Research Postdoctoral Fellowship Within the Center for Health Care Delivery Science
- Overview
- Salary & Benefits
- Location & Living
- Faculty & Participants
- Apply
Program Overview
ճCenter for Healthcare Delivery Science (CHDS) is an innovative and unique community of 18 investigators that uses diverse methods from family and learning health systems science, behavioral science, implementation science, informatics, health policy, and behavioral economics. Our goal is to build a strong base of scientific evidence about how health care can best be delivered to foster the healthiest generation of children.
Health care delivery is optimized when conceptualized as integrating aspects of health outcomes, health behavior, care delivery and health policy. CHDS spans the ѻƵ Children's enterprise with locations in Wilmington, Delaware and Jacksonville and Orlando in Florida. We offer a two-year intensive research fellowship program to professionals from a variety of backgrounds (e.g., psychology, nursing, medicine, public health) who aspire to academic research careers.
Fellows have the opportunity to:
- Work with a mentor to develop an area of research focus within the scope of CHDS, based on interest and experience.
- Write and submit mentored grant applications (e.g., internal fellowship grants, NIH K23), with the goal of launching their own line of research.
- Participate in all aspects of clinical research, including project planning, recruitment and data collection, data management and analyses, and manuscript preparation.
- Attend biomedical research presentations, pediatric grand rounds, CHDS-based research meetings and didactics, and other educational sessions.
- Become part of a cohort of postdoctoral fellows across ѻƵ.
Program highlights:
CHDS fellowships are two-year programs, with the most recent running summer 2025 to summer 2027.
We have two fellowship positions, one in Wilmington, Delaware and one in Jacksonville or Orlando in Florida.
Fellows are paired with a primary research faculty mentor within CHDS and may collaborate with other ѻƵ faculty.
These are primarily research positions; if applicable, up to 20% of supervised clinical time is allotted to accrue hours for licensure.
Salary & Benefits
ѻƵ offers a competitive salary and benefits package.
- Salary: $64,302 (2025-2026 academic year)
- Eligible for a merit increase at the start of second year
- Professional development allowance
Competitive benefits package includes, among others:
- Medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Malpractice insurance
- Prescription drug coverage
- Generous paid time off (PTO) policy
- Free on-site parking
- Retirement annuity programs
- Retirement annuity programs
- Employer-paid short-term disability
- Basic life insurance and A&D
- Voluntary additional life insurance and/or AD&D
- Voluntary long-term disability
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Wellness program
- Financial education program
Locations & Living
The Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program offers two fellowship positions: One in Wilmington, DE and one in Jacksonville or Orlando, FL.Learn more about our locations and living in the areas we serve.
Training at ѻƵ in Delaware Valley
ѻƵ Children’s Hospital, Delaware, sits on a scenic, 300-acre estate in Wilmington’s Brandywine Valley. It’s the largest pediatric training site in our system, big enough to offer nearly every specialty, yet close-knit enough that faculty know their learners well. From the start, you’ll notice a culture built on collaboration, mentorship, and curiosity.
Hospital & Training Environment
Most of your training takes place at our children’s hospital in Wilmington, a nationally recognized destination for complex pediatric care. It’s the state’s only Level I Pediatric Trauma Center and home to a Level IV NICU, so you’ll see the full range of high-acuity cases. Families come from across the region, giving you exposure to diverse conditions and hands-on learning in a true referral hub. Take a video tour of the hospital now.
Along with ѻƵ, you may also spend time at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and other partner hospitals. These rotations bring variety in community pediatrics, rehabilitation care, and patient populations you won’t see every day in Wilmington.
Living in Wilmington & Delaware Valley
Wilmington is easy to settle into. It’s affordable, manageable in size, and just a short train ride from Philadelphia. Baltimore and Washington, D.C. are also close by. Need fresh air? The Brandywine Valley has trails, rivers, and historic gardens. Want more energy? Philly has food, arts, and sports at a world-class level. Here, you get the best of both worlds.
Research Opportunities
Research is part of daily life here. Some trainees work in the lab, others join clinical trials, and many focus on quality improvement. Supported by faculty mentors and dedicated resources, trainees may also present at national meetings or publish in peer-reviewed journals.
Resident & Fellow Life
Training here isn’t only about rotations and research. It’s also about having the space and support to enjoy the journey.
Community & Culture|Colleagues quickly become friends. Alumni talk about the camaraderie, the sense that you’re part of something bigger, and the ease of finding mentors who genuinely care.
Wellness & Support |Wellness is built into the experience. From apps and peer networks to professional counseling, resources are there when you need them. There's also a free 24/7 gym on campus and regular wellness programming.
Everyday Perks |Free parking. Meals at noon conference. On-site child care center. Call rooms and quiet spaces when you need rest. These make a difference in the rhythm of daily training.
About Our Hospital in Orlando
ѻƵ Children’s Hospital, Florida, located in Orlando’s Lake Nona Medical City, currently operates 130 inpatient beds and a 20-bed Emergency Department. Highlights include:
- Recognized for quality and safety
- Awarded for advanced technology
- More than 180 medical and surgical faculty
- Hospital in a garden setting
Living in Orlando
Located in southeast Orlando, Lake Nona is a vibrant, walkable community where many medical professionals live, work, and unwind. The area is popular with both young professionals and families, with top-rated schools and plenty of parks, shops, and restaurants at the .
Orlando offers warm weather, no state income tax, and a diverse, welcoming population. Whether you're looking for cultural events, theme parks, sports events, outdoor adventures, or quick getaways to the beach, there’s always something to explore — all within easy reach.
Training at ѻƵ in Northeast Florida
ѻƵ Children’s Health, Jacksonville, sits right on the St. Johns River in the heart of downtown. It’s a hub for pediatric specialty care across Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia, where outpatient clinics connect seamlessly to Wolfson Children’s Hospital next door. The environment blends the pace of an urban medical center with the personal feel of a program where learners are known and supported.
Clinic & Training Environment
Your training is built on collaboration with, a 250-bed referral hospital for the region’s most complex pediatric cases. Wolfson’s Emergency Department is staffed entirely by fellowship-trained pediatric emergency medicine physicians, and the trauma center is Level III. The ORs stay busy, with surgical cases ranging from the routine to the highly specialized. Learn more about training here.
And the reach goes further. Trainees rotate with partners like the University of Florida, the Mayo Clinic, and the combined U.S. Army/Navy program. These affiliations expand learning into diverse clinical settings and connect you to a broader academic community.
Living in Jacksonville & Northeast Florida
Jacksonville has the feel of a major city with the laid-back energy of Florida’s coast. It’s a place where the St. Johns winds through downtown, beaches stretch along the coast, and history lives just down the road in St. Augustine. The cost of living is low, the food and arts scenes are growing, and outdoor spaces make it easy to get outside year-round. The River City offers plenty of ways to recharge.
Research Opportunities
Research at ѻƵ often ties directly into patient care, with access to faculty mentorship and multi-institution collaborations. Quality improvement, clinical trials, and interdisciplinary projects are all part of the mix. Trainees may present at local and national meetings, reflecting the program’s emphasis on scholarly growth alongside clinical training.
Resident & Fellow Life
Your training is more than rotations and research. It’s about feeling supported, finding community, and having space to succeed.
Community & Culture|You’ll learn in a setting that values teamwork. Across ѻƵ, Wolfson, and academic partners. Mentorship is accessible, and colleagues become friends quickly.
Wellness & Support |Resources are easy to access. Counseling, peer networks, and built-in wellness resources are part of the experience. Training is demanding, but you don’t go it alone.
Everyday Perks |The perks are real. Easy parking, walkable downtown, and a setting right on the riverfront make the day-to-day smoother.
Distinctive Setting |Jacksonville offers a mix of river views, city living, and coastal escapes. Add in program-sponsored outings and social traditions, and there’s a lot to see and do outside of training.
Train With Recognized Leaders
Train with faculty who are respected leaders in their fields, a patient care model that stands apart and access to groundbreaking research.
Our Leadership
Anne E. Kazak, PhD, ABPP
Enterprise Director, Center for Healthcare Delivery Science
Principal Research Scientist
Melissa A. Alderfer, PhD
Center Director, Center for Healthcare Delivery Science – Delaware Valley
Principal Research Scientist
Susana R. Patton, PhD, ABPP, CDCES
Center Director, Center for Healthcare Delivery Science— Florida
Principal Research Scientist
Jessica Pierce, PhD
Clinical Psychologist, Director of Fellowship Training, Center for Healthcare Delivery Science
Our Faculty
Meet our faculty now.
Faculty not pictured below: David Fedele, PhD, Julia Price, PhD, and Rachel Skyocypec, PhD.
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Danielle Ryan Hatchimonji, PhD
Primary Office
Wilmington, DE -
Erica Dolores Sood, PhD
Clinical Psychologist Associate Professor of Pediatric Psychology, Thomas Jefferson UniversityPrimary Office
Wilmington, DE
Recent Fellows
Emily “Isa” Granados, PhD, 2024-2026 (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Dr. Granados is a population health scientist interested in research on pediatric obesity. She’s being mentored by Drs. Susana Patton and David Fedele.
MaryJane Campbell, PhD, 2023-2025 (Orlando)
Dr. Campbell is a psychologist interested in research on family adaptation to pediatric food allergies. She’s being mentored by Drs. Susana Patton and Jessica Pierce, and has two grant proposals under scientific merit review.
Mallory Garnett, PhD, 2023-2025 (Wilmington, Del.)
Dr. Garnett is a psychologist interested in research on parenting in economically disadvantaged families. She’s being mentored by Dr. JJ Cutuli and has one grant proposal under scientific merit review.
Nicole Enlow, PhD, 2023-2025 (Wilmington, Del.)
Dr. Enlow is a psychologist who received a ѻƵ Biomedical Research Fellows Award on psychosocial risk in cerebral palsy in February 2024. She’s being mentored by Dr. Anne Kazak.
How to Apply
Application Requirements
Deadline:Applications are closed for the 2025-2027 fellowship in Delaware. Applications are still being accepted for Orlando or Jacksonville.
Required application materials include:
- CV
- Cover letter
- Three letters of recommendation
Rather than highlighting specific research mentors in your cover letter, we ask that you emphasize your area(s) of interest and career goals and how they align withCHDS focus areas.
Applications are reviewed immediately and accepted until the position is filled.
Pleaseemailyour application materials to Dr. Jessica Pierce, Director of Research Fellowship Training.