Research Scientist, Future Health Scenarios
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; Local Burden of Disease; 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 to join the Future Health Scenarios team. The Future Health Scenarios (FHS) team at IHME produces forecasts and alternative health scenarios for more than 300 causes of disease and disability, over 70 risk factors contributing to health loss, and many other determinants of health, such as fertility, education, and vaccine coverage. FHS produces results on an annual basis, following each new round of the Global Burden of Disease results, and also generates policy-relevant “what if” scenarios to help government officials and others chart the course for improving health outcomes in their communities. We are looking for someone ready to advance in their career in global health research. As a Research Scientist, you will be a lead on your research team, contributing to research design and training and mentoring junior staff. IHME researchers analyze and produce key estimates for their assigned research team and will assess all available relevant quantitative data – including those on causes of death, epidemiology, and a range of determinants such as education and income – from surveys, vital registration, censuses, literature, registries, and administrative records.
You will be integrally involved in producing, critiquing, improving, and disseminating results. You are someone who is capable of keeping your team on track to meet deadlines and research objectives. You have experience with the publication process, 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 on recent scientific, engineering and technical advances and are able to translate these into your research. This position is contingent on project funding availability.
Responsibilities
- Exhibit command of the future health scenarios and forecasting work at IHME, including the methodology and its components.
- Independently design and 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 datasets to be used in epidemiological and statistical analyses.
- Develop and implement new computational and statistical methods. Create, test, and use relevant computer code (Python or R). Maintain, modify, and execute analytic machinery that generates 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.
- 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:
Master’s degree 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 Requirements:
- Excellent analytic, critical thinking, and quantitative skills.
- Results- and detail-oriented individual who 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.
- Experience devising and executing statistical modeling techniques.
- Demonstrated ability to quickly recognize problems in results and identify root causes in data, methods, and code.
- Ease in designing, executing, and troubleshooting code in one or more languages (e.g., Python or R). Python strongly preferred.
- 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.
Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.
Desired:
- MD or PhD in public health, epidemiology, statistics, biostatistics, math, economics, or quantitative social sciences plus two years’ experience preferred.
- Experience with machine learning, data mining, and analytic techniques. Experience using netcdf or xarray files.
- Experience mentoring and developing junior employees on soft and technical skills.
- Experience with project management methods.
- Peer-reviewed publication record.
Conditions of Employment: Weekend and evening work sometimes required.