Careers
EXPLORE IDM’S OPEN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
We’re always seeking extraordinary and creative individuals to tackle the challenging research problems in global health. The Institute for Disease Modeling (IDM) is a highly dynamic organization with a work environment that is defined by innovation and collaboration. Our research and software teams are made up of a diverse and talented group of individuals attacking the complex problems found within global health to improve the world we live in. IDM is committed to improving and saving lives in developing countries through the use of quantitative analysis.
CURRENT OPENINGS
WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
As part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the Institute for Disease Modeling’s (IDM) mission is to support global efforts to eradicate infectious diseases and achieve permanent improvements in health by developing, using, and sharing computational modeling tools and promoting quantitative decision-making. The IDM team is composed of research scientists and software developers who build sophisticated models of disease transmission, develop computational tools to advise on global disease eradication policy, conduct analysis of epidemiologically- and policy-relevant data, and identify and address critical knowledge gaps. IDM is a multifaceted organization with a work environment defined by innovation and teamwork. As part of our work, we routinely collaborate with groups at the World Health Organization, UNAIDS, the Centers for Disease Control, PATH, ministries of health, as well as universities and research institutes across the globe.
We seek an outstanding Senior Research Scientist to join our vaccine-preventable disease (VPD), statistics, and delivery team. You will be a member of IDM’s core polio team, directly impacting the global effort to eradicate polio. You will also contribute to a broad array of opportunities to improve and save lives across other vaccine-preventable diseases (e.g., measles) and healthcare delivery programs. These opportunities will span multiple quantitative fields, including disease modeling, statistics, epidemiology, and computational science, and will involve collaboration with a diverse set of colleagues at IDM and across the Foundation. You will address significant science, policy, and operational questions and advise on decisions with real-world impact. You will approach difficult problems with optimism, expertise, and a willingness to lead and learn.
Joining our group provides opportunities to interact with global-health policymakers, to collaborate with world-class researchers and non-profit organizations, and to put your quantitative expertise to use saving and improving the lives of vulnerable populations around the world.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Support polio eradication efforts with modeling, risk analysis, and assessment of interventions
- Identify impactful problems in VPD control and elimination and address them by applying existing methods or developing novel methods as needed
- Envision innovative framings of problems to simplify work and cut to essential issues
- Work closely with internal and external partners to understand the current policy and program questions
- Develop and maintain productive and engaging collaborations with internal strategic partners
- Clearly communicate sophisticated methods to diverse audiences
- Identify knowledge or data gaps in settings in which we work and propose solutions
REQUIREMENTS
- PhD in a quantitative field (e.g. Statistics/Biostatistics, Applied Mathematics, Economics, Epidemiology, Computational Biology)
- 2+ years of post-graduate experience in quantitative science and/or modeling
- Stochastic modeling and/or disease modeling preferred (e.g. stochastic processes, compartmental models, or agent-based models)
- Experience in statistical inference preferred (e.g. maximum likelihood, Bayesian statistics, optimization)
- Strong data analysis skills are preferred
- Knowledge of disease control and public health issues in LMIC’s a plus; knowledge of polio modeling and eradication desired
- Proficiency in at least one scripting language (e.g. R or Python)
- Demonstrated ability to work efficiently as part of a team
- Attention to detail and high standard for quality of work product
- Experience working on collaborative software projects
- Ability to initiate, coordinate, and lead research projects and clearly communicate analysis results to diverse audiences
As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We’re committed to creating a workplace where employees thrive both personally and professionally. We also believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve—in race, gender, age, cultures and beliefs—and we support this diversity through all of our employment practices.
All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve the mission of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to:
* Race
* Color
* Age
* Religion
* Pregnancy
* Sex
* Sexual Orientation
* Disability
* Gender Identity
* Gender Expression
* National Origin
* Genetic Information
* Veteran Status
* Marital Status
* Prior Protected Activity
Reference: B015880
As part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the Institute for Disease Modeling’s (IDM) mission is to support global efforts to eradicate infectious diseases and achieve permanent improvements in health by developing, using, and sharing computational modeling tools and promoting quantitative decision-making. The IDM team is composed of research scientists and software developers who create advanced models of disease transmission, develop computational tools to inform global disease eradication policy, conduct analysis of epidemiologically- and policy-relevant data, and identify and address critical knowledge gaps. IDM is a highly dynamic organization with a work environment that is defined by innovation and collaboration. As part of our work, we routinely collaborate with groups at the World Health Organization, World Bank, the U.S. and Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with ministries of health, universities, and research institutes across the globe.
We are seeking a one-year limited-term Research Scientist to join IDM’s Computational Science Research (CSR) team in Seattle, WA. They will support ongoing modeling activities related to SARS-CoV-2 transmission and control modeling in low- and middle-income country settings. The scientist will apply Covasim, an open-source agent-based model developed at IDM, and other modeling tools to challenging research problems at the interface of diagnostic testing and surveillance, immunological correlates of protection, vaccination and treatment, and co-transmitting variants of interest and concern. Stakeholders for this work are diverse and include in-country partners, global agencies, and within-Foundation colleagues. The scientist will be working with an experienced modeling and analysis team and will have opportunities to learn, apply, and improve tools and workflows for data analysis, model calibration, uncertainty quantification, sensitivity analysis, cost-benefit optimization, and more. Publications will be encouraged and resulting models and tools will be shared broadly as open source software.
Joining our group provides unique opportunities to interact with global-health policymakers, to collaborate with world-class researchers and non-profit organizations, and to contribute to more effective burden reduction and disease eradication strategies.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Address complex research questions in COVID transmission and mitigation
- Survey scientific literature and remain current on fast-moving research topics
- Support the creation of internal and global public goods such as open source software and academic publications
- Design and execute an analytical plan with input from teammates and collaborators
- Quickly prototype solutions to challenging problems through scripting or web-based platforms
- Provide technical assistance to modeling applications in low- and middle-income settings
- Lead/support manuscript preparation and publication
- Present results to internal stakeholders and external partners
REQUIREMENTS
- PhD in a quantitative field, ideally with computational experience in epidemiology, immunology, virology, or a related field
- Proficiency in at least one data-analysis or scripting language (python preferred)
- Experience in applying analytical tools
- Knowledge of and passion for global health issues
- A list of published articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals
- Attention to detail and a high standard for quality of work
- Demonstrated ability to work productively as part of a team
- Must be highly inquisitive, self-motivated, and results-oriented
As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We’re committed to creating a workplace where employees thrive both personally and professionally. We also believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve—in race, gender, age, cultures and beliefs—and we support this diversity through all of our employment practices.
All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve the mission of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to:
* Race
* Color
* Age
* Religion
* Pregnancy
* Sex
* Sexual Orientation
* Disability
* Gender Identity
* Gender Expression
* National Origin
* Genetic Information
* Veteran Status
* Marital Status
* Prior Protected Activity
Reference: B015898
This is an interim backfill role to cover for an employee who will be out on parental leave. The duration of the assignment is targeted for 9 months starting in June/July. However, the start and end dates may change.
As part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the Institute for Disease Modeling’s (IDM) mission is to support global efforts to eradicate infectious diseases and achieve permanent improvements in health by developing, using, and sharing computational modeling tools and promoting quantitative decision-making. The IDM team is composed of research scientists and software developers who create advanced models of disease transmission, develop computational tools to inform global disease eradication policy, conduct statistical analyses of epidemiological and primary health care related data to provide insights for programs and policy decisions, and identify and address critical knowledge gaps. IDM is a highly dynamic organization with a work environment that is defined by innovation and collaboration. As part of our work, we routinely collaborate with groups at the World Health Organization, UNAIDS, the Centers for Disease Control, PATH, ministries of health in low and middle income countries, as well as universities and research institutes across the globe.
We seek a limited-term (9 month) Senior Research Manager to support and manage IDM’s research cluster focused on family planning (FP), maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) and nutrition. The manager will support scientists and research managers in achieving success in their project portfolio as well as help evaluate new project proposals against existing projects and strategic goals. The manager is expected to have experience with managing a team where quantitative analysis was a key deliverable to achieve project and program success. The candidate is also expected to help scientists and teams prioritize their work with a focus toward achieving strategic success with a strong emphasis on impact. We are also looking for a candidate with significant experience in the FP, MNCH, and nutrition community.
Joining our group provides unique opportunities to interact with global-health policymakers, to collaborate with world-class researchers and non-profit organizations, and to contribute to more effective burden reduction and primary health strengthening strategies.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Work closely with researchers and managers to understand individual and project level goals and support research efforts toward project milestones
Work closely with internal and external stakeholders for projects to understand the current policy and program questions
Evaluate new project proposals according to IDM project selection guidance and alignment with strategic direction
Create visibility for project progress and milestones through regular documentation and internal communication.
REQUIREMENTS
Ph.D., M.D., and/or MPH preferred.
5+ years experience of practical experience solving complex business problems with science (e.g. Statistics, Machine Learning, Econometrics)
3+ years experience managing scientists
Project management experience for working on cross-functional projects in a face-paced and evolving environment
Demonstrated ability to operate both strategically and tactically in a high-energy, fast-paced environment
High degree of organization and ability to manage multiple, competing priorities.
A broad knowledge of related public health challenges such as FP, MNCH, and nutrition in developing world settings preferred.
Proven achievements of developing and managing a long-term research vision and portfolio of research initiatives, with algorithms and models that have been successfully integrated in production systems
Ability to clearly communicate project and program results to diverse audiences
Proficiency in quantitative analysis and modeling with an emphasis on computational workflows
Attention to detail and high standard for quality of work product.
Must be highly self-motivated and results-oriented.
*Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.
The employee transfer policy applies to internal backfill positions. An employee may apply for an open position after at least 12 months in their current position. If you meet this requirement and wish to pursue a backfill opportunity, you are required to have a conversation with your manager to confirm their support before you apply. In rare cases, the requirement of a minimum of 12 months in a position may be waived if a transfer is critical to the foundation’s goals and is approved by the current manager and their HR Consultant (HR Business Partner or Generalist).
All backfill positions are posted as LTE roles. With current manager support, if selected for the role, FTEs will retain their FTE status during the backfill assignment. Managers will have the option of backfilling for the individual moving to the interim position for a similar duration via the same hiring channels and options as this position. However, current managers may be unwilling or unable to hold headcount for the duration of an interim assignment and may deny the employee’s request. In such cases, the employee may apply for the open LTE position, but if selected, would effectively be resigning as an FTE and would be hired as an LTE for the duration of the interim assignment. As an LTE, employment with the foundation is expected to end at the end of the assignment, and the employee would not be eligible for severance.
As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We’re committed to creating a workplace where employees thrive both personally and professionally. We also believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve—in race, gender, age, cultures and beliefs—and we support this diversity through all of our employment practices.
All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve the mission of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to:
* Race
* Color
* Age
* Religion
* Pregnancy
* Sex
* Sexual Orientation
* Disability
* Gender Identity
* Gender Expression
* National Origin
* Genetic Information
* Veteran Status
* Marital Status
* Prior Protected Activity
Reference: B015925
The Institute for Disease Modeling (IDM) is part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). IDM supports global efforts to eradicate infectious diseases and achieve permanent improvements in the health of those most in need, by developing, using, and sharing computational modeling tools and promoting quantitative decision-making.
We are a team of research scientists and software developers. We create sophisticated computer models of disease transmission, develop computational tools to inform global disease eradication policy, and analyze date relevant to understanding epidemiology and making health policy decisions to identify and address critical knowledge gaps. We are a highly dynamic organization with a work environment defined by innovation and collaboration. We routinely collaborate with groups at the World Health Organization, UNAIDS, the Centers for Disease Control, PATH, ministries of health in the developing world, as well as universities and research institutes across the globe.
IDM’s software models of infectious disease transmission simulate disease dynamics over a wide range of details and dimensions. Our models cover situations from generic influenza-like diseases to mechanistic models of host-borne diseases like malaria. Models can scale from single individuals to millions, and from single households to the entire globe. Smaller models can run on an individual researcher’s workstation, but big scenarios and large ensembles of simulations run on high performance computing clusters.
We're looking for an experienced Software Engineer to join our Modeling development team. You will be part of a group crafting software tools for all phases of disease modeling, and all stages of the modeling pipeline. You will focus on extending and optimizing the capabilities of existing disease models and crafting new tools to capitalize on efficient strategies for modeling disease prevalence, population statistics, and transmission dynamics.
Most of our work is in C++ and Python, on both Windows and Linux. Since disease modeling involves accessing many sources of data - including information about populations, disease prevalence and incidence, and weather - we also use a number of data analytics tools and technologies, such as MATLAB, R, relational databases, JSON formatted data, and web APIs.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Collaborate with researchers to understand requirements, features, and improvements for the modeling software. Work iteratively with them to refine specifications and validate implementations.
- Work with researchers, developers, and testers to generate specifications that describe research needs, guide implementation, and enable comprehensive testing.
- Collaborate with colleagues to review specifications, designs, code, test plans, and test automation.
- Work independently, with support from the rest of the development team, to design and implement new models, model features, and improvements.
- Promptly address issues identified by users or the testing team.
- Collaborate with testers and fellow developers to complete work iterations.
- Set personal goals and report status regularly to the team and management.
REQUIREMENTS
- Be proficient with Python and C++
- Be comfortable and productive in an iterative/agile team environment
- Collaborate well with team members
- Have experience with technical software: scientific, engineering, statistical, or modeling
- Experience with Windows and Visual Studio
- Experience with Linux
- Experience with data analysis tools such as MATLAB, Octave, or R
We’re looking for accomplished developers who will understand enough of the math and science of what IDM does to be effective. Our typical hires have degrees in Computer Science or another science-based field, combined with 7+ years of professional software development experience. We are, however, keenly aware that ours is a cross-disciplinary field that benefits from diversity of skills and backgrounds.
You will need to ...
The following are optional requirements ...
As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We’re committed to creating a workplace where employees thrive both personally and professionally. We also believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve—in race, gender, age, cultures and beliefs—and we support this diversity through all of our employment practices.
All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve the mission of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to:
* Race
* Color
* Age
* Religion
* Pregnancy
* Sex
* Sexual Orientation
* Disability
* Gender Identity
* Gender Expression
* National Origin
* Genetic Information
* Veteran Status
* Marital Status
* Prior Protected Activity
Reference: B015635
The Institute for Disease Modeling (IDM) is part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). IDM supports global efforts to eradicate infectious diseases and achieve permanent improvements in the health of those most in need, by developing, using, and sharing computational modeling tools and promoting quantitative decision-making.
We are a team of research scientists and software developers. We create sophisticated computer models of disease transmission, develop computational tools to inform global disease eradication policy, and analyze date relevant to understanding epidemiology and making health policy decisions to identify and address critical knowledge gaps. We are a highly dynamic organization with a work environment defined by innovation and collaboration. We routinely collaborate with groups at the World Health Organization, UNAIDS, the Centers for Disease Control, PATH, ministries of health in the developing world, as well as universities and research institutes across the globe.
We are looking for a Software Engineer to join our Research Software Engineering team. You will need experience developing automated, reproducible data and computation pipelines using HPCs and/or cloud computing.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Craft software and technical solutions that are well-architected, documented, and designed with empathy and understanding for end users.
- Write code, documentation, participate in code reviews, and mentor colleagues across a diverse team of engineers and researchers.
- Implement horizontal scaling for R and Python models using Kubernetes, HPCs, Cloud Computing, etc
- Design, develop, and maintain scientific processing pipelines, including ingestion, computation, and analysis
- Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team.
- Promote a culture of automation, including the enforcement of standards, infrastructure as code, continuous integration, and reproducible scientific pipelines
- Understand customer requirements for how data and computation are used to make decisions.
REQUIREMENTS
- Exceptional written and verbal communication to educate and work with multi-functional teams
- Proficient in R
- Python is a plus
- Experience with HPCs and/or cloud computing
- Experience coding, unit testing, packaging, and deploying developed tools
- Experience with Continuous Integration environments
- Experience developing automated workflows in Python and R
- Experience interacting with APIs
- Experience with SQL, NoSQL databases
- Experience with Docker and other container technologies preferred
- Experience with various data formats and when to use them (CSV, Pickle, MessagePack, HDF5, Feather, Parquet)
- Experience with Agile and Scrum methodology
- Familiar with Git and GitHub
- Strong critical thinking skills, communication skills, organizational skills and interpersonal skills
- Flexibility to adapt to changes in data science and software engineering practices as they evolve
- Experience with machine learning technologies is a plus but not required
- Experience with GitHub Actions is a plus but not required
- Experience with Jupyter Notebook preferred
- Experience processing large datasets
- Experience with pandas, numpy, scipy/scikit preferred
- Experience with RStudio
- Understanding of Linux
We’re looking for accomplished developers who will understand enough of the math and science of what IDM does to be effective. Our typical hires have degrees in Computer Science or another science-based field, combined with several years of professional software development experience. We are, however, keenly aware that ours is a cross-disciplinary field that benefits from diversity of skills and backgrounds.
Optional Skills:
As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We’re committed to creating a workplace where employees thrive both personally and professionally. We also believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve—in race, gender, age, cultures and beliefs—and we support this diversity through all of our employment practices.
All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve the mission of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to:
* Race
* Color
* Age
* Religion
* Pregnancy
* Sex
* Sexual Orientation
* Disability
* Gender Identity
* Gender Expression
* National Origin
* Genetic Information
* Veteran Status
* Marital Status
* Prior Protected Activity
Reference: B015881
The IDM Mission
As part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Institute for Disease Modeling’s (IDM) mission is to guide global efforts towards the eradication and control of infectious disease through the use and promotion of quantitative analysis. The IDM team is composed of research scientists and software professionals who create advanced models of disease transmission, develop computational tools to inform global disease eradication policy, conduct analysis of epidemiologically- and policy-relevant data, and identify critical knowledge gaps.
IDM is a highly dynamic organization with a work environment that is defined by innovation and collaboration. As part of our work, we routinely collaborate with groups at the World Health Organization, the Center for Disease Control, PATH, ministries of health in the developing world, as well as universities and research institutes.
IDM partners with selected universities, NGOs, government ministries, and other research and public health institutions focused on researching new ways to understand and combat diseases both locally and globally. If you are interested in learning more about collaborating with us, please contact [email protected].