contribute to protocol design, amendments, and IRB submissions; support REDCap database structure and data quality; help coordinate device programming and stimulation parameter optimization workflows. (25%)

- Mentorship and collaboration: mentor graduate students and trainees on analysis and writing; work within a multidisciplinary team; contribute to collaborations with the University of Minnesota and external partners. (10%)

NON-ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

- Collaborate with researchers on projects related to Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS:

Education/Experience:

Doctoral degree (PhD, MD, or equivalent) in neuroscience, biomedical engineering, physiology, rehabilitation science, kinesiology, biostatistics, or a related field.

The ideal candidate will have a strong record of scientific writing and previous experience in one or more of the following areas: spinal cord injury, neuromodulation, human electrophysiology, clinical research, or quantitative analysis of physiological time-series data.

Skill, Knowledge & Ability (SKA):

Requires interaction with a diverse population, including direct contact with research participants with spinal cord injury. Works effectively within a multidisciplinary team of neurosurgeons, engineers, physiologists, coordinators, and rehabilitation clinicians, and collaborates with researchers across the lab's spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury programs.

Minimum qualifications:

- Doctoral degree (PhD, MD, or equivalent) in a relevant field.

- Demonstrated writing productivity: first-author peer-reviewed publications and experience contributing to grant applications or fellowship proposals.

- Strong quantitative skills, including programming in Python and/or MATLAB and experience analyzing time-series physiological data (e.g., EMG, EEG, kinematics, cardiovascular signals).

- Experience designing, conducting, and interpreting human-subjects research.

- Clear, efficient written and verbal communication; ability to work independently and manage multiple projects.

- Display high standards of attendance, punctuality, maintains confidentiality, and manages time effectively.

Preferred qualifications:

- Prior research in spinal cord injury, neuromodulation (epidural, transcutaneous, or other electrical stimulation), or motor/autonomic neurophysiology.

- Experience with human electrophysiology data acquisition (EMG, EEG, accelerometry) and stimulation hardware.

- Familiarity with clinical trial conduct, IRB/regulatory processes, and REDCap database building and reporting.

- Experience with statistical modeling of longitudinal or repeated-measures data and with power/sample-size analysis for grant applications.

- Interest in autonomic outcomes (cardiovascular, bladder, bowel, sexual function) after spinal cord injury.

- Track record of, or interest in pursuing, fellowship or career-development funding (e.g., F32, K-series, foundation awards) with PI support.

This position will be compensated based on NIH guidelines for post-doctoral roles: $63,480 - $77,076, DOQ.

Questions about this position or requests for more detailed information can be directed to Dr. David Darrow at [email protected]

HHRI is an Equal Opportunity Employer