Data scientist, Climate and Health

Duke University is seeking a Data Manager for the Duke Global Health Institute, focused on climate change and global health. The role involves overseeing data infrastructure, ensuring data quality, implementing governance policies, and providing curated data sets for research. Candidates should have experience with human subjects data and data system configuration. The position requires collaboration with stakeholders and is based in Durham, NC.
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.
Clinical Data ManagerDuke Global Health Institute

Job Description

The Duke Global Health Institute (DGHI) seeks to achieve health equity for vulnerable groups and individuals around the world. The Institute is making a signature investment in and commitment to climate change and global health. As such, DGHI is seeking a self-motivated, flexible individual to join our expanding team as a Data Manager. The Data Manager is responsible for overseeing the DGHI Climate and Global Health initiative's data infrastructure, ensuring data quality, implementing data governance policies, and providing curated data sets for specific research projects. This role combines technical expertise with strategic thinking to maximize the value of data assets while maintaining security and compliance. Climate and health research will involve diverse primary and secondary data on human subjects, including questionnaires and interviews, biological samples, medical records, geospatial data, data from specialized instruments or models (e.g., climate models, medical device data), and more. Adaptability and creative problem-solving across a wide variety of research contexts, demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills, and experience working with human subjects data and configuring data systems for quality, usability, and compliance are strongly desirable. This position will be embedded within DGHI's Research Design and Analysis Core, which supports DGHI faculty and students in terms of study design, data management, and statistical analysis. The Data Manager will report to Avi Kenny.

Responsibilities

Data governance and systems design (40%)
• Develop and implement data management strategies, policies, and procedures
• Design and maintain data architecture, including databases and data warehouses
• Ensure data quality, consistency, and integrity across all systems
• Lead data governance initiatives and establish data standards
• Collaborate with Durham-based and international stakeholders to understand data requirements and develop/deliver robust solutions
• Implement and maintain data security measures and compliance protocols
• Oversee data migration, integration, and transformation projects

Manage climate and health data; support data users (20%)
• Manage data backup, recovery, and archival processes
• Train and support team members on data management tools and best practices
• Monitor and optimize database performance
• Create and maintain documentation for data processes and systems
• Implement testing and Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QAQC) protocols
• Configure and manage study file storage systems, including user rights and permissions and folder structures
• Curate data to comply with data sharing requirements, including but not limited to implementing clinical data and metadata standards, documenting data, and de-identification

Research support (40%)
• Collaborate with study teams across multiple sites to maintain documentation about data processes, including standard operating procedures (SOP), data management plans (DMP) and institutional review board (IRB) documentation, etc.
• Support the development of resources, policies, and initiatives related to research data within the institute
• Engage in strategic thinking about ways to maximize data assets for carrying out strategic research that cuts across geographies and contexts
• Collaborate on key research projects of the initiative by: a) providing input on study documents such as protocols, consent forms, data collection forms, etc. to ensure data security and provenance; b) supporting data analysis ; c) contributing as an author or co-author to the development of scientific publications or presentations; and d) as needed, helping oversee the work of student research assistants or mentor others in methods-related tasks.

Preferred Education

Work requires knowledge and skills generally acquired through completion of a Bachelor's degree program in information science, computer science, social sciences, or related field.

Preferred Experience

Work requires a minimum of 2 years (ideally 4+ years) of experience in back-end programming or relational database management, including experience with design, implementation, backup, automation, and data systems integration.
• or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience*
• 2+ years of experience in back-end programming, database management, or a similar role
• Strong knowledge of SQL and relational database management systems (e.g., MySQL, Postgres)
• Experience with data quality and governance frameworks
• Experience with data modeling, ETL processes, and data warehousing
• Understanding of data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA)
• Experience working with software APIs
• Experience in global health or related fields of research
• Experience with REDCap, Qualtrics, ODK, or an equivalent electronic data collection software
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Knowledge of programming languages (e.g., Python, R)
• Project management experience

Preferred Experience
• Experience with human subjects data, GIS datasets, large public health datasets (e.g., demographic and health survey data), and/or climate databases
• Experience with data analysis and data visualization tools
• Demonstrated excellence in both written and oral communication
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with a wide range of people across the world and with those from a range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds
• Experience with semantic data models, including RML and knowledge graphs.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Completion of an Associate's degree

Experience

Work requires a minimum of two years of relevant data experience. A Bachelor's degree may substitute for 2 years required experience.

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. Our collective 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 Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob 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.