Recruit

Position Overview:
The Department of Demography at the University of California, Berkeley, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar position in the research group of Prof. Ayesha Mahmud. This position is part of a new NIH-funded project titled “Novel Data and Approaches for Dynamic Modeling of Human Behavior and Infectious Disease Ecology.” The successful candidate will work on several studies focused on understanding how human behavior and demographic dynamics interact with climate change to influence the spread and evolution of infectious diseases.

Research Background:
Human behavior, along with the social and demographic forces that shape human interactions, plays a critical role in the transmission and evolution of infectious diseases. Understanding these dynamics is especially important in the context of climate change, which is likely to further complicate their effects on population health.

The research group is developing mathematical and computational models to explore how human behavioral and climatic changes impact infectious disease dynamics. By integrating methods from formal demography and disease ecology, we aim to address several key questions, including:

• How and why does the mortality burden and transmission of infectious diseases vary seasonally and spatially?
• How do human behaviors and heterogeneities in behavior influence disease transmission dynamics?
• How do population mobility and mixing patterns shape the spatial and temporal spread of outbreaks? Our studies use statistical techniques and biologically mechanistic models to investigate these questions in the context of multiple diseases across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. We leverage a wide range of data, including disease surveillance systems, hospital databases, climate models, human mobility data, and population surveys and censuses.

The Postdoctoral Scholar will have the opportunity to contribute to a cluster of studies exploring the complex interplay between human population dynamics, climate and environmental factors, human behavior, and infectious disease transmission.

Program Overview:
UC Berkeley’s Demography program is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and interdisciplinary in the world. The program has a strong focus on formal demography and population theory, and is closely integrated with fields like ecology, biology, and public health. The Postdoctoral Scholar will have ample opportunities to collaborate with researchers across various departments, including the School of Public Health and the Department of Integrative Biology.

Duties:
● Conduct research under the guidance of Professor Ayesha Mahmud Department of Demography
● Develop and apply computational tools to analyze large-scale epidemiological data.
● Conduct advanced mathematical and statistical modeling of human behavior and disease dynamics.
● Assist with the design and implementation of new research studies related to infectious disease dynamics.
● Work independently and as part of a diverse, interdisciplinary team. Prepare and submit articles for publication; present findings at conferences and other events.
● Participate in lab meetings, other lab events, and departmental colloquia in the Department of Demography, with the option to attend colloquia in other Departments such as the School of Public Health

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The excellence of the institution requires an environment in which the diverse community of faculty, students, and staff are welcome and included. Successful candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skill related to ensuring equity and inclusion in the activities of their academic position (e.g., teaching, research, and service, as applicable).

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

Please refer to the University of California’s Affirmative Action Policy and the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.