The laboratory of Dr. Matthew Ferrari (theferrarilab.com) in the Department of Biology at The Pennsylvania State University is seeking a Computational Scientist for a Computational Biologist/Dynamic Modeling position working in the area of measles and rubella epidemiology. The successful candidate will contribute to a project to process large-scale, public health surveillance datasets on measles and rubella incidence in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia and to develop dynamic to models evaluate candidate vaccination strategies for measles and rubella. This work will involve solving difficult problems in the fitting of large-scale, stochastic, age-structured dynamic models to high resolution public health surveillance data. The position is ideal for someone interested in working at the nexus of computer science, statistics, and biology. The skills that will be gained are in high demand in academia, the bio- and information-technology sectors, quantitative finance, etc.
The position requires training in a quantitative discipline such as computational biology, population biology, epidemiology, computer science, statistics, physics, applied mathematics, engineering, etc. Additional qualifications include proficiency in at least one object oriented programming language -- e.g. Python or Java -- and experience building GUI and web-based applications using tools like WindowBuilder, Google Web Toolkit, and Java Web Start. Preferred candidates will have experience in data visualization and a familiarity with the R language. Candidates should have strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills; and be able to work both independently and as part of a collaborative team. Applications should include a resume, 1-2 page cover letter letter detailing your research interests and professional qualifications for this position, and contact information for three references.
This job will be filled as a level 2, or level 3, depending upon the successful candidate's competencies, education, and experience. Typically requires a Bachelor's degree or higher (M.Sc. preferred) in a field of study with focus on computational research methods plus two years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience for a level 2. The position requires training in a quantitative discipline such as computational biology, population biology, epidemiology, computer science, statistics, physics, applied mathematics, engineering, etc. Additional experience and/or education and competencies are required for higher level jobs. This is a fixed-term appointment funded for one year from date of hire with excellent possibility of re-funding. Apply to job 40621 at http://www.psu.jobs.
Employment will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.
