Research Scientist

University of Colorado • Aurora, CO

6d • $90,000 - $100,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is seeking a full-time Instructor to join the Barocas Laboratory. This position is designed for an early-career investigator with advanced quantitative and epidemiologic training who is interested in conducting innovative population health research focused on substance use, homelessness, infectious diseases, and health inequities.
The Instructor will work closely with Dr. Joshua Barocas and interdisciplinary collaborators across clinical medicine, public health, epidemiology, biostatistics, implementation science, and community-engaged research. The successful candidate will contribute to a robust portfolio of federally funded and foundation-supported research focused on syndemic interactions among substance use disorders, housing instability, HIV, hepatitis C, bacterial and fungal infections, overdose, and structural determinants of health.
This position will primarily focus on advanced epidemiologic analyses, mathematical and decision-analytic modeling, observational cohort studies, simulation modeling, data harmonization, and dissemination of findings through peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations. The role is intended to provide advanced mentored research experience and career development for investigators pursuing independent research careers in infectious diseases, epidemiology, public health, or health services research.
The Research Scientist will collaborate across multiple ongoing studies within the Barocas Laboratory, including work involving electronic health record data, administrative claims data, cohort studies, implementation science initiatives, and policy-focused analyses. Opportunities for manuscript development, grant writing, mentorship, and interdisciplinary collaboration will be strongly supported.

Requirements

• PhD, DrPH, or equivalent doctoral degree in Epidemiology, Public Health, Biostatistics, Health Services Research, Population Health, or a closely related field
• Demonstrated expertise in epidemiologic methods and quantitative analysis
• Experience conducting research related to substance use, homelessness, infectious diseases, and/or health inequities
• Experience working with large datasets and statistical software such as R, SAS, Stata, or Python
• Evidence of scholarly productivity, including peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations

Nice To Haves

• Postdoctoral research experience in epidemiology, infectious diseases, public health, or implementation science, or relevant work experience
• Experience with mathematical modeling, simulation modeling, causal inference methods, or advanced longitudinal data analysis
• Experience using electronic health record data, administrative claims data, or large cohort datasets
• Experience working on federally funded research projects
• Interest in community-engaged and policy-relevant research
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within interdisciplinary research teams
• Experience mentoring students, trainees, or junior research staff
• Strong quantitative and analytic skills
• Ability to communicate scientific findings effectively in writing and orally
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to collaborative research teams
• Strong organizational and project management skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously
• Ability to develop reproducible and rigorous analytic workflows
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills

Responsibilities

• Conduct advanced epidemiologic, statistical, and quantitative analyses using large observational and administrative datasets
• Develop and implement mathematical, simulation, and decision-analytic models related to infectious diseases, substance use, homelessness, and structural vulnerability
• Participate in development of grant proposals, progress reports, and scientific presentations
• Assist with study design, analytic planning, data interpretation, and dissemination of findings
• Support implementation and evaluation of research studies focused on health inequities and vulnerable populations
• Participate in collaborative projects involving clinical, public health, and community partners
• Participate in collaborative academic initiatives across the Department of Medicine and School of Public Health

Benefits

• Medical: Multiple plan options
• Dental: Multiple plan options
• Additional Insurance: Disability, Life, Vision
• Retirement 401(a) Plan: Employer contributes 10%25 of your gross pay
• Paid Time Off: Accruals over the year (based on percentage of time)
• Vacation Days: 22/year (maximum accrual 352 hours)
• Sick Days: 15/year (unlimited maximum accrual)
• Holiday Days: 11/year
• Tuition Benefit: Employees have access to this benefit on all CU campuses
• ECO Pass: Reduced rate RTD Bus and light rail service

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree