Researcher, Forecasting

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 is 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 outstanding opportunity for a Researcher to join our Future Health Scenarios (Forecasting) team to develop and improve our models for forecasting disease burden and implement custom scenarios to understand the impact of different policies and programs on health outcomes. We are looking for someone ready to advance in their career in global health research. IHME researchers analyze and produce key estimates for their assigned research team and will assess all available 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. 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.

The Future Health Scenarios team forecasts GBD inputs and results (burden of more than 360 diseases and injuries and more than 70 risk factors for 204 countries and selected GBD subnational locations) to provide policymakers, donors, researchers and the general public with the highest-quality future estimates to make decisions that improve health.

You will be integrally involved in developing new models, producing, critiquing, improving and disseminating results. You already have a command of epidemiology, statistics, or disease modeling with a strong technical background, and we will help you develop an understanding of our core research and methodology. Our researchers work with senior research leads and external collaborators and 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 analyses and results concisely. Overall, Researchers are critical members of agile, dynamic research teams. This position is contingent on project funding availability.

• Develop a core understanding of the Forecasting modeling framework and forecasting models.

• Under the guidance of experienced scientist and/or faculty, carry out quantitative analyses and statistical modeling to produce results for the Forecasting Team for designated diseases and risk factors on a given timeline as part of collaborative research projects for both internal and external audiences.

• Review, assess, and improve results and methods and contribute substantively to the development of new methods.

• Build and apply computational and statistical tools and algorithms to analyze and visualize input data and results.

• Document code and analytic approaches systematically so that analyses can be replicated by other team members.

• Write, test and use relevant computer code (mostly in Python, some in R).

• Lead discussions in research meetings about results and analyses to vet, improve, and finalize results.

• Contribute to the creation of presentations, manuscripts, and funding proposals. Co-author paper(s).

• 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.

• Maintain scientific awareness and intellectual agility with data, methods, and analytic techniques.

• Other duties as assigned that fall within reasonable scope of research team.

• Master’s degree in public health, health metrics science, epidemiology, statistics, biostatistics, math, economics, quantitative social sciences or related discipline plus 1 year related experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Proven interest and experience in a given disease, risk, key indicator, methodological area, and the related data sources and scientific underpinnings.

• Advanced coding skills in Python and a strong willingness to become an expert.

• Experience working with large data sets and demonstrated ability to synthesize data and correct for known biases.

• Strong analytic, critical thinking, and quantitative skills.

• Ability to professionally and effectively communicate and work with other staff at all levels in order to achieve team goals for the analyses and related outputs.

• Results and detail-oriented individual that 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.

• 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 position contributing to the overall mission of our research.

• 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: http://www.healthdata.org/get-involved/careers/dei.

• Experience with time series analysis and machine learning techniques.

• Experience with Xarray file format.

• Track record of success in co-authorship on scientific papers, presenting results, and representing research at meetings.

• Weekend and evening work sometimes required.

• This position is open to anyone authorized to work in the U.S. The UW is not able to sponsor visas for staff positions.

• Office is located in Seattle, Washington. This position is eligible to work fully remote in the U.S.; 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.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 affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.

Employees of the University of Washington are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless a medical or religious exemption is approved. Being fully vaccinated means that an individual is at least two weeks past their final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. As a condition of employment, newly hired employees will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination. View the Final candidate guide to COVID-19 vaccination requirement webpage for information about the medical or religious exemption process for final candidates.