Description

Position Overview
The Department of Surgery at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center (BMC) jointly invite applications for a full-time research faculty member specializing in surgical epidemiology and health services research. Academic rank will be commensurate with experience (Assistant Professor or Associate Professor).

This position offers a distinctive opportunity to embed rigorous epidemiologic and outcomes science within a Level I trauma center and one of the nation's largest urban, safety-net hospital systems. The successful candidate will develop an independently funded research program in close partnership with the Department's surgical divisions. The Department supports a full spectrum of research activity, from observational outcomes studies and health equity investigation to interventional and pragmatic clinical trials, all anchored by BMC's exceptional clinical volume, operative case mix, and patient diversity.

About the Department & Institution
Boston University is a leading private research university and one of the largest in the United States, with strengths spanning medicine, public health, engineering, and the social sciences. Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine is consistently ranked among the nation's leading academic medical centers, with particular depth in aging biology, cancer biology, cardiovascular medicine, infectious disease, and health equity research.

The primary teaching hospital of the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, BMC is the largest safety-net hospital and one of the busiest Level I trauma centers in New England, serving one of the most racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse urban patient populations in the United States. This clinical environment provides an unparalleled substrate for surgical epidemiology, outcomes research, health equity investigation, pragmatic trial implementation, and population-level intervention science.

The Department of Surgery is a dynamic, mission-driven academic enterprise encompassing 12 clinical divisions: Cardiac Surgery, Colon and Rectal Surgery, General Surgery, Minimally Invasive and Weight Loss Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Podiatric Surgery, Surgical Oncology, Thoracic Surgery, Transplant Surgery, Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, and Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. Supported by federal funding, foundation awards, and industry partnerships, the Department maintains an active and growing research enterprise with ongoing clinical trials across multiple surgical disciplines. It is home to an NIH-funded T32 Research Training Grant and the Boston Trauma Institute, reflecting a sustained institutional commitment to research infrastructure and investigator development. Faculty benefit from dedicated research space, a shared infrastructure, a departmental Research Council, and a research-primary appointment structure designed to support full commitment to scholarly productivity.

Research Focus Areas
We seek a candidate whose scholarly interests align with one or more of the following priority areas. Exceptional candidates with adjacent expertise are encouraged to apply:

• Surgical outcomes and quality improvement, including disparity-focused analyses of perioperative morbidity, mortality, and complications across surgical specialties, leveraging BMC's NSQIP participation and clinical data infrastructure
• Geriatric surgery and surgical risk, including frailty, functional decline, and postoperative recovery in older adults undergoing elective and emergency procedures, with integration into BMC's Geriatric Pre-Procedure Clinic and BU Center for Aging Research
• Wound care epidemiology, including health system utilization, care fragmentation, and disparities in access to advanced wound therapies in aging and safety-net populations, complementing existing NIH-funded wound healing research programs
• Health equity and access to surgical care, with emphasis on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and social determinants of health as drivers of operative timing, surgical offer rates, and postoperative outcomes
• Health services research methods and clinical trial science, including comparative effectiveness, pragmatic and stepped-wedge trial design, implementation science, and use of large administrative databases including Medicare/Medicaid claims, NSQIP, NCI SEER, and institutional EHR
• Surgical oncology outcomes and cancer disparities, including access to curative-intent surgery, treatment delays, and survival disparities across BMC's oncologic surgical specialties
• Trauma and acute care surgery in areas that include hemorrhage control, improving trauma surgery outcomes, using AI to improve triage of injured patients, and long-term quality of life after trauma

Responsibilities
RESEARCH & SCHOLARSHIP    

• Develop and execute an independently funded research program in surgical epidemiology or health services research
• Seek and obtain extramural funding as Principal Investigator (PI), with expectation of NIH R01 or equivalent peer-reviewed funding
• Publish original research in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals and disseminate findings at national and international scientific conferences
• Utilize BMC's clinical data infrastructure, electronic health records, and biorepository resources in support of research aims
• Collaborate across the Department of Surgery, the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, and Boston University to advance team science and interdisciplinary scholarship

MENTORSHIP & EDUCATION

• Serve as a hands-on methodologic mentor for surgical residents, junior faculty, and clinician-investigators pursuing extramural grants
• Provide direct, substantive guidance in study design, analytic strategy, and grant writing — from early concept development through submission
• Contribute to graduate-level training in surgical epidemiology and clinical research methods, in partnership with the Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health 
• Participate in departmental research conferences, journal clubs, and the Department of Surgery faculty initiatives 

SERVICE & LEADERSHIP

• Participate in departmental, school, and hospital committees appropriate to rank and experience
• Contribute to research strategy and infrastructure development within the Department of Surgery
• Represent the Department in relevant professional organizations and national collaborative networks
• Develop a national and international scholarly reputation through peer-reviewed publication, conference leadership, and engagement with professional societies in surgical outcomes and health services research

Qualifications
REQUIRED

• Doctoral degree (PhD, DrPH, ScD, or equivalent) in epidemiology, health services research, or a closely related field; MD/PhD candidates with comparable research qualifications are also encouraged to apply
• Demonstrated record of peer-reviewed publication commensurate with career stage
• Strong quantitative methodologic skills, including proficiency in causal inference, regression modeling, survival analysis, or related methods
• Experience with large clinical, administrative, or electronic health record databases (e.g., NSQIP, Medicare/Medicaid claims, NCI SEER, institutional EHR)
• Evidence of extramural funding (as PI or Co-I) or a compelling trajectory toward independent funding

PREFERRED

• Current active NIH R01 or equivalent peer-reviewed funding as PI
• Prior or ongoing collaboration with surgical departments, clinical trialists, or translational scientists
• Experience with implementation science frameworks, mixed-methods research, or pragmatic trial design
• Demonstrated commitment to health equity research and experience working with underserved or minority populations
• Familiarity with NIH, AHRQ, PCORI, or HRSA funding mechanisms relevant to surgical outcomes, health equity, and population health

Support & Resources
The successful candidate will receive a competitive start-up package, dedicated office space, and a research-primary faculty appointment within a department that actively supports investigator-initiated science.

• Institutional and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center (BEDAC) at the Boston University School of Public Health, providing dedicated analytic partnership for large-scale observational and interventional studies
• Automated patient tracking and clinical data warehouse (CDW) infrastructure within the Department, supporting real-time surgical cohort assembly and longitudinal outcomes analysis
• BMC Research Patient Data Registry (RPDR) and access to national surgical quality databases including NSQIP, enabling single-institution and multi-center study designs
• BMC's longitudinal electronic health records spanning one of the most racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse urban patient populations in the United States, with unparalleled depth for health equity and disparities research
• Boston VA Healthcare System partnership and research portfolio, accessible through the Department's established VA collaborations, extending reach into veteran and federal health system populations
• Affiliation with the BU Center for Aging Research (BU-CARE) and cross-departmental aging science networks, offering opportunities in geriatric surgery outcomes and surgical risk in older adults
• Departmental Research Council providing structured grant review, mentorship, and strategic research planning support, with a track record of investigator-initiated submissions across NIH, PCORI, HRSA, and foundation funding mechanisms
• Active interdisciplinary collaborations across Trauma & Acute Care Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Surgical Oncology, and Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, with externally funded programs in wound care, cancer disparities, and surgical access
• Administrative and research coordination support for grant submission, IRB management, and sponsored research administration
• Access to BMC's Research Patient Data Registry (RPDR) and national surgical quality databases
• Administrative and research coordination support for grant submission and management

Compensation & Benefits
The salary range for this position is $117,000 – $236,000. The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to qualifications, experience, education, and departmental budget. This hiring range represents a good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Boston University conducts a background check on all final candidates for certain faculty and staff positions. The background check includes contacting the final candidate’s current and previous employer(s) to ask whether, in the last seven years, there has been a substantiated finding of misconduct violating that employer’s applicable sexual misconduct policies. To implement this process, the university requires a final candidate to complete and sign the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” after execution of an offer letter.

Boston University offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance; generous paid time off; parental leave; and tuition benefits for faculty and dependents. Dedicated dual-career support and relocation assistance are available through Boston University's faculty recruitment office.  

Location  
This position is located in Boston's historic South End neighborhood. Boston offers exceptional quality of life, world-class academic and cultural institutions, outstanding public schools, and a vibrant research ecosystem anchored by its concentration of leading universities, hospitals, and biotechnology companies.

How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit the following materials as a single PDF package:

• Cover letter describing research interests, career goals, and alignment with the Department's mission
• Current curriculum vitae
• Research statement outlining current program and 5-year vision (2 pages maximum)
• Names and contact information for three professional references