The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) is an independent research center at the University of Washington focused on expanding the quantitative evidence base for health. A core research area for IHME is the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors (GBD) enterprise. A systematic, scientific effort to quantify the comparative magnitude of health loss due to diseases, injuries, and risk factors by age, sex, and geography over time, the GBD is the largest and most comprehensive effort to date to measure epidemiological levels and trends worldwide. The GBD’s aim is to provide policymakers, donors, and researchers with the highest-quality quantitative evidence base to make decisions that achieve better health.

IHME has an exciting opportunity for a Researcher or Postdoctoral Fellow with focus on the estimation of neglected tropical diseases as part of the GBD enterprise. The current cause list for the GBD includes the following neglected tropical diseases: Chagas, leishmaniasis, African trypanosomiasis, schistosomiasis, cysticercosis, cystic echinococcosis, lymphatic filariasis, podoconiosis, onchocerciasis, trachoma, dengue, yellow fever, and rabies. The individual will work with data from vital registration, surveys, administrative sources, and scientific literature. The incumbent will need to become familiar with global and national patterns in the epidemiology, including fatal and nonfatal outcomes, of at least a subset of these diseases. He/she will produce estimates of incidence, prevalence, and deaths from 1990 to present by country. The individual will use modeling tools to produce estimates on an annually updated basis. Depending upon interest and expertise, the individual may also model some key risk factors or other determinants related to these causes. The incumbent will assess all available data and use established modeling tools to produce results. He/she will write papers and contribute to methodological advancements over time.

The overall GBD enterprise produces estimates for more than 300 diseases and injuries and more than 70 risk factors for greater than 500 geographic locations. incumbent will be integrally involved in producing, critiquing, improving, and disseminating results. The individual must develop an understanding of the GBD methodology and must already have a strong command of either epidemiology, statistics, disease modeling, or related interests. The individual will work with senior research leads and faculty and take part in the intellectual exchange about how to improve upon the results and in creating papers and presentations that help share the results with broader audiences.

The individual will be expected to interact successfully with a wide range of stakeholders and to describe complex concepts and materials concisely. Overall, the Researcher or Postdoctoral Fellow will be a critical member of an agile, dynamic research team. This position is contingent on project funding availability.