Researcher (Temporary), BIRDS

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 has an excellent opportunity for a Temporary Researcher to join the Brain, Back Pain and Other Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSKs), Injuries, Renal, Respiratory, Diabetes, Dental, Substances, Sensory and Skin (BIRDS) team. The BIRDS team makes estimates for the GBD Study, which is a systematic, scientific effort to quantify the comparative magnitude of health loss due to diseases, injuries, and risk factors by age, sex, and geography over time. It is the largest and most comprehensive effort to measure epidemiological levels and trends worldwide. This position will work on 2-3 non-communicable disease that make up the BIRDS portfolio, which may include Chronic Kidney Diseases, Musculoskeletal disorders, Substance use disorders, Injuries or Neurological conditions.

This Researcher will analyze and produce key estimates for the BIRDS team portfolio and will assess all available quantitative data – including those from surveys, vital registration, censuses, literature, registries, and administrative records. Using established modeling tools and through creation of novel code, Researchers incorporate all relevant data to produce the most up-to-date and scientifically credible results through the development of sound method and analytical approaches.

You thrive in a collaborative work environment and can work on multiple projects concurrently while meeting deadlines. You keep current of recent scientific, engineering, and technical advances and can translate these into your research. You will build out your portfolio of peer- reviewed papers while at IHME.

You will be integrally involved in producing, critiquing, improving, and disseminating results. You already have a command of epidemiology, statistics, disease modeling, or related interests, and we will help you develop an understanding of our core research and methodology. Our Researchers work with data and research professionals at all levels, and with external collaborators to take part in the intellectual exchange about how to improve upon and disseminate the results. You are expected to interact successfully with a wide range of partners and to describe complex concepts and materials concisely. Overall, Researchers are critical members of agile, dynamic research teams.

This position is contingent on project funding.

Responsibilities:

• Develop a core understanding of assigned research areas methodology and its components.
• Under the guidance of experienced scientists, carry out quantitative analyses and statistical modeling to produce results designated on a given timeline as part of collaborative research projects.
• Extract data from various sources and databases. Format, transform, review, and assess data sources to determine their relevance and utility for ongoing analysis. Understand key data sources and variations in these across and within countries.
• Apply computational and statistical tools and algorithms for the preprocessing, analysis, and visualization of source data.
• Review, assess and improve results, methods and accompanying code that increase the relevance, quality and use of results by external stakeholders.
• Document code and analytic approaches systematically so that analyses can be replicated by other team members.
• Lead discussion in research meetings about results and analyses to vet, improve, and finalize results.
• Contribute to the creation of presentations, manuscripts and funding proposals through the creation of content, tables and figures. Coauthor scientific publications in peer-review journals.
• Consult with external collaborators and key stakeholders to resolve differences in competing sets of estimates, jointly understand and explain analytic approaches, and review and respond to recommendations for analytic modifications, new data, and ways of representing the results.
• Maintain scientific awareness and intellectual agility with data, methods, and analytic techniques.
• Other duties as assigned that fall within reasonable scope of research team.

Minimum Requirements:

• Master’s degree in public health, epidemiology, statistics, biostatistics, math, economics, quantitative social sciences, or related discipline plus 1 year of related experience.
• Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Additional Requirements

• Demonstrated interest or relevant experience in research related to the non-communicable disease space, and experience in related data sources and scientific underpinnings that relate to the research portfolio.
• Strong analytic, critical thinking, and quantitative skills and ability to learn and understand complex information quickly.
• Ability to professionally and effectively communicate and work with other staff at all levels to achieve team goals for the analyses and related outputs.
• 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.
• Demonstrated proficiency in R, with a willingness to become familiar with Python.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• 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.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience in epidemiological research.
• Track record of success in co-authorship on scientific papers, presenting results, and representing research at meetings.
• Interest and experience in methodological innovation and demonstrable initiative to conduct independent analyses.
• Knowledge of machine learning, data mining, and analytic techniques.
• Experience working with external collaborators, researchers, and funders.
• Experience conducting literature reviews, particularly formal systematic reviews.

Conditions of Employment:

• Weekend and evening work sometimes required.
• This position is open to anyone authorized to work in the US.
• Working internationally is only allowed for IHME sponsored work that requires in -country participation.
• Office is located in Seattle, Washington. This position is eligible to work fully remote in the US; work schedule required to overlap 50% of IHME office hours, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Pacific Time.

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 a benefits summary here: https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/02/benefits-professional-staff-librarians-academic-contract-covered-exempt-20250130-a11y.pdf.