What would it look like to design health solutions with rural communities rather than for them? And what could happen if researchers from nursing, engineering, social science, and divinity came together to tackle some of North Carolina’s most pressing health challenges?
Duke University is inviting a new Postdoctoral Fellow to help answer those questions. APPLY
The Duke University School of Nursing is seeking applicants for a Postdoctoral Fellowship with the Rural Health Equity Hub, an interdisciplinary initiative bringing together researchers from Nursing, Engineering, Divinity, and the Social Science Research Institute. The Hub is a new center in development focused on improving chronic disease prevention and management in rural North Carolina through community-engaged research, data-driven insights, and pragmatic health innovations.
This is a unique opportunity for an early-career scholar who wants to do meaningful, collaborative research while helping build a new research center from the ground up.
The fellow will work closely with the Hub’s interdisciplinary leadership team to strengthen partnerships with North Carolina health departments, faith-based communities, and local organizations while developing and evaluating new interventions that reflect community priorities. The work will explore how digital health tools, social determinants of health, and multisector partnerships can be integrated to improve health outcomes in rural communities.
The appointment is a full-time, one-year renewable fellowship beginning July 1, 2026 (through June 30, 2028). Approximately 70% of the fellow’s time will support Hub initiatives—including research, programming, and center development—while 30% will be dedicated to the fellow’s own research agenda, either continuing prior work related to rural health equity or launching a new project at Duke.
Along the way, the fellow will gain mentorship and training in community-engaged research, interdisciplinary team science, rural health measurement, and health innovation. The position is designed to help emerging scholars develop the skills needed to lead independent research and secure external funding while working in a highly collaborative environment.
Applicants should hold (or be near completion of) a PhD or equivalent doctoral degree in a relevant field such as nursing, biomedical engineering, public health, sociology, data science, theology with health applications, or another interdisciplinary area connected to health research. Experience with community-engaged research, digital health, mixed methods, or large-scale health data is especially valuable, along with a demonstrated commitment to equity-driven, patient-centered research.
The postdoctoral fellow will be mentored by an interdisciplinary faculty team that reflects the collaborative nature of the Hub:
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Dr. Devon Noonan, School of Nursing
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Dr. Jessica Sperling, Social Science Research Institute
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Dr. Jessilyn Dunn, Pratt School of Engineering
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Dr. Wylin Wilson, Divinity School
Interested applicants should submit a cover letter describing research interests and fit for the position, a CV, one writing sample or publication, and contact information for three references.
For scholars interested in advancing community-driven solutions to rural health inequities, this fellowship offers the chance to contribute to research that is both innovative and deeply connected to the communities it serves.