Senior Research Scientist Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

The Institute for Disease Modeling (IDM) is an embedded research institute within the Gates Foundation, supporting global efforts to eradicate infectious diseases and achieve permanent improvements in health. We develop, use, and share computational modeling tools, and promote quantitative decision-making through robust mathematical and statistical modeling. The IDM team comprises both research scientists and software engineers. IDM has a bold and important vision, and you will play a key role in realizing that vision through the impact you have as a scientist, a strategic thinker, and a partner to grantmaking colleagues across the Foundation.

As the Senior Research Scientist, you will lead & support efforts to gather, analyze, and model data on vaccine delivery and routine immunization systems in one or more LMIC’s (Low & Middle Income Countries). You will report to the Senior Research Manager for Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. In collaboration with country health programs, team members, and/or external researchers, you will identify important vaccine delivery problems, features, and dependencies through statistical analysis and modeling, and you will propose contextually appropriate solutions.

You ideally have extensive experience working within at least one LMIC health system. You may develop new modeling approaches to quantitatively capture the interplay between communities & health systems that drive vaccine uptake, in order to understand e.g., how new technologies and interventions can strengthen vaccine delivery. You will also explore innovations in data collection that can be used to improve performance measurement & management of vaccine delivery systems. You may also support research efforts towards global polio eradication or control of measles and other vaccine preventable diseases.

What You’ll Do:

• Gather, analyze, and model data from immunization systems in LMICs.  Identify features, structures, and relationships in these data that suggest directions for system strengthening
• Develop and lead research collaborations between IDM, Foundation grantmaking teams, and local actors in LMIC immunization delivery programs.
• Build relationships with new external collaborators and work closely with them to acquire data, develop impactful research directions, and adjust models.
• Review scientific and grey literature on vaccine delivery and system strengthening interventions to identify problems, define novel analyses, and inform the strategic direction of immunization delivery research at IDM.
• Write summaries of results to be used in policy recommendations, white papers, and scientific publications
• Write research articles and conference presentations communicating projects and results to the scientific community
• Present work to key stakeholders internal and external to the foundation, as well as research audiences.

Your Experience: 

• PhD in science or in a quantitative field (e.g. Statistics, Biostatistics, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Economics); or PhD in health fields with addition of significant quantitative experience (e.g. Epidemiology, Public Health, Health Services, Global Health); or Masters or Medical degree with strong quantitative experience.
• Demonstrated experience executing complex projects involving multiple individuals, stakeholders, and timelines
• Demonstrated experience building research collaborations comprised of policymakers and researchers , from concept development through delivery of results
• Experience communicating important policy-relevant results to key local and global stakeholders
• Prior experience working within a health system in an LMIC is preferred, particularly in routine immunization strengthening or outreach interventions.
• Working knowledge of health system data sources such as health facility surveys, health management information systems, and electronic medical records.
• Proficiency in at least one data-analysis or scripting language (e.g. R, Python).
• Knowledge of a variety of statistical methods and application to data, particularly in exploratory data analysis, hypothesis testing, & causal attribution.
• Ability to initiate, organize, and manage research projects and clearly communicate analysis results to diverse audiences
• Demonstrated ability to work productively independently and as part of a team

Source: https://gatesfoundation.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Gates/job/Seattle-WA/Senior-Research-Scientist–Vaccine-Preventable-Diseases–LTE-_B020725-1