Description
Area: Cancer Epidemiology and Disease Burden Modeling
Duration: 1 year
Start Date: May 1, 2026
Salary: $65,000
The Department of Oncology in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary is accepting applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar in Cancer Epidemiology and Disease Burden Modeling.
Job Description:
We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Associate to join a collaborative research team investigating the effectiveness and optimization of cancer prevention, screening, and early detection. This scholarship will focus on the analysis of large population-based datasets to evaluate screening outcomes and develop precision health tools for cancer prevention.
The successful candidate will work under the supervision of Dr. Darren Brenner, Professor and Armstrong Investigator in Molecular Cancer Epidemiology at the University of Calgary as well as Dr. Dylan O¿Sullivan, and Dr. Matthew Warkentin in Department of Oncology at the University of Calgary. Additionally, the candidate work with the Cancer Screening, Detection and Risk Reduction (CanDoR) team, collaborating with epidemiologists, clinicians, biostatisticians, and data scientists to advance population-level research that enhances cancer prevention, early detection, and screening strategies. Their work will contribute to cutting-edge analytics and multidisciplinary initiatives that aim to identify novel targets for reducing cancer risk and transforming public health impact across Canada.
The scholar will contribute to several high-priority projects, including the Canadian Population Attributable Risk of Cancer (ComPARe 2.0) study to investigate cancer cases from modifiable risk factors. The role offers extensive opportunities to lead and collaborate on multiple ongoing and planned research studies, develop a unique area of research expertise, and engage in national and international dissemination of findings through publications and conferences.
The position is housed within the Departments of Oncology, with affiliations to the Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute ¿ providing access to an exceptional research environment, training infrastructure, and interdisciplinary mentorship. This position offers competitive compensation and health benefits.
Key Responsibilities
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Analyze national and provincial population-level datasets to evaluate colorectal screening data
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Develop and validate risk prediction models to estimate individualized colorectal cancer risk and inform personalized screening strategies
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Contribute to the preparation of grant applications and peer-reviewed manuscripts focused on cancer prevention, screening, and preventable cancer burden
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Conduct literature reviews and assist in protocol and ethics submissions
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Present research findings at academic conferences and institutional meetings
Engage in collaborative research across ComPARe 2.0 and related cancer projects
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Qualifications:
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PhD in Epidemiology, Health Services Research, Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, or a related field
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Demonstrated experience with quantitative methods and large dataset analysis
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Strong record of peer-reviewed publications and scholarly presentations
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Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
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Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team
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Experience in cancer screening or health services research
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Familiarity with predictive modeling, clinical decision tools, or real-world data
Proficiency in statistical software (e.g., R, SAS, STATA, or Python)
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Application Details:
Interested applicants should submit the following
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Curriculum vitae (CV)
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Statement of research interests and career goals (1¿2 pages)
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Names and contact information for three academic references
Please send application materials to
Dr. Darren Brenner
Email: [email protected]
The terms and conditions of employment are covered under the UCalgary and PDAC Collective Agreement. To find out more about postdoctoral scholar program at the University of Calgary visit our Postdocs website.
To learn more about postdoctoral scholar opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Postdoc Careers website.
About the University of Calgary
UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.
About Calgary, Alberta
Calgary is one of the world's cleanest cities and has been named one of the world's most livable cities for years. Calgary is a city of leaders' in business, community, philanthropy and volunteerism. Calgarians benefit from the strongest economy in the nation and enjoy more days of sunshine per year than any other major Canadian city. Calgary is less than an hour's drive from the Rocky Mountains and boasts the most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network in North America.
With a growing urban Indigenous population of approximately 50,000 people, there are several Indigenous organizations and many events and ceremonies taking place in the city throughout the year.
The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy ii' taa'poh'to'p committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.
The university's commitment to the Indigenous Strategy is evident through the oversight of 18 Elders serving on the Circle of Advisors and the many unit-based circles working towards implementation of the strategy including the Faculty Advisory Circle and teams such as the Office of Indigenous Engagement, the Writing Symbols Lodge, and the Indigenous Research Support Team. Many Indigenous-based events and processes are impacting curriculum, programming and polices at the University of Calgary.
As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to People & Culture ([email protected]).
