Research Data Scientist at Ecohealth Alliance

EcoHealth Alliance seeks a Research Data Scientist to work closely with our computational science team on reproducible research in disease ecology and forecasting. This is a key position at a rapidly growing NGO with diversely funded scientific research programs around the world focused on conservation and zoonotic disease emergence.  The position will work on multiple projects, developing forecast models for disease spread via travel and trade, early-stage outbreak forecasting, and early warning signals of disease emergence.
EcoHealth Alliance uses a reproducible data science tool stack that includes, R, targets, tidyverse and tidymodels, git/GitHub, , GitHub Actions, AirTable, Open Data Kit, Dolt, and Stan. We build interpretable models, using frequentist and Bayesian methods, generalized mixed linear and additive models, and machine-learning models such as boosted and Bayesian additive regression trees.  A successful candidate will have experience with some of these tools and methods and/or equivalents, and a demonstrated ability to learn and adopt new tools.
This position is based in New York City with a remote (including international) option.  Visa sponsorship and moving expenses are available for hires to move to work primarily in-office. Remotes hires must be available to collaborate with team members via email, chat, and video calls during US EST business hours and be available as needed to coordinate with collaborators in other international time zones. The position will require regular travel to the New York office several times per year for a remote candidate.
Description and Responsibilities 
Reporting to the Senior Data Scientist and Principal Scientist, the Research Data Scientist will :
Build machine-learning models using frequentist and Bayesian methods for insight, prediction, and use in production  
Analyze, visualize, and summarize complex, high-dimensional data and model outputs to extract insights and trends and communicate these to diverse audiences 
Build reproducible pipelines for data collection, processing, and quality control 
Support the development of internal and open-source R packages and tools 
Produce high-quality data visualizations and written reports/manuscripts on data science and modeling project outputs, targeting audiences with a wide range of technical knowledge  
Work with EcoHealth Alliance scientists to develop new scientific research projects and research proposals on pandemic preparedness and emerging disease ecology 
Engage openly and respectfully with EcoHealth Alliance scientists and partners across multiple projects as required and at all project stages, from development to implementation to publication/communication 
Present work and represent EcoHealth Alliance at conferences and scientific meetings and in outreach to current and potential collaborators, donors, and other audiences  
Perform other tasks as assigned by supervisor 
Qualifications 
Minimum Qualifications
Master’s degree or PhD in data science, statistics, ecology, epidemiology, or a related field, or B.A. or B.S. and 3+ years relevant experience. Data science or programming “bootcamp” training will be considered with sufficient experience
Strong R programming skills, including processing high-dimensional data (including geospatial data), producing reproducible reports (R Markdown/Quarto), developing automated pipelines (targets/drake/make), visualization, and writing R packages
Experience applying machine learning techniques to answer research questions 
Experience with version control (git) and command-line tools.  
Demonstrated ability to self-teach new methods and tools 
Strong project management skills, including proven ability to work independently and manage multiple projects and deadlines while working with multiple teams 
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 
Fluency in English  
Additional Desired Qualifications
Experience in Shiny app development, development of interactive dashboards 
Experience in the processes of reproducible and open scholarly research   
A record of scientific publications 
Compensation will be $70,000 - $80,000 USD annually, commensurate with skills and experience.
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. 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:
Please apply via the form below (found at https://www.ecohealthalliance.org/career/research-data-scientist-2023 if you found this post elsewhere). You will be asked to upload a cover letter and a resume or CV as a single PDF document with a filename of the format “FirstName_LastName.pdf”.  Please limit the letter and resume to no more than two pages in length each. Applications will receive an automated message of receipt. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.
Applicants are encouraged to include links to manuscripts, code repositories, online portfolios, and other demonstrations of experience in their cover letter or CV, but public or open-source work is not required. Candidates selected for interviews will be asked to provide examples of analytical work and contact information for three references.
The deadline to apply is January 15, 2023 .
Thank you for your interest in EcoHealth Alliance!