Open Rank, Term Tenure/Term Tenure Track

The University of Texas (UT) MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Department of Epidemiology is seeking applicants for multiple term tenure/term tenure-track faculty positions at any rank to complement our ongoing research.

Investigators with a desire to ask questions and solve problems with leading scholars in primary through tertiary prevention in a collaborative population, clinical and basic science setting are encouraged to apply.  Broad areas of expertise spanning traditional and molecular cancer epidemiology will be considered, including methodology, genetic epidemiology, omics-based study of etiology, biomarker discovery and early detection, clinical epidemiology, aging, and surveillance.  Successful candidates will be expected to maintain an original, creative, and independent research program and seek and sustain funding from the NIH/NCI and other peer-reviewed funding, including the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). They will discover broad institutional support for their programs in the form of seed funding initiatives, competitive startup packages and incentivized research accounts, extensive administrative support, and opportunities for collaboration in donor-funded initiatives such as the MD Anderson Moon Shots Program.

MD Anderson is consistently ranked among the top hospitals in cancer care by U.S. News & World’s Report and ranks first in the number of research grants awarded and total amount of grant funds provided by the NCI. The institution holds 10 NCI Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grants, presenting rich opportunities for clinical collaboration and unique patient cohorts in a setting where cutting edge therapies are developed and administered. As an NCI-designated cancer center, the institution houses a wide array of shared core services.  Dedicated Cancer Center Support Grant research programs span population, clinical/translational and basic science. Complementing NCI funding, the institution invests heavily in research -- more than $787 million in FY2016.

Epidemiology faculty have developed highly valuable departmental and institutional resources that provide a foundation for vibrant research into the determinants of risk across the cancer continuum. These resources advance translational research by enabling integration of inherited genetic variations, circulating biomarkers, epidemiological variables, behavioral characteristics, clinical data, and tumor molecular markers:  

• Patient History Data Base – core risk and exposure epidemiology data from MD Anderson cancer patients
• Blood Specimen Resource – residual blood samples from newly diagnosed MD Anderson patients
• Premalignant Tissue Bank – blood and normal/polyp tissue from patients undergoing colonoscopy screening
• Mexican American Cohort – biospecimens and epidemiology data from Houston-area participants
• Bionutrition Research Core – supports nutrition research, eg. dietary assessment and controlled feeding

These resources complement the following research interests of current faculty: germline variants and circulating biomarkers for cancer risk and outcomes across malignancies; statistical/computational genomics, including the development of widely-used software; childhood and adolescent young adult cancers, including developing cohorts to study late effects and survivorship; and nutritional epidemiology, including intervention trials and integration of the microbiome.

The successful candidate will enjoy synergies among population, clinical and basic science investigators located throughout MD Anderson and across the vast Texas Medical Center (TMC), including at UT Health, Rice University, Methodist Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine. They will have the opportunity to mentor graduate students from our Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and the UT School of Public Health.  Students and postdoctoral fellows are eligible for funding from institutional training programs in cancer prevention.

Houston’s highly skilled labor force in STEM provides a rich pool of scientists enthusiastic to support MD Anderson’s mission.  Houston’s arts, museums, proximity to the gulf coast, affordability and diversity, all within a thriving economy, bolster its continued rise as a culinary and cultural capital.

The applicant should have a demonstrated record of research excellence through publications and an ability to obtain extramural research grant support. Academic rank will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.

To apply: Send a cover letter, curriculum vitae and a brief statement of current and proposed research to Epidem_FacultyRecruitment@mdanderson.org or c/o Ms. Shirley Runnels Department of Epidemiology, Unit 1340, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1155 Pressler Street, Houston, TX 77030.  For questions call 713-792-3707.  Filling these positons is a priority. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.   

MD Anderson Cancer Center is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local laws, unless such distinction is required by law.  All positions at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center are security sensitive and subject to examination of criminal history record information.  Smoke-free and drug-free environment.