Postdoctoral Associate

School of Medicine:

Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,600 faculty physicians and researchers, nearly 2,000 students, and more than 6,200 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, and Duke University Health System comprise Duke Health, a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Health Integrated Practice, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home Care and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

Be You.

The Departments of Mathematics and the Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics at Duke University invite applications for a postdoctoral associate position in mathematical modeling, as part of a new NIH-funded Center for Excellence in Multiscale Immune Systems Modeling.

This position focuses on the development, calibration, and analysis of multiscale agent-based models (ABMs) and differential equation models for Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) and HIV-1 infection dynamics in human lymphoid tissue. New mathematical models will be informed by longitudinal experimental data, including multiplexed spatial proteomics, transcriptomics, collected from state-of-the-art microfluidic lymph node on-a-chip systems used to study infection initiation and immune response.

The postdoc will be co-mentored by an interdisciplinary team of biologists and mathematicians including:

• Dr. Kevin Flores (Mathematics, North Carolina State University)
• Dr. Micah Luftig (Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Duke University)
• Dr. Cliburn Chan (Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Duke University)
• Dr. John Hickey (Biomedical Engineering, Duke University)
• Dr. Jessica Conway (Mathematics & Biology, Penn State University)
• Dr. Elliott SoRelle (Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan)

Minimum Requirements

• Ph.D. in applied mathematics, computational biology, quantitative biology, or a related field.
• Experience in ABM development and ODE/PDE modeling and analysis.
• Ability to select, implement, diagnose, and adapt parameter-estimation or statistical-inference methods to suit the model, data structure, and scientific question.
• Experience with Bayesian inference, likelihood-free inference, uncertainty quantification, identifiability analysis, or scientific machine learning.
• Strong programming skills (Python, Julia, Matlab, C++, or similar).
• Strong scientific communication skills and the ability to work productively with experimental and computational collaborators from different disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience independently developing mathematical or computational models for biological systems.

Other Requirements

Application materials must include:

• Cover Letter
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Research Statement
• Names of three professional references

Work Arrangement

• Hybrid Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

Appointment Term

• Initial appointment is for one year.
• Renewal may be considered based on project needs and available funding.

Be Bold.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop multiscale ABMs of multi-cellular immune cell populations and virus interactions.
• Design, implement, analyze, and validate agent-based, ODE, PDE, stochastic, hybrid, or surrogate models, selecting the modeling framework appropriate to each scientific question and dataset.
• Assess data limitations, identifiability, and model assumptions, and identify additional measurements or experiments needed to distinguish competing mechanisms.
• Communicate with experimentalists to translate biological questions into testable mathematical and computational modeling problems.
• Collaborate closely with experimentalists to iteratively refine models and optimize experimental design.
• Collaborate with another postdoc in the NIH Center to use scientific machine learning (SciML) to automatically select mathematical models from data.

Choose Duke.

Duke University is consistently recognized among the top research institutions in the United States and around the world. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke offers a collaborative academic environment where researchers work across disciplines to address important challenges in healthcare and science.

As a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, you will have the opportunity to work with leading investigators, contribute to impactful cancer research, and advance innovative statistical methodologies while building a strong publication record.

Job Code: 00003820 POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE

Job Level: 00

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas — an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions:

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.