Location
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Open Date
Oct 20, 2026
Description
Dr. Kimberly Waddell in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Pennsylvania is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow to join an NIH and VA-funded research program focused on strategies to improve physical activity and long-term disease management after stroke.
Stroke is a leading cause of complex, long-term disability. Individuals receive most rehabilitation services within the first few weeks or months after stroke, after which they must manage their health and recovery with limited professional support. Dr. Waddell’s lab addresses this gap by studying how to leverage behavioral science and scalable, remote technologies to promote daily physical activity after stroke. Her research portfolio incorporates behavioral economic principles, social network support, and pragmatic clinical trial design to sustain long-term health behavior change.
This specific postdoctoral position is primarily tied to a newly funded NCCIH R01 clinical trial examining the effects of gamification and social support—with and without mindfulness health coaching—for increasing daily physical activity and improving patient-reported outcomes after stroke.
The postdoctoral fellow will play a key role in a collaborative, highly interdisciplinary research program investigating health promotion interventions post-stroke. The fellow will leverage Penn’s world-class health services and behavioral science ecosystem—including access to cutting-edge research centers, cross-departmental collaborations, and structured mentorship—to build an independent academic career and lead high-impact trial execution.
Position is open to U.S. permanent residents and citizens only due to VA requirements.
Research Opportunities:
Depending on the post-doctoral fellow’s interests and experience, projects may include:
- Supporting the implementation of a pragmatic clinical trial to increase physical activity post-stroke.
- Examine how different behavioral economic and integrative health approaches effect daily steps and patient reported outcomes after stroke.
- Developing innovative approaches to understanding the intersection of behavior change, neurorehabilitation, integrative health, and digital technologies
- Developing complementary independent research questions and manuscripts based on the postdoctoral fellow’s own scientific interests
- Conducting qualitative research with clinical trial participants to understand participant experiences that will shape future research designs
Training and Mentorship:
The postdoctoral fellow will receive close mentorship in neurorehabilitation, health promotion, behavior change, and clinical trial design and management. The position is designed to support the post-doctoral fellow’s development toward an independent research career, with opportunities to lead publications, present findings at national and international meetings, develop grant applications, and pursue independent research questions.
The fellow will be part of a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary research environment spanning rehabilitation medicine, neurology, epidemiology, biostatistics, and hospital medicine. There will also be opportunities to collaborate with investigators across institutions.
The start date is flexible and can be negotiated based on the selected candidate's timeline.
Qualifications
Applicants should have:
- PhD, MD, or equivalent doctoral degree in Rehabilitation Sciences, Physical or Occupational Therapy, Behavioral Economics, Public Health, Health Psychology, Kinesiology, or a related field.
- Strong interest in stroke recovery, digital health technologies, behavior change, integrative health, and/or clinical trial design.
- Demonstrated track record of peer-reviewed publication and strong quantitative/analytical skills.
- Experience with statistical programming (e.g., R, SAS)
- Strong scientific writing and communication skills
- Excellent communication, organizational, and collaborative skills.
Application Instructions
Applicants should submit a cover letter, CV, research statement (2 pages maximum), and contact information for two references. Materials should be submitted through interfolio.
Any questions, or follow up inquiries, can be emailed to Dr. Kimberly Waddell (Kimberly.Waddell@pennmedicine.upenn.edu).
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.
