University of Toronto

Campus: St George Campus, Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Area of Research: Statistics, Mathematics, Computational Science, Epidemiology, Public Health

Description of duties:

Prof. Xiaolin Wei (http://www.dlsph.utoronto.ca/faculty-profile/wei-xiaolin/) is a medical doctor, public health specialists, professor and the Dalla Lana Chair in Global Health Policy in the University of Toronto. He became a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health of UK in 2012. Xiaolin has conducted research using implementation science frameworks to change clinical practice and make impacts at the policy level in areas of antimicrobial resistance, tuberculosis control and diabetes/ hypertension care. He has published over 100 peer reviewed research papers, and led over $7m research funding as the principal investigator from MRC, DFID, CIHR, StopTB Partnership and HK RGC. He serves as board member and has served as the Secretary General and Vice President of the International Union of Lung Disease.

Prof Wei is the founding director of the Global Implementation Science Lab, which aims to develop impactful solutions to global health challenges (https://www.dlsph.utoronto.ca/global-implementation-science-lab/). The lab, located in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH), is seeking a highly motivated individual to work on epidemiological cohort analysis and modeling studies to predict the dynamics of disease outbreaks, and related impact of public health measures on COVID-19 epidemics in Canada, China and LMICs. The candidate will help to compile publicly available data of COVID-19, analyze related databases from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), and then construct infectious disease models to predict COVID-19 epidemics and evaluate impacts of public health interventions. The post will be partially funded through a CIHR grant to develop clinical guidelines to facilitate COVID-19 control in hospitals and primary care settings in the Philippines and Sri Lanka. The successful candidate will work in a highly dynamic environment with exposure to world-leading academic experts and practitioners in the field. His/Her contribution will be to devise state-of-the-art data analyses and modeling studies to investigate impacts of public health measures using large data sets collected from administrative and reported health database.

The successful candidate is expected to help formulate his/her research program within the context of related projects. S/he will be supervised by Prof. Xiaolin Wei. The Candidate will also be co-supervised by Prof. Naveen K. Vaidya, Associate Professor of Mathematics in San Diego State University leading the Disease Modeling Lab (DiMoLab, https://nvaidya.sdsu.edu/DiMoLab.html). The candidate will be benefited within a network of investigators working on public health, mathematical modeling, computation, and cohort analysis. Specific tasks will include:

  • Collect and compile publicly available databases;
  • Access and analyze large database through remote access to ICES portal;
  • Develop mathematical and computational models using differential equations, stochastic methods, and machine learning approaches;
  • Apply disease modelling techniques to evaluate interventions in areas of Covid-19 transmission, and other infectious diseases (such as tuberculosis care and antibiotic resistance), and publish papers in leading academic journals;
  • Assist in developing grant proposals in related areas in collaboration with supervisors and other collaborators for CIHR and related competitions;
  • Contribute to teaching/supervising of postgraduate students;
  • Support the supervisors with research related tasks that are called for.

Required qualifications:

Minimum Degree Required: Ph.D.

Preferred Qualifications: Ph.D. obtained within five years of hiring, preferably in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Epidemiology, Public Health or a related field. Publication as first author in related peer-reviewed journals is essential. The candidate should also have significant experience with cohort analysis, mathematical modeling, data analysis and computer simulation, solid skills in at least one programming language (R, python, MATLAB, or C/C++); strong ability to communicate scientific material; high enthusiasm, strong work ethic, and willingness to perform at a high level consistently. Having experience in analyzing ICES databases is a great asset.

Salary:

$40,000-60,000 per annum depending on candidate’s skills and experience.

Please note that should the minimum rates stipulated in the collective agreement fall below the rates stated in this posting, the minimum rates stated in the collective agreement shall prevail.

International postdoc fellow: Non-Canadian residents must apply and have a work permit to work in Canada legally. Work experience gained from this position while you are on a work permit may count towards meeting the Canadian Experience Class requirements (Express entry to immigrate to Canada permanently as a skilled worker). More information can be found via the Government of Canada (https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=672&top=29).

Application instructions

All individuals interested in this position must submit a cover letter, CV and two letters of scholarly references to Prof. Xiaolin Wei (xiaolin.wei@utoronto.ca) by the closing date. Other application documents include writing sample/publications and abstracts.

Closing date: Open Until Filled (at least by September 11th)

Supervisor:

Prof Xiaolin Wei, the Dalla Lana Chair in Global Health Policy in DLSPH, University of Toronto (http://www.dlsph.utoronto.ca/faculty-profile/wei-xiaolin/)

Expected start date: Immediately upon successful selection of an applicant

Term: This is a one-year position, renewable for a second year subject to availability of funding and performance of the postdoc. Remote working will be possible.

FTE:

The normal hours of work are 40 hours per week for a full-time postdoctoral fellow (pro-rated for those holding a partial appointment) recognizing that the needs of the employee’s research and training and the needs of the supervisor’s research program may require flexibility in the performance of the employee’s duties and hours of work.

Employment as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto is covered by the terms of the CUPE 3902 Unit 5 Collective Agreement.

This job is posted in accordance with the CUPE 3902 Unit 5 Collective Agreement.

The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from racialized persons / persons of color, women, Indigenous / Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.