Job Description
Drs. Jacob Bor, Helen Jenkins, Karen Jacobson, and William MacLeod are seeking a postdoctoral associate for a project on the Social and Behavioral Drivers of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis. The postdoctoral associate will work with the PIs (Bor, Jenkins, Jacobson, MacLeod) on an interdisciplinary project studying the roles of patient migration and treatment adherence on the epidemic of drug-resistant TB in South Africa. TB is the leading cause of death in South Africa, yet the country’s response is hamstrung by an epidemic of drug resistance, which commands over half of the TB budget and is associated with worse outcomes.
The postdoctoral associate will have opportunities to engage in quantitative analysis of big data (laboratory data), spatial epidemiologic research, and mathematical infectious disease modeling with a strong behavioral component. In addition to working as part of a team on the main project, they will have the opportunity to work independently. The post-doctoral fellow will have access to teaching opportunities, regular seminars in infectious diseases, biostatistics, and global health, and additional data and research opportunities at Boston University.
As part of the Social Innovation on Drug Resistance (SIDR) Postdoctoral Program, the associate will be part of a growing, interdisciplinary community of researchers from across Boston University’s schools and colleges. Through SIDR’s workshops and other activities, the associate will become part of a network of top scholars in the multiple disciplines involved in SIDR. The program will provide a forum for the associate to present their work as it develops, and provides the associate with the benefit of being attached to two leading research entities with a strong global and domestic presence.
This is a two-year position, with a start date on or after July 1, 2019.
Key responsibilities of the position will include:
Statistical analysis of newly-linked laboratory data to investigate the role of migration and treatment adherence in South Africa’s epidemic of drug resistant TB
Developing an infectious disease model for drug resistant TB to account for patient behavior related to migration and treatment adherence
Using the model to estimate impact and cost-effectiveness of different interventions to improve patient tracking and retention in care
Meeting biweekly with the research team, including the four PIs
Leading and contributing to several peer-reviewed publications
Supervising graduate-level research assistants on the project
Required Skills
We look for a high-potential candidate with a recent PhD or equivalent degree in epidemiology, biostatistics, economics, data science, or other quantitative field. Candidates must have expertise in mathematical modeling and strong programming skills. Strong written and oral communication skills are required. Applicants should be able to work independently and have demonstrated ability to work well as part of a team.