The Boni research group, based at the Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine (IGEM) in the Department of Biology at Temple University’s College of Science & Technology, is looking to hire a highly-motivated Research Assistant Professor, with interest in addressing the need for global health planning for the recent malaria emergence. The Boni research group uses the newest developments in computational epidemiology to assist five national malaria control programs in Africa with designing drug-resistance response strategies to combat the rise of new artemisinin-resistant malaria strains. Currently, the Boni research group is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the National Institutes of Health and is collaborating and partnering with various global agencies such as Applied Malaria Modeling Network, Oxford University, Imperial College, IS Global, Swiss Tropical Public Health, World Health Organization, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, national malaria programs of Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, and Burkina Faso, Medicines for Malaria Venture, and JHPIEGO (at Johns Hopkins).

The Research Assistant Professor, with competence in scientific language and computational tools, will play a critical role in our research team’s malaria epidemiological modeling, perform computational and mathematical modeling, assemble and analyze national and global health data, build and visualize additional models to make near-term and long-term forecasts. Perform other duties as assigned.

Successful candidates for these posts will know how to do some or most of: • Lead and oversee the computational core team, providing guidance, mentorship, and support to ensure the successful execution of research projects. Contribute to the design and execution of experiments, data collection, and analysis to generate actionable insights. • Collaborate closely with researchers and scientists within the lab to design and implement computational strategies to address complex biological questions. Work on interdisciplinary projects, fostering collaboration between computational and experimental biologists. • Lead research in malaria individual-based modeling focused on drug resistance control policies. • Utilize expertise in computational biology, machine learning, and bioinformatics to develop and optimize algorithms and models for the analysis of high-dimensional biological data. • Use geospatial software like ArcGIS to assemble malaria prevalence/incidence data. • Communicate findings and results effectively through presentations, reports, grants, and publications. • Stay abreast of the latest advancements in the field and apply innovative approaches to enhance our research capabilities. • Lead software development for large complex projects. • Run large sets of simulations and analyze/package/present/summarize outputs for national malaria programs in Africa. • Understand the needs and requirements of national malaria control programs in malaria-endemic countries.

Candidates are required to have a Ph.D. degree in computer science, epidemiology, or another computational science with at least three years related experience, or a M.S. degree in computer science, epidemiology, or another computational science with at least five years related experience and proficient technical skills. An equivalent combination of education and experience in related field may be considered. Proven experience with Python, MATLAB and C++ and familiarity with computational methods in the techniques or simulations is preferred.

Candidates are encouraged to apply if they are interested in developing applied epidemiological skills through the use of computation, simulation, and new software development, and if they have a keen interest in emergency-level global health response for one of the developing world's most pressing current health problems.

Applicants should submit a cover letter describing their research experience and how these experiences relate to the position, a CV, and contact information for two references. For informal inquiries, please email mboni@temple.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

This is a limited-term appointment funded for one year from date of hire, with excellent possibility of extension.

Temple University is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all of its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusion and excellence that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity, and engage all individuals to help them thrive.Temple University is an equal opportunity, equal access, affirmative action employer committed to achieving a diverse community (AA/EOE,M/F/D/V).

Links to relevant lab research interests are shown below: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02551-w https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-39914-3 https://twitter.com/maciekboni/status/1687289671724777472 https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0002200 http://mol.ax/pdf/boni22.pdf