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Southern Illinois University School of Medicine Department of Population Science and Policy (PSP) works to understand the health challenges of people in central and southern Illinois and provides innovative, sustainable solutions to improve health in their communities. PSP is invited into communities by local stakeholders and changemakers to identify and pull together resources; provide workshops, focus groups and community training; collect and organize data; conduct community needs assessments; identify and implement solutions to improve health; and inform and improve local, state and national policies.

PSP is continuing to grow its multidisciplinary team, which includes medical, social science and law professionals of varying levels of experience. PSP faculty and staff work together to improve population health through traditional research, design interventions, and recommend new or improved policies to benefit health outcomes. Additionally, PSP also works within the School of Medicine to educate future physicians to practice through the lens of population health.

We're recruiting for the following:

Research Project Specialist (BA/BS): This entry-level position provides operational support for community-based population science and policy activities. The Research Project Specialist will work closely with research team members to support quantitative and qualitative analysis and reporting; conduct literature reviews; connect with community, business and legislative partners; assist with grants and special projects; and other duties as assigned.

Health Policy Specialist (BA/BS): This entry-level position provides operational support for community-based population science and policy activities. The Health Policy Specialist will work closely with research team members to connect with community, business and legislative partners; write policy briefs and whitepapers; assist with grants and special projects; and other duties as assigned.

Post-Doctoral Fellow (PhD): This position provides coordination and facilitation of varied population science research projects. This position will also assist with analysis and interpretation of research findings; organize and prepare data for research grant proposals, presentations and publications; assist with clinical research protocol development; and assist with manuscript development, writing and submission.

Assistant/Associate Professor – Division Chief, Health System Science (MD/DO, PhD or equivalent): This high-level leadership position provides insight in health services research to better understand social problems, analyze existing policy and develop policy-oriented solutions.

Assistant/Associate Professor – Division Chief, Human and Community Development (MD/DO, PhD or equivalent): This high-level leadership position provides insight and innovative ideas pertaining to children and community health outcomes.

Research Assistant Professor – Biostatistician / Bioinformatician / Clinical Epidemiologist (PhD): This position provides expertise in database creation and maintenance, computer and statistical programming, study design and advanced statistical methodologies for population science-based research and programs. The position requires expertise in behavioral and population-based research studies with the goal of changing health outcomes in central and southern Illinois through big data analysis.
 
Individuals should register for an account and apply for PSP positions via the SIU HR site. Interested applicants are also encouraged to contact psp@siumed.edu for more information.
 

SIU Benefits

The Department of Population Science and Policy is an innovative, inspiring place to work. Southern Illinois University School of Medicine provides ample opportunities for career development and a very generous benefits program. Learn more about working at SIU Medicine – and if you know someone who would be a good fit for PSP, please direct them to psp@siumed.edu to learn more.
 

Current PSP Focus Areas

PSP narrows its focus to the most pressing issues in rural central and southern Illinois. Faculty and staff special interests are important factors when choosing new projects. A sample of PSP projects, priorities and day-to-day work is included below.
  • Opioid misuse epidemiology and intervention: PSP was awarded a National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Drug Abuse Rural Opioid Initiative grant, involving the health and healthcare of opioid and other drug users in rural Illinois.
  • Rural-urban and other cancer disparities: PSP has multiple active cancer research grants.
  • Sexually transmitted infection epidemiology: PSP is developing proposals for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) expansion into rural areas and also aims to learn more about aspects of sexually transmitted infection risk in the context of HIV infection and opioid misuse.
  • Nutrition: PSP has two active projects focused on youth nutrition.
  • Children and Families: Human and Community Development projects are focused on children and/or families. Projects include educating parents on baby brain development and youth mental health.
  • Rural Health Policy: PSP is developing policy briefs to reduce rural health disparities through legislative action.

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