EcoHealth Alliance seeks a creative, dedicated, and collaborative data scientist to support analysis and reporting for COVID-19 policy response and advisory. The data scientist will work with EcoHealth Alliance team members and partner institutions to develop and maintain spatiotemporal models of COVID-19 spread and response, manage data pipelines integrating disparate large data sources, produce high-quality visualizations, reports, and dashboards and provide scientific interpretation for stakeholders.

The data scientist will report to the Principal Scientist for Computational Research and work on a team of scientists, developers, and public health professionals at an interdisciplinary health and environment focused NGO. They will participate in cross-project meetings and trainings and have opportunities to build new skills and expand their new project. They will use and build skills in R, Linux, and high-performance computing.

EcoHealth Alliance researchers largely use an R-focused analysis stack but use different languages and technologies for infrastructure based on project needs. We value growth and learning, and seek a candidate with enthusiasm to learn new skills.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Build, maintain and refine models of COVID-19 distribution and spread
Create interpretable visualizations of complex models and high-dimensional and geospatial data
Build and maintain dashboards and regular reports
Perform rapid analyses for short-term policy advisory needs
Refactor code to improve efficiency, simplicity, and maintainability of data handling and modeling pipelines
Work collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams that have a mixture of workflows and needs
Research and recommend software, hardware, and service options for tasks considering cost, usability, security, and maintainability
Participate in the design of new projects and developing grant applications
Contribute to open-source software projects
Participate in other projects and tasks as required or assigned by supervisor

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Masters’ degree or Ph.D. in epidemiology, statistics, quantitative biological or social sciences, or related quantitative field
Strong knowledge and experience of R for data analysis
Experience and knowledge of at least some of
    Linux command-line environment
    Hierarchical, nonlinear and Bayesian statistical models
    Working with large-scale geospatial data
Experience using literate programming (R Markdown) and build systems to create reproducible and real-time reports and dashboards
Demonstrated ability and willingness to rapidly learn new frameworks, technologies, and concepts
Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality work in short time frames.
Strong communication and teamwork skills
Strong organizational and project management skills

OTHER DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

JavaScript development experience
Knowledge of continuous integration and cloud compute platforms

Compensation will be $65,000 – $85,000 USD annually, commensurate with skills and experience.

This position is initially funded for 1 year, with the possibility of extension, with start date as soon as possible. The position may be remote but will include the option of working at EcoHealth Alliance’s New York City offices when they re-open, dependent on local conditions and based on staff safety. The candidate must be able to participate in regular video calls between 9AM-6PM EST.

EcoHealth Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and we encourage people with a diverse range of backgrounds to apply. We offer comprehensive benefit package including health, dental, and vision coverage, and a 403(b) pension plan.

How to Apply:

Send an email with a single attachment labeled with your first and last name only (“first last.pdf”) in PDF format containing (a) a cover letter, (b) CV, and (c) contact information for three references to jobs@ecohealthalliance.org with “EHA 2020 RESEARCH SCIENTIST” in the subject line. Applicants are encouraged to include links to code repositories, online portfolios, and other demonstrations of experience, but public or open-source work is not required.Emails without the subject line or with multiple attachments will not be received. No formal text is required within the body of your email, since only the attached document will be retained and reviewed by the hiring committee. All inquires will receive an automatic response confirming receipt. Applicants will be evaluated and only appropriate candidates will be contacted. The deadline to apply for this position is November 18, 2020.

Thank you for your interest in EcoHealth Alliance!