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Postdoctoral Researcher - OBGYN

Medical College of Wisconsin · Milwaukee, WI · Full time

Posted Aug 11, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about your doctoral research and how it connects to maternal health or pregnancy.

What they are checking: Whether their training fits the department's maternal fetal focus or whether they would be starting over.

What research question about pregnancy outcomes would you most want to pursue here?

What they are checking: Whether they arrive with their own scientific ideas, since the appointment is meant to build independence.

What would you put in your individual development plan for the next two years?

What they are checking: Whether they have concrete career and training goals, which MCW expects every postdoc to set with a mentor.

Tell me about a time an experiment or analysis failed. What did you do next?

What they are checking: Whether they troubleshoot and keep going after setbacks, which is most of what postdoc research is.

What's your publication plan for this appointment?

What they are checking: Whether they understand that publishing is expected and have a realistic sense of how to get there.

How have you worked with clinicians, and how do you make basic or translational findings useful to them?

What they are checking: Whether they can bridge lab or data work and clinical practice in an OBGYN department.

What grants or fellowships would you apply for while you're here?

What they are checking: Whether they are planning for funding independence rather than relying only on the mentor's support.

What would you do

Your mentor's research priorities pull one way and your career goals pull another. How do you work that out?

What they are checking: Whether they can talk openly with a mentor to balance both sets of goals, as the IDP is meant to.

About the work

How would you design a study on a maternal health outcome when you can't run a randomized trial in pregnant patients?

What they are checking: Whether they understand the ethical limits of pregnancy research and the study designs that work around them.

How do you handle confounders when you analyze data from pregnant patients?

What they are checking: Whether they think carefully about bias in clinical data, where age, parity and health status often confound results.

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The full job description

As published by Medical College of Wisconsin.

Summary As a Postdoctoral Researcher, and according to the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), you will be an individual who has received a doctoral degree (or equivalent) and is engaged in a temporary and defined period of mentored advanced research training to enhance the professional skills and research independence needed to pursue pursue his or her chosen career path in implementation science in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine. In addition, according to the National Postdoc Association (NPA), Postdoctoral appointees can pursue basic, clinical or translational projects so long as their primary effort is devoted toward their own scholarship. Postdocs are essential to the scholarly mission of the mentor and host institution and thus are expected to have the freedom to publish the results of their scholarship. Primary Responsibilities • Plan, design and execute complex research studies, procedures and protocols. • Participate in discovery projects. • Coordinate research study activities; lead and manage projects. • Oversee organization, synthesis and analysis of data and findings. • Prepare scientific reports, outcome findings and scientific manuscripts. • Participate in meetings with Dr. Palatnik, PI and research staff in which you will evaluate/interpret the validity of data, develop methodologies, and design and evaluate lab procedures. • Maintaining supplies may require negotiation with vendors, and track purchase orders. • May oversee the work of personnel including training and development as well as daily work direction, delegation and establishing priorities. • Other duties as assigned. ​ Knowledge – Skills – Abilities • Required knowledge in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and statistics • Documentation, records management and data utilization skills • Complex problem solving, critical thinking, and resource management • Writing skills ​ Qualifications Minimum Required Education: MD or PhD in a scientific field Minimum Required Experience: 0 years Preferred Education : MD Physical Requirements Work requires occasionally lifting moderate weight materials, standing, or walking continuously. Work Environment Occasional exposure to dust, noise, temperature changes, or contact with water or other liquids. Work is performed in an environmentally controlled environment. Sensory Acuity Ability to detect and translate speech or other communication required . May occasionally require the ability to distinguish colors and perceive relative distances between objects. Why MCW? • Outstanding Healthcare Coverage, including but not limited to Health, Vision, and Dental. Along with Flexible Spending options • 403B Retirement Package • Competitive Vacation and Paid Holidays offered • Tuition Reimbursement • Paid Parental Leave • Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP) • Pet Insurance • On campus Fitness Facility, offering onsite classes • Additional discounted rates on items such as: Select cell phone plans, local fitness facilities, Milwaukee recreation and entertainment etc. For a brief overview of our benefits see: Benefits Overview For a full list of positions see: MCW Careers At MCW all of our endeavors, from our internal operations to our interactions with our partners, are driven by our shared organizational values: Caring – Collaborative – Curiosity – Inclusive – Integrity – Respect. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment that values diversity in backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives through merit-based processes and in alignment with all applicable laws. We believe that embracing human differences is critical to realize our vision of a healthier world, and we recognize that a healthy and thriving community starts from within. Our values define who we are, what we stand for and how we conduct ourselves at MCW. If you believe in embracing individuality and working together according to these principles to improve health for all, then MCW is the place for you. For more information, please visit our institutional website . MCW as an Equal Opportunity Employer and Commitment to Non-Discrimination: The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristic, or military status. Employees, students, applicants or other members of the MCW community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic.

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