Research Scientist, Infectious Disease Modeling - University of Washington | Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation

LOCATION: Seattle, WA

CLOSING DATE: unknown

OPPORTUNITY TYPE: Job

JOB #: 17838

POSTED: September 10, 2021

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; Cost Effectiveness and Efficiency; 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 excellent opportunity for a Research Scientist who is ready to advance in their career in global health research. As a Research Scientist you will be contributing to research design and training. IHME Research Scientists analyze and produce key estimates for their assigned research team and will assess all available relevant quantitative data. In this case, the position sits on the Infectious Diseases Modeling team. The individual is responsible for developing analytic strategies modeling malaria, interventions to reduce its impact, and the drivers of factors that lead to its prevalence. The Research Scientist must have the demonstrated ability to both develop new methods and code them. The person hired will be expected to work with the local team to support development of the adaptive control for vector control for diseases such as malaria and West Nile virus.

You will be integrally involved in producing, critiquing, improving, and disseminating results. You are someone that is capable of keeping your team on track to meet deadlines and research objectives. You already have a publication record, and at IHME, you will build out your portfolio with several peer-reviewed papers. You thrive in a collaborative work environment and are capable of working on multiple projects concurrently while meeting deadlines. You keep current of recent scientific, engineering, and technical advances and are able to translate these into your research.

This position is contingent on project funding availability.

Responsibilities:

  • Experience working on mosquito ecology and mosquito-borne pathogens is an essential feature of this job.
  • Independently carry out quantitative analyses and participate in reciprocal research projects. Interpret and vet results from junior staff, formulate conclusions, and inform team leaders.
  • Develop, quality check, and distribute complex data sets to be used in epidemiological and statistical analyses.
  • Develop and implement new computational and statistical methods. Create, test, and use relevant computer code (R or equivalent). Maintain, modify, and execute analytic machinery that produces results.
  • Draft presentations and manuscripts, and contribute to funding proposals. Lead and co-author scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals.
  • Maintain scientific awareness and intellectual agility with data, methods, and analytic techniques.
  • May lead and/or mentor junior staff.
  • Provide ideas and content for the development of internal trainings. Teach established trainings.
  • Contribute to research design.
  • Other duties as assigned that fall within reasonable scope of research team.


Requirements include:

Minimum

  • Master’s in public health, epidemiology, statistics, biostatistics, math, economics, quantitative social sciences or related discipline plus four years related experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.


Additional

  • Experience publishing software packages (e.g., R packages on CRAN)
  • Excellent analytic, critical thinking, and quantitative skills.
  • Experience devising and executing statistical modeling techniques and writing the code to execute them.
  • Demonstrated ability to communicate and collaborate with both a scientific research team and a programming team.
  • This position will involve some software development and programming to extend the functionality of two key software packages: MBITES (Mosquito Bout-based and Individual-based Transmission Ecology Simulator) and Micro-MoB (Microsimulation for Mosquito-Borne Pathogens).  Working knowledge with these software packages if required.
  • Results and detail-oriented individual that can initiate and complete tasks under tight deadlines and changing priorities both independently and in a team environment. Flexibility with hours and workload is key.
  • Demonstrated ability to quickly recognize problems in results and identify root causes in data, methods, and code.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills required, including track record of success in co-authorship on multiple scientific papers, presenting results, and representing research at meetings.
  • Ability to work both independently and in collaboration with a team.
  • A long-term interest in a research scientist position contributing to the overall mission of our research.
  • A commitment to working to alongside others at IHME to illuminate the health impacts of systemic racism and to work within IHME to make our organization more diverse and inclusive. See IHME’s DEI statement here: DEI.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

Desired:

  • PhD or MD in public health, epidemiology, statistics, biostatistics, math, economics, quantitative social sciences plus two years’ experience preferred.
  • Experience with machine learning, data mining, and analytic techniques.
  • Experience mentoring and developing junior employees on soft and technical skills.
  • Experience with project management methods.
  • Peer-reviewed publication record.

 

How to Apply:

Conditions of Employment:

  • Weekend and evening work sometimes required.
  • This position is open to anyone authorized to work in the US. The UW is not able to sponsor visas for staff positions.
  • Office is located in Seattle, Washington. This position is eligible to work fully remote in the US.; work schedule required to overlap 50% of IHME office hours, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Pacific Time.

As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here.

Application Process:

The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. 

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