ASSOCIATE IN RESEARCH

at  Duke University

SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation’s top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,600 faculty physicians and researchers, nearly 2,000 students, and more than 6,200 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, and Duke University Health System comprise Duke Health, a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Health Integrated Practice, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home Care and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

OCCUPATIONAL SUMMARY

We are seeking a full-time data analyst to support three large-scale studies in Latin America. One is an NIH-supported project in the Amazon that is expanding and implementing a malaria early warning system (MEWS) in Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil. This project includes an analysis for social networks along international borders to understand how social or economic connectivity between remote communities contributes to malaria incidence. The second analysis is a NASA-supported study to evaluate modification of our MEWS to an elimination context in Panama and Honduras. This project (similarly to the Amazon) works on developing a platform for integrating climate, land, health surveillance, infrastructure, and other covariates to produce malaria forecasts up to 12 weeks in advance to support improved resource deployment to create a more rapid movement toward malaria elimination. The third project is supported by the Duke Climate Commitment and is testing the main hypothesis that international migration is altering fundamental malaria ecology in Panama, leading to novel malaria genotypes, introduction of new malaria vectors, and increased transmission risk to local, indigenous populations.

EDUCATION/TRAINING

Work requires a master’s degree in Computer Science, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, land use science, climate science or equivalent technical training or quantitative Bachelor degree.

REQUIRED SKILLS

The following skills are required for this position:

• STATA, R, or SAS expertise
• Excellent data analysis and data visualization skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to work on multiple consecutive projects
• Good time management and ability to shift tasks during the time
• Strong teamwork and team communication skills
• Excellent writing skills

EXPERIENCE

Work requires 2 years of data management, research, or data visualization experience.
OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE (I.e., A related two-year master’s degree in biostatistics, epidemiology, land use or climate science, computer science, or a related discipline may offset the required two years of experience)

EDUCATION

See job description for education requirements.

EXPERIENCE

See job description for requirements.
Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual’s age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Ourcollective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.
Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at DukeUniversity and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

• Coordinate with the PI (William Pan), project coordinator, and local PIs to implement data management protocols for each project, including the set-up of multiple datasets, documentation, data cleaning, creation of codebooks, and quality checks.
• Develop detailed data access documentation that will be used for subsequent data dissemination in coordination with field partners in Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Panama, and Honduras.
• Coordinate with Duke OIT and supporting research team members in accessing and using the data; and train and support research team members in using the virtual machine and network data storage as the team composition evolves over the period of the study.
• Analyze data (STATA, R, or SAS expertise required; familiarity with Python ArcGIS or other programs is a plus).
• Work with other team members to support the generation of data summaries, including data visualizations for planned policy briefs, reports, as well as websites.
• Collaborate with the study team and contribute to research manuscripts as needed.
  Perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein.
  The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required of personnel so classified.