TITLE: Postdoctoral Scholar position in Malaria Modeling
LOCATION: Northwestern University, Chicago IL, USA

The malaria modeling team at Northwestern University is looking for great people with strong quantitative skills and an interest in global health to come work with us! Previous malaria or infectious disease experience a plus but not required. Previous mathematical modeling experience also not required, especially if scripting and other quantitative skills are strong.

We seek a Postdoctoral Scholar to refine and apply sophisticated infectious disease models for epidemiological research and intervention-campaign planning. We are looking for a scientist with strong scripting skills, a keen curiosity, and a proactive approach to solving problems.

The malaria modeling team at Northwestern analyzes field, trial, and routine health system data; configures, calibrates, and applies malaria transmission models; and designs and builds new models to answer questions aimed at improving understanding of disease dynamics, informing effective public health campaigns, and guiding rational development of new public-health interventions.

Our team collaborates with academic, NGO, and malaria control programs around the world, including the Global Malaria Programme at the World Health Organization. We are founding members of the Applied Malaria Modeling Network (AMMnet). Our offices are located at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine in downtown Chicago.

Why join the team?
• Make a difference in the world. Malaria kills hundreds of thousands of people every year. Help policy makers figure out how to save lives with a limited budget.
• Work on interesting problems that span disciplines. Our models need to capture processes over a huge range of spatial scales and timescales, and our team works on problems from basic science to operations and delivery.
• Create the culture of science you want to see. Help build a team culture of positive, collaborative science that extends beyond the walls of Northwestern to the broader health policy world.

Responsibilities will include a subset of the following:
• Builds new modules for existing disease models; builds and develops new disease models; parameterizes existing disease models
• Analyzes epidemiological data; builds statistical models
• Conducts literature searches and analyzes field, clinical trial, survey, and/or routine health system reporting data to input, calibration, and validation data for the models
• Uses models to conduct sensitivity analyses, explore tradeoffs among possible parameterizations
• Writes software code (in Python/R) to implement model features and analyze data
• Collects, analyzes, and presents data on model results and performance.
• Prepares research articles and conference presentations to effectively communicate findings to the scientific and programmatic community

Key Qualifications and Required Skills:
• Ph.D. in a quantitative field (e.g. Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Epidemiology, Quantitative Biology, Physics)
• Experience in numerical analysis, dynamical systems, stochastic processes, machine learning, and/or biostatistics
• Proficiency in at least one data-analysis or scripting language (e.g. Python or R)
• Published articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals
• Clear and effective communication of quantitative work to non-experts
• Ability to work occasional extended hours to meet a deadline
• Ability to work productively as part of a small team as well as independently drive a project to completion

Optional Skills:
• In depth knowledge of the malaria disease system, parasitology, or immunology
• In depth knowledge of issues of public health in developing world settings
• In depth knowledge of principles, techniques, and tools of computational epidemiology
• Experience in C/C++ software development

How to apply:
• Send cover letter and CV to malariamodeling@northwestern.edu
• Team website: https://www.numalariamodeling.org/

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States.