Candidates for two postdoctoral research positions are sought for the Perkins Lab at the University of Notre Dame. These positions are supported by two new, federally funded projects on the spatial dynamics of chikungunya and Zika virus transmission and control.
Project 1 has a focus on spatial dynamics of chikungunya virus transmission and control at geographic scales and will be conducted in close collaboration with the Institute for Disease Modeling (http://idmod.org). Project 2 has a focus on spatial dynamics of the invasion of Zika virus into the city of Iquitos, Peru, as well as the deployment of control measures in response to its invasion. This project will be conducted in close collaboration with colleagues at UC Davis, NAMRU-6, Emory, IHME, Tulane, and other institutions, many of whom are actively engaged in field work that will complement modeling activities. Both projects will involve extensive simulation of stochastic transmission models specified at different spatial scales and will make use of considerable computational resources through the Microsoft Azure cloud computing platform and the University of Notre Dame's Center for Research Computing (https://crc.nd.edu). Simulation will be used in combination with techniques for fitting high-dimensional models to data to address key scientific questions of relevance to the public health impacts of chikungunya and Zika. To complement these computationally intensive approaches, a number of other approaches are routinely used in the Perkins Lab, including probability theory, stochastic processes, dynamical systems, scripting, and social coding. Essential qualities of competitive candidates for both positions include (1) a Ph.D. in Biology, Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or Statistics; (2) strong programming and software development skills; and (3) experience conducting research on disease dynamics or other topics in biology using mathematical models. Both positions are available for a minimum of two years, with a more extended appointment possible contingent on satisfactory progress in the first two years and the continued availability of funding. Minimum annual salary is $52,000 and may be augmented depending on each candidate's experience and qualifications. Benefits will be provided, and support is available for travel to conferences and to visit field sites and collaborators as appropriate. Start date is flexible. For further information, please email Alex Perkins (taperk...@nd.edu) with a statement of interest, a CV, and contact information for three references. Alex Perkins, Ph.D. Eck Family Assistant Professor Eck Institute for Global Health Department of Biological Sciences University of Notre Dame email: taperk...@nd.edu web: perkinslab.weebly.com
