conceive, design, and implement original research studies (quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods)

act as principal or co-investigator on external grant proposals

manage and execute funded projects (including coordination, data collection, analysis, reporting, dissemination)

liaise with federal, state, and local agencies; NGOs; community organizations

publish peer-reviewed manuscripts, present at conferences, and shape policy-relevant outputs

mentor junior staff or trainees, as needed

contribute intellectually to CIAG’s broader research agenda and strategic growth

The ideal candidate will have experience in emergency preparedness, disaster response, public health, resilience science, threat characterization, behavioral science, or related fields, and a track record of successful grant applications (e.g., DoD, DARPA, NIH, CDC, DHS, etc.).

PhD (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline (e.g., public health, epidemiology, disaster science, behavioral science, sociology, systems science, emergency medicine, risk analysis, or related fields)

Demonstrated track record of peer-reviewed publications in relevant fields

Experience preparing and successfully obtaining external research funding (as PI, co-PI, or major contributor)

Strong quantitative and/or mixed-methods analysis skills (e.g., epidemiologic modeling, geospatial, simulation, survey, network analysis, qualitative methods)

Excellent project management skills, with experience coordinating multi-site or interdisciplinary research

Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate complex research into policy- and practice-relevant outputs

Ability to work collaboratively across disciplines and with external partners, agencies, and communities

Preferred / Advantageous

Prior experience or demonstrated interest in critical incident response, biothreats, community resilience, emergency preparedness, or shielding strategies

Experience working with federal agencies, homeland security, national labs, public health agencies, or defense organizations

Prior mentoring or supervision of junior researchers or trainees

Experience with simulation modeling, agent- based models, systems modeling, or decision- support tools

Familiarity with qualitative or participatory methods in community resilience research

Track record of integrating policy engagement, translation, or actionable outcomes in research

CIAG has active collaborations with federal partners (e.g. DHS, DoD, FBI, DOJ), public health agencies, academic centers, NGOs, and community stakeholders. (UVA School of Medicine)

Within CIAG, the concept of community shielding (a proactive, preplanned strategy to support community-led readiness, immediate community-based response, and voluntary in- place sheltering during a system- threatening/collapse event) is a central thematic area of research. (UVA School of Medicine). This position is intended to strengthen CIAG’s capacity to design, lead, and disseminate cutting-edge research in critical incident preparedness, community shielding, and critical incident response.