Post-doctoral Research Associate: College of Nursing - UTK

The College of Nursing (CON) at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, the state’s flagship research institution, seeks a Post-Doctoral Researcher to provide advanced research training with Vinciya Pandian, PhD, MBA, MSN, ACNP-BC, and support two complementary programs of research at the intersection of critical care, patient safety, immersive learning, and digital innovation. The fellow will receive mentored training while contributing to execution of the Center for Immersive Learning and Digital Innovation research focused on prevention of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) and to development of a competitive grant application focused on safe care for individuals with a tracheostomy.

This is a grant-funded position and is contingent upon the continued funding of the grant. 

Post-Doctoral Research Training and Scholarship 

• Develop an independent program of research aligned with critical care, patient safety, immersive learning, digital health, and/or implementation science.

• Receive mentored training in the design, execution, and evaluation of complex clinical and translational research, including systems engineering, human factors, implementation, quantitative and qualitative methods, and technology-enabled interventions.

• Contribute to development of grant application, including literature synthesis, refinement of aims and hypotheses, research strategy development, preliminary-data integration, methods, milestones, implementation and evaluation plans, and coordination of contributions from interprofessional collaborators.

• Develop grant-writing skills through preparation of extramural proposals and career-development applications appropriate to the fellow's trajectory.

• Analyze and interpret research data and lead or co-author data-based manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals. Prepare abstracts and presentations for scientific and professional conferences and communicate findings to clinical, scientific, and community audiences.

• Gain experience with immersive and digital research platforms, including virtual reality, augmented/mixed reality, simulation, robotics, prototyping, artificial intelligence, and associated usability, acceptability, fidelity, and performance measures.

• Develop mentoring and team-science skills by working with students, research assistants, clinicians, engineers, and other collaborators.

• Complete and maintain required human-subjects protection, CITI, IRB, research-integrity, privacy, and institutional training and compliance.

Assistance with Project Direction (under the direction of the senior researcher)

• Support day-to-day execution and transition/implementation of the Center for Immersive Learning and Digital Innovation research, maintaining protocol fidelity, study timelines, documentation, and quality-control procedures.

• Coordinate protocol set-up and amendments; prepare and maintain IRB and regulatory materials; and assist with standard operating procedures, research manuals, study tracking, and reports.

• Support participant screening, recruitment, consent/enrollment processes as permitted by protocol, scheduling, study visits, follow-up, and communication with clinical and research partners.

• Set up and maintain REDCap data-collection instruments; monitor completeness and accuracy; perform data cleaning, coding, documentation, and preparation of analysis-ready datasets.

• Support retrospective chart review, surveys, focus groups/interviews, workflow observation/process mapping, and evaluation of interprofessional, provider, process, and patient outcomes as specified by study protocols.

• Assist with implementation and evaluation of immersive and digital interventions, including training activities, usability and acceptability assessment, implementation fidelity, and documentation of barriers and facilitators.

• Conduct or support quantitative and qualitative analyses and prepare summaries, tables, figures, presentations, manuscripts, progress reports, and other study products.

• Coordinate with clinical, engineering, technology, simulation, infection-prevention, statistical, and other collaborators; provide work direction to students or research assistants when assigned.

• Support research laboratory set-up and maintenance, including equipment, study materials, survey instruments, inventory, data-security procedures, and quality control.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Earned PhD or equivalent research doctorate in Nursing, Health Science, Public Health, Biomedical or Health Informatics, Human Factors, Implementation Science, Psychology, Engineering, or a closely related field
• Experience conducting or assisting with human-subjects, clinical, simulation, implementation, or health-services research

• Demonstrated interest in critical care, acute care, patient safety, infection prevention, or technology-enabled healthcare research

• Evidence of scholarly productivity through peer-reviewed publications, abstracts, presentations, or comparable research products

• Excellent organizational, time management, and scientific communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines
• Ability to collaborate effectively with interprofessional and interdisciplinary research teams
• Data management and analytical skills using research software, with the ability to learn REDCap and other research tools
• Ability to follow research protocols, maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment, and resolve research related problems

Preferred Qualifications:

• Clinical or research experience in intensive care, acute care, or other high-acuity setting

• Nursing or other health-professional background

• Experience with CLABSI prevention, central-line care, infection prevention, airway/tracheostomy care, mechanical ventilation, or related critical-care patient-safety topics.

• Experience with NIH, AHRQ, or other extramural grant development or project management.

• Experience with REDCap, quantitative/qualitative data analysis, chart-review data, or mixed-methods research

• Experience with simulation, virtual/augmented reality, digital health, robotics, or other emerging healthcare technologies

• Experience coordinating multi-site or interdisciplinary research and/or mentoring students or research assistants.

Work Location: 1200 Volunteer Blvd Knoxville, TN 37996

Duration:  2 years

Compensation:

• Anticipated hiring range: $65,000 – $70,000
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions 

For best consideration, applicants should submit a cover letter and resume before October 12th, 2026.  Specific questions about the position may be sent to College of Nursing Human Resources, conhr@utk.edu

About the College of Nursing 

With a longstanding tradition of excellence in nursing education, research, and clinical practice, we are proud to be a guiding force in healthcare education. We embrace innovation while honoring the values that have shaped our success. By offering cutting-edge academic programs, supporting impactful research, and forging strong community partnerships, we prepare healthcare professionals who deliver high-quality, culturally responsive care in a diverse and ever-changing world. Join the Vol Nurse Family! Get to know CON