A postdoctoral position is available to study developmental and social origins of individual life histories, health, and fitness in the Archie Lab at the University of Notre Dame (http://sites.nd.edu/archielab/). The position is for 1 year with the option to extend for up to 3 years. The postdoc will have access to extensive longitudinal data from the well- studied Amboseli baboon population (http://amboselibaboons.nd.edu/). The Amboseli baboon population has been the subject of long-term, individual-based study on baboon ecology, social behavior, health, and demography since 1971. Prior publications especially relevant to this project include Tung & Archie et al. (2016) in Nature Communications, Archie et al (2014) in Proceedings of the Royal Society, and Lea et al. (2018) in Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health.
Several projects are available, including: (i) testing evolutionary hypotheses to explain developmental origins of health and disease, such as predictive adaptive response and developmental constraints models; (ii) testing health selection and social causation hypotheses to understand the causal links between early adversity, social context, adult health, and aging; and (iii) testing critical periods and windows of sensitivity in explaining developmental origins of health and disease. Strong, experienced applicants are also encouraged to develop their own research questions. The Amboseli baboon data set is exceptionally rich and amenable to a wide range of projects, either on the baboons themselves or in a comparative context with other species, including humans. Candidates must have a PhD in biology or a relevant social science (or plan to graduate in the summer or fall of 2018). The ideal candidate will have outstanding skills in data analysis, writing, and oral communication. Candidates with experience in one or more of the following areas are especially encouraged to apply: population-based database analysis, population biology, biodemography, life history evolution, social behavioral research, demographic modeling, mixed modeling, longitudinal data analysis, path analysis, causal inference, and/or epidemiology. Familiarity or experience with long-lived social vertebrates, including humans, may be helpful, but is not essential. The Archie lab offers a congenial research environment that fosters strong interdisciplinary training and collaborative exchange. Collaborators on this project include Susan Alberts (https://sites.duke.edu/albertslab/), Fan Li (http://www2.stat.duke.edu/~fl35/), and Ran Blekhman (http://blekhmanlab.org/), all of whom are available for advice and interaction. To apply for the position please send an email to Elizabeth Archie (earc...@nd.edu), including a cover letter, CV, and contact information for three references. The anticipated start date is in summer or fall 2018. Applicants should submit their materials by March 30, 2018 to ensure full consideration.
