Careers

Description:

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) is an independent research center at the University of Washington. Its mission is to deliver to the world timely, relevant, and scientifically valid evidence to improve health policy and practice. IHME carries out its mission through a range of projects within different research areas including: the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors; Future Health Scenarios; Costs and Cost Effectiveness; Resource Tracking; and Impact Evaluations. Our vision is to provide policymakers, donors, and researchers with the highest-quality quantitative evidence base so all people live long lives in full health.

IHME is committed to providing the evidence base necessary to help solve the world’s most important health problems. This requires creativity and innovation, which is cultivated by an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment that respects and appreciates differences, embraces collaboration, and invites the voices of all IHME team members.

IHME has an outstanding opportunity for a Data Extraction Analyst with our Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and Malaria team. The NTDs and Malaria team at IHME focuses on the production of high-quality, reliable disease burden estimates for 20 neglected tropical diseases for the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. In addition, we use state-of-the-art geospatial modeling techniques to estimate local patterns of disease burden for select NTDs and partner with collaborators to ensure that the GBD study reflects accurate trends in malaria burden. We collaborate closely with NTD program partners around the world, from global organizations to ministries of health. The main purpose of this position is to provide highly specialized oversight and guidance of routine but complex extraction processes for input data used in modeling of NTDs at IHME, which will serve research areas including Geospatial Analysis; the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors; and others. The Data Extraction Analyst will provide support to key research projects through data extraction and formatting, and providing inputs for papers and presentations.

The Data Extraction Analyst is expected to become specialized in data pertaining to relevant content areas and will consult with researchers as needed to amass data necessary for analysis, presentation, and publication. To create the array of indicators required, this position provides guidance on the extraction of all available relevant quantitative data from surveys, censuses, literature, and administrative records into central databases and the matching of those data sources to geospatial coordinates for mapping. By doing so, the individual will catalog a library of data that will add to the foundation of the Institute and the specific activities of the NTDs team.

The position must have a strong command of a variety of research needs and analytic functions. The Data Extraction Analyst must be able to anticipate the needs of research teams, as well as other functional teams including the Global Engagement Team, Technology Team, and Research Management as it pertains to the work of data extraction. This position will work with dynamic teams of researchers and staff at all levels and will work alongside other research staff on complementary projects requiring a foundational knowledge of IHME’s work, as well as core technical skills and collective problem-solving. Overall, the Data Extraction Analyst will be a critical member of an agile, dynamic team. This position is contingent on funding availability.

Responsibilities include:

Research Learning

• Become familiar with substantive areas of expertise to understand the dimensions and uses of health data and the analytic underpinnings of different research streams.
• Work directly with researchers to trace back the source of data used in models and results, understand the context of the data, and ensure that they are relevant to the analyses themselves.
• Work directly with researchers to explain and modify databases and routine analytic processes to best serve the needs of evolving projects.

Data intake management, analytic processes, and quality assessment

• Extract, format, and transform data from multiple sources according to set protocols in consultation with researchers to best meet their needs. Sources include literature, surveys, censuses, administrative records, vital registration systems, and disease registries, among others.
• Develop and use protocols to identify problems with datasets and routine extraction processes, rectify issues, and systematize processes for future work.
• Maintain, update, and interact with databases containing health data from multiple sources.
• Perform quality assurance and routine diagnostics on data and databases.
• Assess and contribute to decision making about the definitions of fields for extraction and the organization and storage of input data.
• Innovate and streamline ways to bring together data, analytic engines, and data visualizations in one seamless computational process. Solve problems that allow for valuable comparisons between highly different quantitative data sets.
• Archive, catalog, and annotate datasets according to Institute standards to build a common library of materials for use by a wide set of researchers.
• Document extraction processes in order to ensure consistency in extraction across research teams.
• Explore methods for improving extraction processes and implement them when possible in order to save time or simplify the extraction process and/or improve the quality of extractions.

Publications, presentations, and data requests

• Create text, tables, figures, and charts for presentations and publications.
• Provide referencing and other support for publications and presentations.
• Execute queries on databases to respond to the needs of senior researchers and external requests from collaborators, media, policymakers, donors, and other stakeholders.

General

• Communicate clearly and effectively while contributing as a member of both the Institute and the research team.
• Work closely with other team members to assist with relevant tasks, facilitate learning new skills, and to help resolve emerging problems on different projects.
• Attend relevant meetings, adhere to deadlines, and participate as a vital member to collectively advance team-level objectives.
• Serve as a resource to others in explaining approaches to data management and extraction.
• Participate in overall community of the Institute, carrying out duties as may be required for team members.

As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs.  For detailed information on Benefits for this position, click here.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in sciences, global health, public health or related field plus two years’ related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Additional Requirements:

• Must have demonstrated competence with analytic tasks and ability to participate productively in interdisciplinary research teams.
• Strong quantitative aptitude, desire to learn new skills, and ability to interpret complex analytic information.
• Strong sense of focus and attention to detail