EcoHealth Alliance seeks a Research Scientist with significant experience with genetic sequence data editing, analysis, and curation; phylogenetic analyses (esp. with viral data) including Bayesian, maximum likelihood, and other phylogenetic methods; and data curation and QA/QC. We are seeking someone with strong analytical skills, attention to detail, a collaborative research ethos, and the ability to work with a diverse, multi-disciplinary team that includes scientists from across the globe. The Research Scientist will support EcoHealth Alliance’s diverse, federally funded scientific research programs around the world focused on zoonotic disease emergence – with an initial priority of working specifically with bat surveillance and virus data from Western Asia. The candidate would ideally have experience integrating phylogenetic data/analyses into ecological and evolutionary models of disease emergence and spread, and/or experience with comparative phylogenetic or co-phylogenetic analyses. The Research Scientist will be expected to interact closely with scientists at EcoHealth Alliance, assist international partners with data management and analysis, and develop phylogenetic outputs/results that can be broadly interpreted and published in peer reviewed journals. A passion for understanding the process of zoonotic disease emergence and/or working directly with wildlife biosurveillance data is key.
The position is based at EcoHealth Alliance in New York City and may involve some international travel. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, remote working options will be considered.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Work collaboratively with EcoHealth Alliance scientists and international partners to conduct analyses to understand the process of zoonotic disease emergence using genetic sequence data.
- Review data to ensure quality control and quality assurance, and work directly with project partners to support data QA/QC.
- Conduct basic sequence editing and data cleaning prior to phylogenetic analyses.
- Train international laboratory and other partners in basic aspects of genetic sequence and phylogenetic analyses.
- Contribute to phylogenetic analyses to understand viral diversity, evolution, and host species range – and work collaboratively on peer-reviewed publications.
- Create reproducible, validated, and open-source code.
- Record, manage, and analyze data/information using relevant domain data science techniques.
- Undertake regular reviews of the literature and public sequence data repositories and apply these findings to research/development objectives.
- Engage openly and respectfully with EcoHealth Alliance scientists and partners across multiple projects as required and at all stages, from development to implementation to publication/communication.
- Help identify new opportunities and help to secure funding for them.
Requirements
- Ph.D. or M.A./M.S. in a relevant discipline, such as evolutionary biology, genetics, molecular biology/virology, or disease ecology with a focus on phylogenetic and genetic data analysis.
- Candidates with only a Bachelors (B.S.) degree may be considered with extensive work and
- hands-on analytical experience in this field.
- Experience with data management and data quality control, and ability to communicate issues and solutions regarding data entry to collaborators. Ideally experience working with cloud-based database systems, e.g. AirTable.
- Practical experience with sequence editing, assembly, and phylogenetic analysis including various methods for tree building and comparison.
- A working familiarity with Geneious for sequence editing/analysis, in addition to R, GitHub, and/or command line tools for collaborative data analyses.
- Experience integrating phylogenetic data into ecological and evolutionary models of wildlife disease dynamics and/or experience with comparative phylogenetic or co-phylogenetic analyses.
- Experience with, or solid understanding of, emerging disease research, zoonoses, or disease ecology.
- The ability to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary research team, plus the motivation and discipline to carry out detail-oriented and autonomous research.
- Excellent interpersonal and written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to document methods and results and communicate effectively with colleagues.
- Positive attitude towards solving complex problems.
- Strong sense of team spirit and cultural sensitivity.
- Experience with phylogenetic analysis packages in R, e.g. ape
- Experience with the software program BEAST.
- Additional experience with and/or understanding of spatial analyses, a plus.
At EcoHealth Alliance, our vision is a workplace with a diverse and talented staff where people want to come, to stay, do their best work, and grow. We recruit, employ, train, compensate and promote our staff without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or socioeconomic status. This position is based at EcoHealth Alliance in New York City. EcoHealth Alliance offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefit package including health, dental, and vision coverage, and a 403(b) pension plan. EcoHealth Alliance is proud and deeply committed to being an equal opportunity employer.
HOW TO APPLY
Send an email with a single attachment labeled with your first and last name only (“first_last.pdf”) in PDF format containing (a) a cover letter, (b) CV, and (c) three references to jobs@ecohealthalliance.org with “Phylogenetic Research Scientist 2022“ in the subject line. Emails without the subject line or with multiple attachments will not be reviewed. No formal text is required within the body of your email, since emails will not be evaluated. All inquires will receive an automatic response confirming receipt. Applicants will be evaluated and only appropriate candidates will be contacted.
