Note: This position is open until October 6th - please disregard the "Next Review Date" of Thursday, Sep 4, 2025 (this is required for Berkeley job posting but will not be used as a deadline).
Note: The October 2025 start date is a placeholder, and there is significant flexibility around the start date within the range October 2025-March 2026.

About the role
The Pandemic and Epidemic Threat Analytics Lab (PETAL) at UC Berkeley is recruiting two Postdoctoral Research Scientists to advance quantitative research that lowers the risk of future epidemics and pandemics. Working with Dr Charles Whittaker, you will co-create a research agenda at the intersection of infectious-disease modelling, viral phylodynamics, and public-health decision support. Current research topics include the evolution, ecology, and epidemiology of viruses with epidemic/pandemic potential, designing and evaluating wastewater and metagenomic surveillance systems; accelerating medical countermeasure countermeasure development (esp. broad-spectrum vaccines and antivirals); and assessing built-environment interventions (e.g., far-UVC, indoor air quality).

What you would be doing
This is a two-year post suited to someone with research experience in infectious-disease epidemiology and mathematical modelling/phylodynamics who wants to lower the risk of future pandemics by working on applied problems that directly inform preparedness. You will co-create the project with Dr Charles Whittaker based on your interests, with wide latitude to shape and lead the direction of the work; current group priorities are focussed on broad-spectrum medical countermeasures and surveillance systems (especially wastewater and metagenomic approaches) but with scope to expand or diversify based on particular candidate interests. PETAL is an open-science group with global partnerships across Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Asia, focused on translating cutting-edge analytics into practical tools and policies that strengthen preparedness and promote health equity. These positions include opportunities for international collaboration and scientific travel, and provide strong support for publications, open-source software, and professional growth.

For more information about the group: https://whittakerlab.com/