Postdoc modelling coinfection in structured host populations
The Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology and Infectious Disease Epidemiology (SBIDER) at Warwick is recruiting a postdoctoral scientist focused on the ecology and evolution of infectious disease in structured host populations.

This is a 30-month position to join an international and interdisciplinary research project jointly funded by the UK’s BBSRC and the US’s NSF-EEID. The broader project aims to understand how host population structure affects parasite population dynamics, the types of parasites present, and host-parasite coevolution. To address this question, the project will use three metapopulations of desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) as a model system because they have well characterised and varying levels of connectivity.

The postdoctoral scientist will be hosted in the laboratories of Dr. Erin Gorsich and Dr. Amy Pedersen at University of Warwick and Edinburgh. It will focus on mathematical and statistical modelling of parasite coinfection and collaborate closely with empirical collaborators at University of Cardiff and Oregon State University in the US.

The ideal candidate will have an interest in disease ecology and a background in either quantitative epidemiology, quantitative ecology, applied mathematics, or statistics. Candidates with a disease ecology background and an enthusiasm to develop quantitate skills are also encouraged to apply. Because the Zeeman Institute spans multiple departments, we welcome a range of backgrounds with experience working in interdisciplinary environments. We also support applicants interested in extending this work beyond the desert bighorn sheep system, applying their own expertise to the project’s theoretical development, or building on data from other host-parasite systems.

Desired skills include programming (R, Python, Julia, Matlab, or similar), epidemiological modelling, experience with model fitting or network analysis, and knowledge of parasite community ecology and coinfection biology.

Offer and benefits
The position will be based at the Zeeman Institute and School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick (https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/zeeman_institute/). The successful applicant will receive up to a 30 month contract with salary based on the University of Warwick Salary Postdoctoral researcher salary scale (£31,406-40,927 per year). The position also comes with financial support for conference fees and optional travel to University of Edinburgh and Oregon State University. The position is available starting January 2022, although earlier or later start times are available.

Informal enquiries about the post can be addressed directly to Dr. Erin Gorsich (erin.gorsich@warwick.ac.uk).

How to apply
Please submit the following documents via Warwick’s online recruiting platform: a CV, a cover-letter, and the contact information for 2-3 references.
https://atsv7.wcn.co.uk/search_engine/jobs.cgi?owner=5062452&ownertype=fair&jcode=1879062&vt_template=1457&adminview=1