RESEARCH SCIENTIST

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) is an independent research center at the University of Washington. Its mission is to deliver to the world timely, relevant, and scientifically valid evidence to improve health policy and practice. IHME carries out its mission through a range of projects within different research areas including the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors; Future Health Scenarios; Cost Effectiveness and Efficiency; Resource Tracking; and Impact Evaluations. Our vision is to provide policymakers, donors, and researchers with the highest-quality quantitative evidence base so all people live long lives in full health.
IHME is committed to providing the evidence base necessary to help solve the world’s most important health problems. This requires creativity and innovation, which are cultivated by an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment that respects and appreciates differences, embraces collaboration, and invites the voices of all IHME team members. 

IHME has an excellent opportunity for a Research Scientist. We are looking for someone ready to advance in their career in global health research. As a Research Scientist, you will be contributing to research design and training, leading, and/or mentoring junior staff. IHME researchers analyze and produce key estimates for their assigned research team and will assess all available relevant quantitative data – including those on causes of death, epidemiology, and a range of determinants such as education and income – from surveys, vital registration, censuses, literature, registries, and administrative records.

You will be integrally involved in modeling, method development and implementation, and science-focused research, including producing, critiquing, improving, and disseminating results. You are someone who is capable of keeping your team on track to meet deadlines and research objectives. You already have a publication record, and at IHME, you will build out your portfolio with several peer-reviewed papers. You thrive in a collaborative work environment and are capable of working on multiple projects concurrently while meeting deadlines. You keep current of recent mathematical, scientific, engineering, and technical advances and are able to translate these into your research.
This position is contingent on project funding availability.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Exhibit command of one or more of the research areas at IHME, including the methodology and its components.
• Independently model emerging problems using mathematical techniques.
• Use existing computational approaches and develop new approaches as needed to answer key scientific questions.
• Develop and implement new computational and statistical methods; develop, test, and maintain associated computer code (Python or R preferred).
• Independently carry out quantitative analyses and participate in reciprocal research projects. Interpret and vet results from junior staff, formulate conclusions, and inform team leaders.
• Draft presentations and manuscripts, and contribute to funding proposals. Lead and co-author scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals.
• Maintain scientific awareness and intellectual agility with data, methods, and analytic techniques.
• May lead and/or mentor junior staff.
• Provide ideas and content for the development of internal trainings. Teach established trainings.
• Contribute to research design.
• Other duties as assigned that fall within reasonable scope of research team.

REQUIREMENTS:

MINIMUM:

• Master’s degree in applied mathematics, statistics, biostatistics, or other mathematical science discipline plus four years’ related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

ADDITIONAL :

• Growing peer network where sought out as having solid command with engineering/technical areas, methodological areas, and associated scientific underpinnings and software development for analysis.
• Excellent analytic, critical thinking, and quantitative skills.
• Results- and detail-oriented individual who can initiate and complete tasks under tight deadlines and changing priorities both independently and in a team environment. Flexibility with hours and workload is key.
• Experience devising mathematical models, implementing new approaches, and executing statistical modeling techniques to answer scientific questions.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly recognize problems in results and identify root causes in data, methods, and code.
• Ease in designing, executing, and troubleshooting code in Python or R.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills required, including track record of success in co-authorship on multiple scientific papers, presenting results, and representing research at meetings.
• Ability to work both independently and in collaboration with a team.
• A long-term interest in a research scientist position contributing to the overall mission of our research.
• A commitment to working to alongside others at IHME to illuminate the health impacts of systemic racism and to work within IHME to make our organization more diverse and inclusive. See IHME’s DEI statement here: http://www.healthdata.org/get-involved/careers/dei

DESIRED:

• PhD in applied mathematics, mathematics, statistics, biostatistics, or other mathematical discipline, plus two years’ experience preferred.
• Strong software development skills (preferred languages Python or R); expertise with collaborative software development; including source control tools and test-driven development.
• Demonstrated ability to work with applied scientists, using mathematical modeling and computational techniques to answer scientific questions.
• Expertise with optimization techniques as well as machine learning, data mining, and analytic techniques.
• Experience with project management methods.
• Peer-reviewed publication record.

Conditions of Employment:

• Weekend and evening work sometimes required.
• This position is open to anyone authorized to work in the US. The UW is not able to sponsor visas for staff positions.
• The University of Washington requires students and personnel to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Under state regulations, individuals who are not fully vaccinated are required to wear masks while in all UW buildings and facilities. To learn more about the requirements, please review the following:  https://www.washington.edu/coronavirus/vaccination-requirement/

Application Process:

The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Workforce Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.