Postdoctoral Research Associate in Climate Change and Infectious Disease - PH 325

Brown University is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Climate Change and Infectious Disease to explore the link between climate change and public health. The role involves developing statistical and mechanistic models, assembling datasets, drafting publications, and mentoring students. Candidates should have a PhD in a related field and strong computational skills. The position is full-time, based in Providence, RI, for a two-year term with a competitive salary.
About the position

The Postdoctoral Research Associate in Climate Change and Infectious Disease at Brown University is a pivotal role aimed at exploring the intersection of climate change and public health, particularly in relation to infectious disease outbreaks. This position is under the guidance of Dr. Rachel E. Baker, the John and Elizabeth Irving Family Assistant Professor of Climate Health, and will be situated within the Department of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health, as well as the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to engage with activities at Brown University's Pandemic Center, contributing to a multidisciplinary approach to understanding and mitigating the impacts of climate change on health. The Baker Lab is dedicated to addressing one of the most pressing public health threats identified by the World Health Organization: climate change. The lab employs advanced computational techniques, including machine learning, econometrics, and mechanistic modeling, to analyze the environmental factors influencing disease transmission. The overarching goal is to develop scenario-based projections that assess the potential impacts of climate change on various human pathogens, thereby informing public health adaptation strategies. As a Postdoctoral Research Associate, the individual will be tasked with several key projects aimed at elucidating the relationship between climate variables and infectious disease dynamics. This role will involve the development of statistical models to investigate these relationships, sourcing and assembling relevant datasets, and creating mechanistic disease models to forecast future impacts of climate change in diverse geographical contexts. Additionally, the associate will be responsible for drafting manuscripts for publication, visualizing research findings, and mentoring undergraduate and PhD students within the lab group. The position is designed for a two-year term, with the possibility of extension based on funding availability, and the preferred start date is September 1, 2025, or sooner if possible.

Responsibilities
• Developing statistical models to test for a relationship between climate and disease transmission.
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• Sourcing and assembling datasets of both climate and disease variables for model fitting.
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• Developing mechanistic disease models to project future impacts of climate change across both tropical and temperate locations.
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• Drafting manuscripts for publication and developing visualizations of results.
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• Mentoring undergraduate and PhD students in the lab group.

Requirements
• PhD in disease ecology, computational biology, epidemiology, atmospheric science, or a related field.
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• Prior experience in developing infectious disease models or applied models of other dynamical systems.
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• Strong quantitative and computational background.
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• Programming experience in R or another open source language.

Nice-to-haves
• Experience in public health research.
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• Familiarity with machine learning techniques.
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• Knowledge of econometrics.

Benefits
• Highly competitive salary in the range of $69,000 - $72,000 commensurate with experience.
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• Full-time benefits package included.