Clemson University’s Center for Public Health Modeling and Response (PHMR) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellowship to join a CDC funded center grant to create a national network in outbreak analytics and disease modeling. The mission of PHMR is to develop and utilize data-driven approaches to inform clinical and public health decision-making and assist the ability of health organizations and communities to prepare for, and respond to, public health threats. The Postdoctoral Fellow will be a part of Clemson’s DMA-PRIME division (Disease Modeling and Analytics to inform outbreak Preparedness, Response, Intervention, Mitigation, and Elimination). For this position, we seek an enthusiastic, collaborative researcher with training in biostatistics/statistics or data-science with an interest in developing and implementing statistical methods, or artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) techniques, to inform and improve outbreak detection, forecasting, and public health response nationwide.
Duties and responsibilities: The postdoctoral fellowship will focus on developing and implementing statistical and/or AI/ML methodology, with the ultimate goal of detecting/ predicting disease hotspots and informing real-time outbreak response efforts. The models and predictions generated will be integrated into health systems across South Carolina to 1) inform and improve strategic delivery of mobile health clinics for infectious disease testing, treatment, and vaccination, 2) inform community awareness, and 3) run statewide disaster simulation scenarios. The postdoc will be expected to lead publications for the models developed and collaborate on (or lead) publications in public health, medical, and policy journals for research related to implementation of the methods developed.
Supervision
The Postdoctoral Fellow’s main appointment will be within the Center for Public Health Modeling and Response, located within the Department of Public Health Sciences. Dr. Lior Rennert (Department of Public Health Sciences) and Dr. Christopher McMahan (School of Mathematics and Statistics) will serve as primary advisors. The appointment is funded for 2 years, with future years contingent on funding/performance. Salary is highly competitive with a competitive benefits package and negotiable start date.
Required Qualifications
- A PhD in biostatistics/statistics, data science, or related fields, with demonstrated knowledge in machine learning, deep learning, or statistical analysis.
- Proficiency in programming languages commonly used in data science and AI, with a strong emphasis on Python. Knowledge of other languages such as R, MATLAB, or C++ may be beneficial.
- Proficiency in data preprocessing, cleaning, and feature engineering. Familiarity with tools and libraries for data manipulation, such as pandas and NumPy.
- Expertise in machine learning frameworks and libraries, like TensorFlow, PyTorch, or scikit-learn.
Desirable Qualifications
- Specialized expertise in a particular subfield of AI, such as natural language processing, generative adversarial networks, or transformers.
- Domain-specific knowledge, such as healthcare, medicine
- A history of publishing research findings in conferences, journals, or other relevant platforms.
Application Instructions: Applicants should submit a cover letter, CV, and contact information for three references through Interfolio: https://apply.interfolio.com/136202
Application Deadline: Open until filled
Inquiries should be sent to Dr. Lior Rennert (liorr@clemson.edu).
Salary: $65,000-$75,000 (higher salary negotiable with experience)
Benefits: https://www.clemson.edu/human-resources/benefits/index.html
Clemson University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any individual or group of individuals on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status or genetic information.
PHMR Background
The Center for Public Health Modeling and Response (PHMR) is housed in Clemson’s Department of Public Health Sciences. The mission of PHMR is to develop and utilize data-driven approaches to inform clinical and public health decision-making and assist the ability of health organizations and communities to prepare for, and respond to, public health threats. PHMR is composed of 7 faculty, 6 research staff, 5 postdoctoral fellows, and 8 graduate students, with an additional 3 faculty positions and 2 postdoctoral fellows in the process of hiring. PHMR is funded through Clemson University, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recently funded projects include 1) Disease Modeling and Analytics to inform Outbreak Preparedness, Response, Intervention, Mitigation, and Elimination in South Carolina (DMA-PRIME), funded by the CDC Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics; 2) Data-Driven Approaches for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment, Recovery, and Overdose Prevention in Rural Communities via Mobile Health Clinics and Peer Support Services, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health; and 3) Developing a dynamic modeling framework for surveillance, prediction, and real-time resource allocation to reduce health disparities during Covid-19 and future pandemics, funded by the National Library of Medicine of the National Institutes of Health. More information can be found here: www.clemson.edu/cbshs/phmr/index.html
PHMR Overview Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NVgKB5lH8E