Dr. Justin Lessler’s group at the UNC Carolina Population Center is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to contribute to a CDC-funded collaboration with Dr. Lindsay Keegan at the University of Utah. The project aims to optimize the use of data when analyzing the epidemic dynamics of infectious disease, particularly in emerging crises such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The postdoctoral researcher will join a vibrant collaboration between multiple institutions including Johns Hopkins University, the University of Utah, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and the CDC to assess the pandemic potential of emerging infectious threats and better respond to endemic pathogens.

Under the supervision of Drs. Lessler and Keegan, the postdoctoral researcher will develop independent research projects and may contribute to multiple collaborative efforts:

• Develop and test an approach to apply methods to data in epidemic models, correcting for bias.
• Refine modeling methods by pathogen types, emergence scenarios, and populations
• Evaluate the actual and potential utility of alternative data sources during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Analyze the interplay between surveillance processes and inference.
• Explore how data collection and analytic techniques can mask or reinforce health inequities.
• Create a pipeline for reporting model outputs to public health partners.

The successful candidate should have the following qualifications:

• Ph.D. and research experience in epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, or a related field
• Experience in the management of large-scale research, scientific, medical, or academic projects
• Programming experience in collaborative settings. The ideal candidate would have experience in writing packages in R and Python, and be fluent in the use of version control systems like Git.
• Highly motivated, organized, and comfortable working with project staff to meet deadlines
• Demonstrated competency in liaising between multiple ​​project leads and institutions

Interested parties should contact Justin Lessler jlessler@unc.edu for more information.