Research Engineer

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 organization at the University of Washington (UW). 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 (GBD), Injuries, and Risk Factors; Future Health Scenarios; Cost Effectiveness and Efficiency; Resource Tracking; and Impact Evaluations.

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.

The Scientific Computing team at IHME provides usable software tooling that enables researchers to run models reliably and reproducibly on any computing platform, when and where IHME requires, using the correct data, without losing time to avoidable errors, with the minimum of effort by the researcher. Priority tools include but are not limited to those supporting workflow management, integrated testing, and exploration and implementation of AI and other emerging technologies.

IHME has an outstanding opportunity for a Research Engineer I (E S 8 SEIU 925 IHME) to join our Scientific Computing team.

We are looking for a motivated individual to join a team of engineers in building a modern, reproducible, data-driven research infrastructure. The ideal incumbent will be comfortable working with methods to build, implement, and support analytical software tools that can easily be utilized by other staff with less coding experience. The position requires problem-solving and consulting with methods developers to resolve tool-specific bugs, diagnose code problems, and devise solutions for new requirements. This position is contingent upon project funding availability.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Tool Development & Support

• Execute analytic machinery in a coordinated manner to achieve key deliverables on deadline.
• Develop integrated tools and diagnostics into complex computational processes to enable non-expert users to execute analytic processes and assess results.
• Contribute to the refactoring of existing code to improve efficiency, operability, and performance while maintaining high-quality results.
• Follow software development best practices (e.g., source control, documentation, writing tests, etc). Test, implement, and support analytic methods as appropriate.
• Develop and use protocols to identify problems with datasets and routine computational processes, rectify issues, and systematize data for future analyses.
• Provide timely and comprehensive user support via help desk ticket investigation and bug resolution.
• Actively participate in code review with fellow staff.

Research Command

• Develop command of the dimensions and uses of health data in IHME analytic pipelines.
• Develop an understanding of the analytic components of the research program and how they operate.
• Distinguish between research requirements and implementation requirements.
• Continually seek new knowledge and collaborate with researchers and faculty to gain a better understanding of analytical components and research methodology.

General

• Communicate clearly and effectively while contributing as a productive member of the team and the Institute as a whole.
• Work closely with other team members to help them with relevant tasks, show them how to learn new skills, and help resolve problems across projects.
• Participate in internal trainings.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, mathematics, engineering, statistics, or related field plus two years’ related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Demonstrated expertise in developing code in Python, Java, R, and/or other coding language. [Python most preferred including pandas, NumPy, and xarray]
• Good applied statistics skills, such as distributions, statistical testing, and regression.
• Experience deploying software to Linux servers.
• Strong sense of focus and attention to detail.
• Ability to plan and organize technical projects.
• Works well with others to solve problems, define priorities, and achieve common goals.
• Demonstrated organizational skills, self-motivation, flexibility, strong communication skills, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, energetic, highly creative, entrepreneurial environment.
• A commitment to working 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: https://www.healthdata.org/about/dei

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with application containerization using tools such as Docker, Kubernetes, and Rancher.
• Statistics and/or public health interest.
• Experience with relational databases e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL.
• Automation experience.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Weekend and evening work sometimes required.
• This position is open to anyone authorized to work in the US.
• Office is located in Seattle, Washington. This position is eligible to work fully remote in the US.

Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, the University of Washington will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.

The University of Washington is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer . To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 / 206-543-6452 (TTY) or dso@uw.edu.

Please see Benefits summary: https://hr.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/02/benefits-professional-staff-librarians-academic-contract-covered-exempt-20230921_a11y.pdf