Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah
Application
Details
Posted: 10-Nov-23
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Type: Full Time
Salary: DOQ
Sector:
College / University
Required Education:
Doctorate
Additional Information:
Employer will assist with relocation costs.
Internal Number: PRN03384F
The Division of Biostatistics in the Department of Population Health Sciences (PHS) at the University of Utah School of Medicine has openings for Assistant or Associate Professor-level faculty. We are looking for candidates who will collaborate with biomedical researchers, support and develop grant proposals, teach in the Ph.D. Biostatistics program, advise graduate students, and perform methodological research. We are particularly interested in candidates who possess the research skills and experience required to successfully become leaders in multi-disciplinary research teams within the institution and in national and international research networks as well as pursue independent and collaborative methodological research in Biostatistics.
Faculty members in the Division of Biostatistics collaborate closely and hold affiliations with the Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) and Study Design and Biostatistics Center (SDBC) respectively, depending on interests and experience. The University of Utah School of Medicine is investing heavily in data science through the DELPHI Initiative.
See below for more information HCI, SDBC and DELPHI.
Methodological interest and experience are desired, but not limited to, the following areas: (1) ‘omics (e.g., metabolomics, transcriptomics, metagenomics), (2) data integration, (3) social/behavioral science, (4) machine learning, (5) intensive longitudinal data analysis, (6) functional data analysis, (7) statistical computing and (8) novel study design. Substantive interest and experience are desired, but not limited to, implementation science, digital health, and cancer.
We seek candidates who share the department’s commitment to health equity and who will work to ensure diversity and inclusion in their research team. Women and underrepresented minorities are especially encouraged to apply.
Appointed faculty will have exceptional opportunities to conduct cutting-edge research in biostatistics, collaborate with multidisciplinary faculty, and work in close partnership with health care systems and community-based agencies both in the Salt Lake City area and state of Utah but also around the United States and globally.
The University of Utah offers highly competitive salary and start-up packages and exceptional benefits. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the start date is flexible. The job announcement will remain active until the positions are filled.
About the Division of Biostatistics
We are a tight knit entrepreneurial group of six faculty. We address important biomedical problems through deep collaborations with researchers at the University of Utah and beyond. We have deep connections with the Division of Epidemiology (within the Department of Internal Medicine), the Utah Data Coordinating Center (within the Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics), the Huntsman Cancer Institute, the Veterans Administration, and Intermountain Healthcare.
We conduct methodological research that is motivated by the problems we encounter during our collaborations. We have an internationally diverse PhD student body, who receive training both in the classroom and through mentored collaboration. We are surrounded by large databases that can be used to address important scientific questions. For example,
The Utah Population Database (UPBD) is the world’s largest resource for tracking diseases in families, with more than 11 million people in large, multigenerational pedigrees, linked to tens of millions of medically relevant records.
The Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) contains data extracted from many of the institution’s disparate source systems, including patient, visit, clinical, operational, financial, and research data. It contains data on more than 2.5 million patients.
The Veterans Administration (VA) Informatics and Computing Infrastructure (VINCI) provides researchers with access to all VA electronic health data and additional unique data sets, covering over 9 million Veterans, and high-powered cloud computing infrastructure and tools.
About the PHS Department
The Department of Population Health Sciences is a hub for education, investigation, and methodological expertise in population health. Our faculty are diverse and form three Divisions - Cancer Population Sciences, Biostatistics, and Health Services Innovation & Research. Faculty, staff, and students engage in research, education, and community activities to promote patient-centered healthcare and the delivery of evidence-based health innovations that improve population health and reduce health disparities within our community and beyond.
Through high impact research, we strive to contribute to a world where all individuals—regardless of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation—have the opportunity to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health. The department is highly interdisciplinary, collaborative, and innovative, and we seek faculty who will thrive in this environment.
Work Environment
The Department of Population Health Sciences is strongly committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all areas of our mission: research, education, and service. We have an active diversity/equity/inclusion committee, and policies to ensure diversity of leadership roles and inclusion of all members of our department.
The Department of Population Health Sciences is one of 24 departments in the School of Medicine in the Health Sciences Campus. The University of Utah Health (U of U Health) is a patient focused center distinguished by collaboration, excellence, leadership, and respect. The U of U Health values candidates who are committed to fostering and furthering the culture of compassion, collaboration, innovation, accountability, diversity, integrity, quality, and trust that is integral to our mission. The Health Sciences Campus is home to 23 Institutes and Centers including The Utah Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI; our NCATS funded CTSA), the Huntsman Cancer Institute, the Huntsman Mental Health Institute, the Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research Institute, the Center for Medical Innovation, and the Utah Center on Aging.
The University of Utah and Department of Population Health Sciences is committed to supporting our faculty, staff and students to lead balanced lives, while achieving success in their professions. The goal is to create a space that is safe and welcoming for all, and where all faculty, staff, and trainees are meaningfully engaged and have equal opportunity to succeed. The University of Utah is strongly committed to the training and mentoring of scientists that are underrepresented in science and medicine.
About Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI)
HCI is a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, which means it meets the highest standards for cancer care and research and receives support for its scientific endeavors. HCI is also a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), a not-for-profit alliance of the world’s leading cancer centers. Patients primarily come from Utah and four neighboring Mountain West states to comprise the largest geographical catchment area among comprehensive care centers.
The University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Institute is home to exceptional genetic epidemiologic resources through the UPDB, the Utah SEER Cancer Registry, and EDW. The University’s excellent genomics resources and biospecimen repository are bolstered by a strong research informatics core, enabling outstanding research in genetic and molecular epidemiology. HCI investigators have strong relationships with Community Health Clinics across the HCI catchment area and conduct small- and large-scale pragmatic trials addressing the catchment area’s cancer burdens. HCI continually has over 200 open trials, including experimental therapeutic trials spanning all three phases of drug development.
The Cancer Biostatistics Shared Resource provides state-of-the-art biostatistics and research design support to clinical, translational, laboratory, and population sciences investigators at Huntsman Cancer Institute. Cancer Biostatistics provides expertise for cancer researchers, from formulation of research objectives to study design, along with analysis, development of novel methods, interpretation, and dissemination of results.
About Study Design and Biostatistics Center (SDBC)
The SDBC is the statistical core of the Translational Research: Implementation, Analysis and Design (TRIAD) team, which is a highly multidisciplinary group of biostatisticians, epidemiologists, psychometricians, health economists, survey design researchers, systematic review experts, implementation scientists and qualitative researchers engaged in a wide range of collaborations throughout the University of Utah and elsewhere. The SDBC currently includes 7 PhD and 17 MS level biostatisticians, as well as several Biostatistics PhD students. Faculty in the SDBC develop novel statistical techniques and software and teach the principles of Biostatistics in Master of Science in Clinical Investigation and U of U’s Master of Statistics programs. Focus areas of the SDBC and the broader TRIAD team include the design of clinical trials and observational studies, analysis of longitudinal and survival data, epidemiologic modeling, Bayesian analysis, modern causal inference, statistical genetics and genomics, machine learning methods, health economics, survey design, systematic reviews, behavioral statistics and psychometrics, implementation science and qualitative research.
About DELPHI
The Data Exploration and Learning for Precision Health Intelligence (DELPHI) Initiative aims to drive innovation in health and medicine by catalyzing biomedical data science research. Specifically, the DELPHI initiative aims to expand data science expertise to accelerate scientific discovery and implementation through key efforts to build community, catalyze research, increase national distinction, facilitate recruitment, and enhance education. The DELPHI Initiative provides regular communication on upcoming events and funding opportunities, hosts educational workshops, an annual research symposium, and seminars, and sponsors research through seed grants as part of the larger One Utah Data Science Hub.
Facts about University of Utah and Utah
Utah is known for stunning natural wonders, including five National Parks, and world-class recreation for outdoor enthusiasts. The University of Utah is the state’s oldest and largest institution of higher education and offers an exceptional research and teaching environment. The university is located in Salt Lake City, which has been named one of the top 10 mid-sized American cities. It is a diverse and vibrant city and is a thriving hub for innovation and the arts. Salt Lake City is 22% Latino and has the 11th highest proportion of LGBTQIA+ residents among U.S. cities. It is surrounded by the Wasatch Mountains, which offer ample opportunity for outdoor adventure, including nine ski resorts within an hour of campus. Salt Lake City and the surrounding areas offer diverse neighborhoods, great schools, restaurants, arts and entertainment, and endless possibilities for sports and recreation. Learn more about living in Utah.
Minimum Qualifications
A Ph.D. in biostatistics or a related discipline is required, as well as a demonstrated excellence in collaborative and methodological research. Post-doctoral training and/or experience is desired.
Required materials:
Letter of interest (cover letter)
CV
Research statement
Teaching statement
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) statement responding to any or all aspects of the following prompt: In PHS we view EDI as central to achieving excellence in our research, teaching and service to the community.
How have you demonstrated your commitment to EDI in academic or other settings?
How do you see yourself contributing to the advancement of EDI within our department?
Exemplar publication or pre-pub that highlights expertise in biostatistics
Questions about these positions should be directed to the search committee chair: Daniel Scharfstein.
The University of Utah Health (U of U Health) is a patient focused center distinguished by collaboration, excellence, leadership, and respect. The U of U Health values candidates who are committed to fostering and furthering the culture of compassion, collaboration, innovation, accountability, diversity, integrity, quality, and trust that is integral to our mission.
A Ph.D. in biostatistics or a related discipline is required, as well as a demonstrated excellence in collaborative and methodological research. Post-doctoral training and/or experience is desired.
About Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah
About the PHS Department
The Department of Population Health Sciences at the University of Utah is a hub for education, investigation, and methodological expertise in population health. Our faculty are diverse and form three Divisions: Cancer Population Sciences, Biostatistics, and Health Systems Innovation & Research. Faculty, staff, and students engage in research, education, and community activities to promote patient-centered healthcare and the delivery of evidence-based health innovations that improve population health and reduce health disparities within our community and beyond.
Through high impact research, we strive to contribute to a world where all individuals—regardless of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation—have the opportunity to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health. The department is highly interdisciplinary, collaborative, and innovative, and we seek faculty who will thrive in this environment.
