Research Assistant, EpiModel Research Lab

Lab Description 

The EpiModel Research Lab at Emory, led by Assistant Professor Samuel Jenness in the Department of Epidemiology (http://samueljenness.org/), develops innovative epidemiological methods and software tools (http://epimodel.org/) to investigate infectious disease transmission dynamics. 

Our research areas are at the intersection of mathematical modeling, infectious disease epidemiology, network science, health economics, and computer science. We solve public health problems related to the drivers of transmission of infectious diseases and the optimal strategies for their prevention & control. Our current applied research focus includes both sexually transmitted diseases (HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis) and respiratory infectious diseases (TB, SARS-CoV-2, influenza).

Past EpiModel RAs have used their experiences with our lab to successfully advance to the next stage of their public health careers as PhD doctoral students, CDC fellows, and data analyst staff. EpiModel RAs have also directly grown their CVs by co-authoring scientific articles with lab members that have been published in the top epidemiology and infectious disease journals.

Opportunity Descriptions 

We are currently hiring multiple Research Assistants to support both the technical work and the project management of our research portfolio.

The Scientific RA would perform these duties:

• Software code development and review, including computational optimization techniques for existing code and unit testing new code;
• Literature reviews and summaries related to the research products;
• Analysis, summarization, and writing of results.

The Project Management RA would perform these duties:

• Organization and maintenance of our online repositories for the project, including management of the Github study home and study websites
• Coordination of meetings and work across our study sites at Emory University, University of Washington, University of Minnesota, and Northwestern University
• Editing scientific products, including journal articles, software documentation, and workshop materials.

Both RA positions may be performed entirely through remote work (online).

Application Details 

• Click here to read more about this position and apply on Handshake! 
• Applications for this position will be accepted from students who have qualified for REAL program and those who have not.
  • If you have qualified for REAL, please indicate that in your application cover letter; we will ask for verification of REAL status if we proceed with an interview.
• Please submit a cover letter explaining your interests in the position and a current CV.
  • In your cover letter, you should specify which RA position you are interested in, and detail all experiences or skills specifically related to job duties outlined above.

Data Analyst Intern – Chronic Viral Diseases Branch, CDC

Opportunity Description

In light of the COVID-19 situation, it is expected that this position will largely involve telework, subject to CDC’s most current flexibility policies. The student should have sufficient resources to work remotely and independently (adequate computing equipment, electronic library access, etc.). Presentations will be given via Zoom (or some other technology easily accessible to CDC employees). If the situation improves, it may be possible to hold in-person meetings and presentations, although it is likely that presentations will continue to be given via Zoom/or other technology. The position is located within the Chronic Viral Diseases Branch at CDC. The core activity of the human Immunology team is to conduct assays to monitor human papillomavirus antibody response to natural infection or vaccination.

Duties and Responsibilities 

As part of the team, the analyst will help streamline and automate by creating scripts to handle specific areas of data management, analysis and reporting in support of national and international HPV seroepidemiology and vaccine implementation studies. The analyst will have the opportunity to observe a public health lab in action as well as participate/attend in branch and CDC-wide scientific seminars. It would be beneficial if the applicant had knowledge and skills in R and Microsoft Excel. The position will help develop on core public health competencies of Analytical Skills, Communication skills, leadership and thinking skills. 

How to Apply 

Click here to read more about this position and apply on Handshake! 

Academic Resource Center Support Services

Practicum Opportunity, RSPH

Opportunity Description

Dr. Michael Goodman in the Department of Epidemiology has a practicum opportunity for students to collaborate with an organization that represents men who do not identify as transgender, but express themselves as gender non-conforming, “cross-dressers”.

The partner institution is interested in conducting a survey of their members both in the US and internationally.  The survey itself is being developed by the organization, but the student would be in charge of developing an online instrument, and collecting/analyzing the data. Dr. Vin Tangpricha from the Division of Endocrinology is also involved in this project. 

Contact Information

To learn more about this practicum opportunity, please send an email to Dr. Goodman at mgoodm2 [at] emory [dot] edu to express interest. 

Graduate Research Assistant: Impact of SARS-CoV-2 on PLWH in Atlanta, Emory

Role Description

African Americans in Georgia are disproportionately impacted by HIV, comprising 72% of the total number of individuals with HIV disease in this state. Tragically, African Americans who have contracted SARS-CoV-2 also bear a disproportionate burden of death from COVID-19. The overlap of the current COVID-19 pandemic and the HIV epidemic creates a syndemic (or the aggregation of two or more concurrent or sequential epidemics interacting synergistically and contributing to excess burden of disease in a population) for African Americans with HIV.

By using quantitative and qualitative data gathering and syndemic and community-based participatory approaches, this research project seeks to understand how perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 morbidity and mortality affect the health seeking behaviors of African Americans with HIV. This project is a new collaboration between a multi-disciplinary and ethnically diverse group of HIV investigators affiliated with the Emory University and Healthcare Systems. Our team includes medical doctors, epidemiologists, and social and education scientists who are committed to a collaborative approach in which community members are seen as partners in the research process.

The student will be presented the opportunity develop, improve, and refine qualitative research skills in project implementation, management, and analysis.

The REAL Student will assist with the following activities:

• Development of qualitative research tools through the creation of a focus group discussion guide to be used during data collection.
• Data collection during focus group discussions between the research team and project participants.
• Iterative editing to focus group discussion guides used during qualitative data collection.
• Communicating with potential research participants through recruitment and focus group scheduling.
• Conducting informed consent conversations with research participants and obtaining consent from research participants.
• Scheduling of data collection, logging of data collected, incentives tracking, and overall management of research materials in collaboration with the research team and primary investigators.
• Participation in regular team update meetings.
• Development of qualitative codebook for use during analysis.
• Assistance with focus group discussion transcription review.
• Qualitative coding of focus group discussion transcriptions.
• Presentation of qualitative analysis research findings and results; participation in manuscript drafting and preparation.

This REAL position will enhance student skills in:

• Qualitative research methods including development of qualitative data collection tools, qualitative coding and analysis.
• Qualitative research analysis and results presentation
• Participant recruitment and effective communication with study participants. This would include explaining the research study to participants as well as obtaining informed consent from research participants.
• Preparation of research articles and/or conference abstracts/presentations for submission.

Ideal REAL Student Qualities:

• Current 2nd year MPH student, or 1st year with significant Qualitative research experience, at Rollins School of Public Health
• Concentration in Epidemiology, Global Health, or Behavioral Science and Health Education
• Interest in and understanding of qualitative research methods and analysis. Experience in either strongly desired.
• Strong independent working skills alongside ability to work efficiently in a team.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to participate in the facilitation of virtual and in-person focus group discussions
• Willingness to be flexible

How to Apply 

Click here to read more about this REAL opportunity and apply on Handshake! 

Surveillance Research Intern, American Cancer Society

Role Description

Social EPI Course Survey

Description 

Dr. Gazmararian’s Social Epidemiology class is asking RSPH students to take this brief survey about race and discrimination. The survey, which should take less than 10 minutes to complete, is voluntary and anonymous, and the results will only be used for our class assignment (not for publication).

Please be sure that you are only filling the survey out once, even if you have seen this posting on multiple platforms. Thank you in advance for your participation!

Graduate Research Assistant – Data Manager, RSPH

Role Description

The Lopman Lab team conducts research globally and in the United States with research targeted at diarrheal diseases, specifically those caused by rotavirus and norovirus. More recently, this research has also focused on COVID-19. We employ a range of approaches including field studies, statistical analysis, and dynamic mathematical modeling to address public health policy relevant research questions.

We are seeking a Graduate Research Assistant to work on a project examining social mixing patterns that are relevant to transmission of COVID-19 in nursing homes. The project will collect and analyze social mixing patterns of workers in several nursing homes in the Atlanta area in order to better parameterize infectious disease models, and thus evaluate COVID-19 interventions.

The GRA will assist with data collection and management in REDCap. The candidate must reside in the Atlanta area to assist with data collection and the schedule is approximately 20 hours per week.

Qualifications

CSTE Mentorship Program

Opportunity Description

The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) invites you to apply to participate in our 2020-2021 Mentorship Program, which will take place October 2020-July 2021. The purpose of the program is to build relationships and foster shared learning among applied epidemiologists. The goal is to promote the exploration of career opportunities in state, local, territorial, and tribal public health agencies. A previous program participant described their experience: 

“This was a great way to establish a relationship with someone outside of my agency and in a different area of expertise. We were able to discuss various topics and identify similarities and differences across epidemiology practice.” 

Mentors and mentees are matched on common interests and their motivation for participating in the program. Participants will receive monthly newsletters and participate in webinars and activities focused on professional development. Each mentor and mentee pair is expected to connect once a month.   
 
An opportunity for sponsored travel to the 2021 CSTE Annual Conference may be available for select program participants. CSTE membership is encouraged but not required. The estimated time requirement for both mentors and mentees is 1-2 hours per month. 

Become a Mentor

• No previous mentorship experience is required, and it is an ideal opportunity for mid-level epidemiologists. 
• Mentors are required to have at least five years of work experience.  
• Register to attend CSTE’s Prospective Mentor Webinar on September 16, 2020 at 1:00 pm EDT to answer your questions and learn more about the Mentor’s role in our program. 

Apply to be a Mentee

• Eligible mentees are entry level epidemiologists who graduated within the last 5 years or current graduate students. 

If You Have Previously Participated in this Program

• Those who have previously participated in the CSTE Mentorship Program are permitted to apply again. If accepted, you will be matched with a new mentee or mentor; however, please note that the program curriculum will be similar.    

How to Apply 

• Click here to start your application today to participate in the 2020-2021 Mentorship Program.
• All applications are due by September 30, 2020.
• Please note that all applicants may not be accepted; space is limited based on the number of mentors that apply.
• For specific questions about the Mentorship Program, please email Jessica Arrazola (jarrazola [at] cste [dot] org). 
   

Presidential Management Fellowship, CDC

Opportunity Description 

The Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program is a highly selective, prestigious two-year training and leadership development program that is administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The PMF Program was established by Executive Order in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter, to attract outstanding citizen-scholars from a variety of academic disciplines and career paths who have an interest in, and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs. It is the federal government’s premiere pipeline for moving advanced degree graduates into government leadership positions.

As part of the PMF program, fellows participate in a 4 to 6-month developmental assignment in another CDC program or at another external federal government agency. These developmental assignments and optional rotations are used to allow fellows the opportunity to gain a broader perspective of the federal government, while gaining management experience, and to learn about other program functions and areas.

During this 2-year paid fellowship, participants will receive:

• Hands-on experience
• Mentorship
• Classroom training
• Seminars and conferences
• Developmental assignments
• Optional rotations

Eligibility 

Eligibility is based on completion of advanced degree requirements by August 31st of the following year of the annual application.

– OR –

If you have completed an advanced degree from a qualifying college or university during the previous two years from the opening date of the PMF Program’s annual application announcement, you are eligible to apply.

Process Information 

The very first step in successfully becoming a PMF is paying attention to the details of the annual application and assessment process. For detailed eligibility requirements, check out the Eligibility webpage. Once the application period opens, it will appear on USAJOBS (www.usajobs.gov) by searching for “Presidential Management Fellows”. Review the Application Process to learn more about all the steps to apply.

Application Cycle 

• The application period for the 2021 class of fellows is September 30- October 14, 2020
• Announcement of the PMF Class of 2021 Finalists will occur approximately 6 weeks after the end of the application period