RESEARCH SCIENTIST/ENGINEER SENIOR

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Benefits: As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here.

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills, and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

The Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition (MET) has an outstanding opportunity for a Research Scientist/Engineer Senior position to support studies within the Pyle and Bjornstad Laboratories. Housed within the University of Washington Medicine Diabetes Institute at the South Lake Union campus, the Pyle laboratory applies translational data science to bridge complex biostatistics and bioinformatics findings into medical insights. The Bjornstad and Pyle laboratories focus on metabolic and hemodynamic mechanisms underlying the development of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Type 1 (T1D) and Type 2 (T2D) diabetes and obesity.

This position will work independently and in collaboration with investigators on all biostatistical aspects of the research process including the design of new studies, structuring data collection systems, data reduction and analysis, and preparation of abstracts, talks, and manuscripts. They will provide professional and rigorous statistical expertise. This position will teach biostatistics concepts to trainees and will include ongoing teaching and mentorship responsibilities. In addition to the role as biostatistician, they will also take on the role of Assistant Director and will have responsibilities related to the day-to-day management and operations of the UW Medicine Diabetes Institute (UWMDI) Biostatistics and Data Science Group.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Consulting Biostatistician 50%

1. Collaborate with faculty at the UWMDI on scholarly research projects, including activities such as: NIH and other Federal grant submissions, manuscript and abstract writing, protocol review, power and sample size calculations, statistical data analysis, data management and integration, data visualization, and reproducible research.
2. Lead research teams in establishing, managing, and executing analytic plans.
3. Provide ongoing education and mentorship on biostatistics to collaborators and trainees (students, residents, fellows).
4. Teach special topic workshops or seminar series.
5. Derive new methods to analyze diabetes specific data, leading to grant funding, accepted abstracts and publications in peer-reviewed journals.
6. Promote practices that support diversity, equity, and inclusion within research projects.
7. Attend statistical methodology training courses to stay up to date on methodology relevant to research at UWMDI.
8. Travel to conferences (national and international) related to diabetes or statistical methodology.

Assistant Director of Biostatistics and Data Science 50%

1. Assume responsibilities essential to the overall development, operations, and management of the UWMDI Biostatistics and Data Science Group. Alongside the Director of the group, this includes duties such as: developing new systems as the Group forms, maintaining these systems, and training new biostatisticians, bioinformaticians and data scientists.
2. Review new project requests from faculty for feasibility, performing scope of work exercises, and assigning projects to biostatisticians within the Group.
3. Project management duties, such as tracking ongoing projects to completion.
4. Running meetings within the Group.
5. Supervision and mentoring of junior biostatisticians, bioinformaticians and data scientists.
6. Managing expectations, resolving issues, and ensuring satisfaction of collaborators.
7. Participating in search committees for hiring of new full time and student biostatisticians, as the needs of the Group grow.
8. Supervise, hire and train other biostatisticians and bioinformaticians within the Group, including identifying training needs and opportunities, providing mentorship, and addressing any issues.
9. Participate in leadership discussions to set priorities and define scopes of work.
10. Advise UWMDI leadership on team structure, allocation of resources, motivation and engagement of the research team.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

1. Master's degree in Bioinformatics, Biostatistics, Computational Biology, Data Science, Computer Science or related field AND 8 years of relevant work experience.
2. Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Advanced knowledge of statistical principles relevant in medical research, including longitudinal data analysis and survival analysis.
2. Ability to analyze and solve complex problems and apply quantitative analytical approaches.
3. Ability to develop complex analytical plans in collaboration with investigators.
4. Demonstrated fluency in one or more programming languages (e.g., R, Python, Perl, Java, C++) and willingness to learn new programming languages as necessary.
5. Ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and orally.
6. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees at all levels throughout the institution.
7. Outstanding customer service skills.
8. Demonstrated commitment and leadership ability to advance diversity and inclusion.
9. Ability to interpret and master complex research protocol information.
10. Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously within rigorous timelines.
11. Demonstrated experience writing federal grant submissions, including power and sample size calculations.
12. Demonstrated experience leading research teams and managing daily operations of a collaborative biostatistics/data science group.
13. Demonstrated experience supervising biostatisticians and data scientists, including identifying training needs and opportunities and providing mentorship.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

1. Ability to develop new statistical and analytical methods leading to grant funding and accepted abstracts and publications in peer-reviewed journals.
2. Experience with Linux operating systems, high performance computing.

Application Process: The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page.

Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, the University of Washington will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.