The Department of Pediatrics and Nurture Science Program at Columbia University Irving Medical Center is seeking a postdoctoral fellow to lead a large effort into understanding the effects of COVID-19 on newborns born during the pandemic, and their mothers. The COVID-19 Mother Baby Outcomes (COMBO) study now involves almost 100 researchers and clinicians and has enrolled close to 400 mother-infant dyads. Numerous outcomes are studied with subgroups of researchers focusing on particular areas of interests, such as EEG, HRV, fMRI, eyetracking, neurocognitive outcomes, socioemotional function, growth, body composition, risk of wheezing, and much more. In addition to coordinating the larger COMBO effort, the postdoctoral fellow will lead a randomized clinical trial embedded into COMBO of Family Nurture Intervention (FNI). FNI was developed by the Nurture Science Program as an intervention specifically aimed at improving mother-infant emotional connection. In a prior clinical trial in NICU infants, this intervention improved many outcomes in both infant and mother, with benefits measured up to age 5.

The postdoctoral fellow will participate in all aspects of the research, including but not limited to designing experiments, implementation, management, data storage and organization, analysis, and interpretation. The postdoctoral fellow will directly supervise several research assistants and other trainees (master students, undergraduate students, medical students, etc). The postdoctal fellow is also expected to write manuscripts and grants, and present findings at national and international meetings.

A doctoral degree in a relevant field is required. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the project, the ideal candidate will have superior communication skills, strong managerial skills of both own time and the time of others, and ideally some experience with mentorship of more junior trainees. Initiative, independence and self-motivation are a must and need to be documented in prior experiences and confirmed by prior mentors. The team is seeking someone with an inquisitive mind and collaborative attitude. English fluency is required. Spanish fluency is preferred but not required. Strong computational skills and programing skills in at least one language (C++, MatLab, Python, R) are required.

Start date is flexible and the position is currently open. Interested candidates can send their CV and a cover letter directly to the PI: