RESEARCH SCIENTIST
University of Washington
SAVE savedJobs
false
SAVE savedJobs

RESEARCH SCIENTIST

University of Washington

Gmail Email Print
Application
The application opened in a new tab.
By using this feature you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
Details
Posted:
March 31, 2021
Location:
Seattle, Washington
Salary:
Open
Type:
Full Time

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

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 Research Scientist to join the Drivers of Maternal Health & Health Systems team. We are looking for someone who will help drive geospatial health systems research. Across IHME, Research Scientists lead research teams by contributing to research design and training and mentoring junior staff. IHME Research Scientists analyze and produce key estimates for their research team and focus on using data from household surveys, disease registries, vital registration, published literature, and administrative records. Research Scientists are further involved in critiquing, improving, and disseminating results. They must be capable of helping keep their team on track to meet deadlines and research objectives. Research Scientists should have experience with the publication process, and, at IHME, are expected to build out their portfolio with several peer-reviewed papers. We are looking for individuals who keep abreast of recent scientific, engineering, and technical advances and are able to translate these into research.

The main purpose of this position is to engage in research on the Drivers of Maternal Mortality project and other key research areas on the GBD Health Systems team, working closely with the Health Systems Team Lead and other Faculty as well as a Data Analyst, Project Officer and other team members. The aim of the Drivers of Maternal Mortality project is to conduct geospatial analysis of maternal mortality and the potential drivers of maternal mortality, such as coverage of antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, and in-facility delivery, the availability of health facilities, health workers and other health system characteristics, and other factors that may contribute to maternal mortality. You will be integrally involved in producing, critiquing, improving, and disseminating results. You already have a command of geospatial analysis, as well as epidemiology, statistics, disease modeling, or related interests. Our Research Scientists work with senior research leads and external collaborators and take part in intellectual exchange about how to improve upon and disseminate the results.

You are expected to interact successfully with a wide range of partners and to describe complex concepts and materials concisely. Overall, Research Scientists are critical members of agile, dynamic research teams. This position is contingent on project funding availability.

Responsibilities:

  • Exhibit command of geospatial methodology to produce maternal health indicators and their related covariates and, when necessary, develop new methodologies to produce small area estimates of these indicators.
  • Capable of manipulating, exploring, combining and assessing large survey datasets, administrative data, and other data for geospatial analysis.
  • Independently carry out quantitative analyses, including geospatial analyses and statistical modeling to produce results designated on a given timeline as part of collaborative research projects. Interpret and vet results from junior staff, formulate conclusions, provide feedback, 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 in R or Python. Maintain, modify, and execute analytic machinery.
  • Contribute to research design.
  • Review and assess existing research on similar topics.
  • 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.
  • Oversee staff, to include hiring and training; leading workflow; priority setting; critiquing work and establishing quality standards; conducting regular performance assessments, providing mentorship and professional development for employees.
  • Provide ideas and content for the development of internal trainings. Teach established trainings.
  • Other duties as assigned that fall within reasonable scope of research team.
  • Consult with external collaborators and key stakeholders to resolve differences in competing sets of estimates, jointly understand and explain analytic approaches, and review and respond to recommendations for analytic modifications, new data, and ways of representing the results.
  • Apply computational and statistical tools and algorithms for the preprocessing, analysis, and visualization of source data.
  • Lead discussion in research meetings about results and analyses to vet, improve, and finalize results.  

    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.
    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:
  • Proven interest and experience in mapping methodologies and Geographic Information Systems and the related data sources and scientific underpinnings.
  • 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.
  • Experience devising and executing statistical modeling techniques.
  • Experience manipulating and analyzing large datasets.
  • Demonstrated ability to quickly recognize problems in results and identify root causes in data, methods, and code.
  • Demonstrated success in designing, executing, and troubleshooting complex analytic code in R and/or Python.
  • 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 Institute.

    A commitment to working 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:  http://www.healthdata.org/get-involved/careers/dei.

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

    DESIRED

  • Master’s degree plus six years’ related experience, or PhD in public health, epidemiology, statistics, biostatistics, math, economics, quantitative social sciences, or MD plus two years’ experience preferred.
  • Experience estimating maternal mortality, the drivers of maternal mortality, and maternal health indicators. 
  • Expertise in research using at least two statistical programming languages, R and Python.
  • Experience with a wide range of quantitative methods, including machine learning, data mining, and other analytical techniques.
  • Experience mentoring and developing junior employees on soft and technical skills.
  • Track record of success in lead and co-authorship on scientific papers, presenting results, and representing research at meetings.
  • Demonstrated familiarity working with the Global Burden of Disease framework, understanding of its main attributes, and ability to apply it in analyses.

    CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

  • This position is open to anyone authorized to work in the U.S. The UW is not able to sponsor visas for staff positions.
  • Weekend and evening work sometimes required.
  • 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 8am and 6pm Pacific Time.

    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 assessments may include Workforce Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.
    		•

    Internal Number: 188720
    About University of Washington
    Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest public institutions in the west coast and one of the preeminent research universities in the world. The University of Washington is a multi-campus university comprised of three different campuses: Seattle, Tacoma, and Bothell. The Seattle campus is made up of sixteen schools and colleges that serve students ranging from an undergraduate level to a doctoral level. The university is home to world-class libraries, arts, music, drama, and sports, as well as the highest quality medical care in Washington State and a world-class academic medical center. The teaching and research of the University’s many professional schools provide undergraduate and graduate students the education necessary toward achieving an excellence that will serve the state, the region, and the nation. As part of a large and diverse community, the University of Washington serves more students than any other institution in the Northwest.
    More Jobs from This Employer
    BACK TO TOP
    false
    Help is on the way!
    We're sorry you are having trouble applying for this job.

    Please try loading this job using the following link before submitting your help request: