Application Guide

How to Apply for Postdoctoral Scholar, HIV, TB, and Selected Infectious Diseases

at Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)

🏢 About Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)

IHME is a globally influential research organization at the University of Washington that produces the authoritative Global Burden of Disease study, which shapes health policy worldwide. What makes IHME unique is its commitment to delivering scientifically rigorous, publicly available evidence that directly informs global health decisions, offering researchers the opportunity to see their work impact real-world policy and practice.

About This Role

This postdoctoral scholar role focuses on advancing HIV modeling and quantitative analyses within IHME's infectious disease portfolio, contributing directly to global estimates that inform prevention and treatment strategies. The position involves developing complex data sets, implementing new computational methods, and leading scientific publications, making it impactful by generating evidence that could influence global HIV/TB response efforts.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve developing R/Python code for HIV model calibration, quality-checking input data from multiple sources, and collaborating with senior researchers on manuscript development. You'd likely participate in team meetings to discuss methodological challenges and contribute to research design discussions for ongoing infectious disease projects.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Is Looking For

  • Has a PhD in epidemiology, biostatistics, computational biology, or a related quantitative field with specific expertise in HIV transmission or progression modeling
  • Demonstrates advanced proficiency in R or Python for epidemiological analysis, plus experience with SQL for managing large health datasets
  • Has a track record of scientific writing with at least one first-author publication in peer-reviewed journals related to infectious disease modeling
  • Can show experience with both methodological development and applied analysis in HIV or related infectious diseases

📝 Tips for Applying to Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)

1

Explicitly mention your experience with IHME's Global Burden of Disease framework or similar population health modeling approaches

2

Include specific examples of HIV modeling projects in your CV, detailing the methodologies used (e.g., compartmental models, agent-based models, Bayesian approaches)

3

Highlight any experience with large-scale health datasets similar to those IHME uses (e.g., demographic health surveys, surveillance data, clinical cohorts)

4

Demonstrate your collaborative research experience, as IHME emphasizes reciprocal research projects and team science

5

Show familiarity with IHME's open-access data philosophy by mentioning any experience with data dissemination or public health data platforms

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your specific expertise in HIV modeling methodologies and how they align with IHME's approach to disease burden estimation", "Examples of quantitative analyses you've conducted that required independent problem-solving and methodological innovation", 'Your experience with scientific writing and manuscript preparation, particularly related to infectious disease research', "How your research interests connect with IHME's mission of improving health policy through scientifically valid evidence"]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Review IHME's recent HIV-related publications and the Global Burden of Disease HIV estimates to understand their current methodologies
  • → Study the Institute's organizational structure and how postdoctoral scholars typically contribute to research teams
  • → Explore IHME's data visualization tools and open-access data platforms to understand how they disseminate findings
  • → Look into IHME's partnerships with organizations like WHO, national health agencies, and other research institutions

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Discuss your experience with specific HIV modeling frameworks (e.g., Spectrum, Goals, or custom models) and their limitations
2 Walk through your approach to developing and quality-checking complex epidemiological datasets for analysis
3 Explain how you would implement a new statistical method for HIV burden estimation and validate its results
4 Describe your experience mentoring junior researchers or collaborating on team-based scientific projects
5 Discuss how you stay current with developments in HIV epidemiology and modeling literature
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting generic application materials that don't specifically address HIV modeling or quantitative epidemiology
  • Failing to demonstrate programming proficiency with concrete examples in R, Python, or SQL relevant to health data analysis
  • Overlooking the collaborative nature of IHME's work by emphasizing only independent research without team experience

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)!

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