Postdoctoral Associate

Be You.

The Department of Population Health Sciences in Duke University School of Medicine invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to join a rigorous, data-intensive research team. This position is designed for scientists with strong computational and quantitative training who are interested in agent-based modeling, network science, infectious disease dynamics, uncertainty quantification, and large-scale simulation. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of an HIV epidemic simulation that integrates dynamic social and sexual networks, heterogeneous susceptibility and infectiousness, treatment and prevention interventions, and realistic behavioral processes to evaluate strategies for reducing HIV transmission.

The Postdoctoral Associate will train under the primary mentorship of Dr. Dana Pasquale within a highly collaborative environment that includes expertise in infectious disease epidemiology, network science, computational immunology, mathematical modeling, and HIV clinical care. The position is intended to provide intensive methodological training, opportunities for scientific leadership, and support for developing an independent research program.

The project centers on the development of a calibrated agent-based HIV epidemic simulation representing populations in the U.S. South. The model will incorporate realistic network structures, behavioral dynamics, treatment uptake and adherence, within-host differences in infectiousness, and uncertainty quantification frameworks to evaluate HIV intervention scenarios.

Minimum Requirements:

A PhD degree is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with mathematical, computational, or statistical modeling
• Experience developing simulation models, agent-based models, network models, stochastic systems, or dynamical systems
• Experience with R or Python
• Experience working in high-performance computing environments
• Familiarity with version control systems such as Git or GitHub
• Demonstrated scientific writing and publication experience
• Interest in infectious disease modeling, network science, public health, or population dynamics

Ideal for candidates who:

• Have recently completed (or are near completion of) a doctoral degree in Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Biostatistics, Computer Science, Computational Biology, Systems Science, Engineering, Physics, Epidemiology, Network Science, or a related quantitative field
• Demonstrate strong computational and quantitative problem-solving skills
• Have experience developing reproducible analytical workflows
• Are interested in large-scale simulation, uncertainty quantification, and model calibration
• Are motivated to work on interdisciplinary scientific questions that combine social, behavioral, biological, and population-level processes
• Exhibit strong critical thinking, creativity, and attention to detail
• Are interested in leading scientific manuscripts and developing independent research ideas for future grant funding

Be Bold.

Position Description:

Agent-Based and Network Modeling: The Postdoctoral Associate will lead development of an agent-based HIV epidemic simulation that integrates realistic social and sexual networks with individual-level behavioral and biological processes. The position involves designing simulation architectures, implementing dynamic network models, developing synthetic populations, and evaluating intervention scenarios relevant to HIV interventions.

Open-Source Code and Model Development: The Postdoctoral Associate will contribute to the creation of scalable, reproducible software for epidemic simulation and analysis. Responsibilities include model implementation, workflow automation, software documentation, performance optimization, and development of tools suitable for high-performance computing environments. Experience with parallel computing and workload management systems such as SLURM is highly desirable.

Model Calibration, Validation, and Uncertainty Quantification: The Postdoctoral Associate will develop and implement approaches for parameter estimation, calibration, validation, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty quantification. This work will involve integrating observational and surveillance data into simulation frameworks and evaluating model performance against population-level epidemiological targets.

Manuscripts & Scientific Communication: The Postdoctoral Associate will lead and contribute to peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and scientific reports. The position is structured to support first-author publications and the development of a strong publication portfolio. The candidate will also have opportunities to contribute to grant applications and develop independent research ideas for future external funding.

Collaborative Team Science: The Postdoctoral Associate will work closely with an interdisciplinary team of investigators with expertise spanning epidemiology, mathematics, network science, computational immunology, and HIV medicine. The position offers opportunities to collaborate across multiple disciplines while maintaining substantial scientific independence.

Professional Development: The position is designed to support the transition to research independence. The Postdoctoral Associate will receive mentorship in scientific leadership, manuscript development, external grant writing, and career development. Candidates interested in pursuing academic, government, industry, or research-intensive careers are encouraged to apply.

Appointment:

This is a full-time, 12-month appointment supported by project funding. Continued employment beyond the project period is dependent on the availability of future project funding.

Hybrid and remote work arrangements may be considered for highly qualified candidates.

Required Application Documents:

• Current CV
• Cover letter describing research interests and career goals
• Statement of research interests
• One representative writing sample (reflecting independent work)
• Contact information for three references

Choose Duke.

Join our award-winning team as identified by Forbes magazine as America’s Best Large Employer 2024 and be part of an inclusive culture that values excellence, innovation, and discovery. As an organization, we have exciting opportunities to be forward-thinking leaders in our field. We want talented individuals to join us, examine our current operations, and create innovative solutions that will revolutionize and enhance the way we approach our work.

Duke University is consistently ranked among the top universities worldwide and is renowned for its cutting-edge research across disciplines.

Beyond the engaging work, you'll also benefit from Duke's competitive benefits package including health insurance plans, generous paid time off, retirement programs with employer contributions, tuition assistance for employees and their children, and more.

Diversity Statements:

Duke is an Affirmative Action/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, sexual orientation, or veteran status.