Job Description: Spatial Dynamics and Pathogen Genomics
The first postdoctoral fellow will work on projects related to spatial infectious disease dynamics and the development of human mobility models. Increasingly, genetic data are being used to understand the role of connectivity of disease outbreaks on local and global scales. Similarly, human mobility data and infectious disease models are being used to predict disease introduction events and the spatial dynamics of control. This project will focus on developing mathematical and statistical tools to integrate these two frameworks and develop a better understanding of human travel patterns relevant for disease spread. Specifically, this project will focus on the use of novel large data sets, such as mobile phone calling records, to quantify human connectivity in various countries in conjunction with genomic data, with collaborations from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, University of California - San Francisco, and Johns Hopkins University.

Job Description: Human Mobility and Disease Elimination
The second postdoctoral fellow will work on projects related to understanding how human travel can impact disease control and elimination in collaboration with Dr. Jess Metcalf (Princeton). The movement of infected individuals can introduce pathogens into susceptible populations and drive disease outbreaks. For pathogens which are targeted for elimination, these sporadic outbreaks will directly impact the potential for, and optimal design of control efforts. This study will focus on the role of human-mediated introduction events of infectious diseases with a particular focus on vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and rubella. Similar to the first posting, this project will also focus on the use of novel large data sets, such as mobile phone calling records, to quantify human connectivity across endemic and near elimination settings. The postdoc’s role will be to develop statistical and mathematical models of human travel using these types of data to predict introduction events and the impact of connectivity on prospects for disease elimination.

The ideal applicants will have both quantitative experience in population genetics, epidemiology, statistics, computer science, and/or ecology and an interest in public health research related to disease prevention and control in global settings. Applicants with, or nearing completion of, a doctoral degree in a similarly related quantitative field will be considered.

The successful applicants will work with Dr. Amy Wesolowski and colleagues on a project primarily funded by the National Institutes of Health. The successful applicants will be joining a highly collaborative group (iddynamics.jhsph.edu) who work on projects ranging from empirical data collection to theoretical modeling of disease dynamics, and there will be ample opportunities to work on cross-cutting projects focused on issues in infectious disease transmission and control. Both positions will be for 1-2 years, depending on applicant interest and career plans.

Interested candidates should contact Amy Wesolowski (awesolowski@jhu.edu) with a CV, statement of interest, and contact details of two references that will be contacted directly after the interviews. Applications can be considered for either or both positions. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and should be submitted by December 1, 2018.