York University, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

695 19028Position ID: York-OMNIPDF [#19028]
Position Title: Postdoctoral Fellow, OMNI-RÉUNIS Research Projects
Position Type: Postdoctoral
Position Location: Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada [map] sort by distance
Subject Area: One Health Modelling of infectious diseases
Application Deadline: 2022/09/30 11:59PMhelp popup finished (2021/11/16, finished 2023/04/01, listed until 2022/09/30)
Position Description:    

*** this position has been closed and new applications are no longer accepted. ***

Postdoctoral Fellow, OMNI-RÉUNIS & York University Research Projects

2 positions

POSITION SUMMARY

OMNI-RÉUNIS and York University, is seeking to fill two post-doctoral fellowship positions across Canada to build capacity in modelling of infectious diseases with a one-health lens. Successful candidates will work at the interface of mathematics/statistics, epidemiology, and public health to design and analyze mathematical/statistical models through an infection spectrum from early detection to mitigation. They will work with interdisciplinary committees of scientists and public health experts to produce simulation data and inform public health policy. Postdoctoral fellows will communicate their results through high-impact publications, conference presentations, and knowledge transfer events such as public seminars and other outreach activities.

 

ABOUT OMNI-RÉUNIS

The One Health Modelling Network for Emerging Infections (OMNI)/Réseau une seule santé sur la modélisation des infections (RÉUNIS), OMNI-RÉUNIS for short, is a newly established network born out of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The network is led by three Co-Directors, Dr. Huaiping Zhu, York University, Dr. Hélène Carabin, Université de Montréal and Dr. Mark Lewis, University of Alberta, experts in research, mathematical modelling and biology, and veterinary science. The Canadian Centre for Disease Modelling at York University is proud to host OMNI-RÉUNIS.

Our mission is to build a modelling network that will enhance Canada's early detection, warning, and response to emerging infectious diseases by systematically incorporating a multi-species, multi-system One Health approach into our thinking, modelling research and training capacity while also recognizing the unique impact emerging infectious diseases has on Indigenous peoples and their communities.

OMNI-RÉUNIS's vision is to ensure that our enhanced modelling capacity and interdisciplinary research collaborations fostered by our network will lead to rigorous science-informed policy decision-making across global and national academic and public spaces during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. We will achieve this through One Health-enhanced infectious disease modelling expertise, capacity building of highly qualified personnel (HQP), and effective Knowledge Transfer (KT) strategies. 

Funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), OMNI-RÉUNIS is part of the broader Emerging Infectious Diseases Modelling (EIDM) initiative. Our network plays a unique role in the EIDM consortium as the lead in systematically incorporating One Health in our endeavours by using multidisciplinary knowledge about the connections between environmental, animal, and human Health to refine the disease modelling used to identify pathogens early.

Our research projects focus on five themes: Data Management, Risk for Emergence and Spillovers, Early Warning Systems of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Intervention and Control, and Indigenous Peoples Health and Wellbeing. 

Our English and French acronyms of the network, OMNI and RÉUNIS, symbolize universality and the bringing together of people and ideas. This is precisely what we have done, having amassed a robust network of interdisciplinary experts committed to a One Health approach to stopping emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) at all levels. 

OMNI-RÉUNIS is geographically broad with 100+ network members and Co-Applicants from 10 provinces from coast to coast from 23 academic institutions and collaborators from 28+ national and international organizations. Their expertise ranges from public health, infectious diseases, epidemiology, human health, animal health and wildlife, and indigenous and climate-related health outcomes.

 

FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS

*For project details, please visit our website www.omni-reunis.ca

Research Themes

Project Titles and summary

Location

Open positions

Theme 3: Early Warning Systems of Infectious Diseases

PDF Posting #1:

 

Network Modeling Approach for Predicting the International and Domestic Spread of Emerging Infectious Disease’

We aim to develop methods that a) evaluate the risk of case importation into major Canadian cities through international travel; b) detect and give early warnings to domestic spread for cities with imported cases; and c) evaluate the risk of case spread from these to other regions in Canada through domestic travel.

 

The work will be supervised by: J. Ma (University of Victoria)

 

Start date: immediately

 

Term: One year (renewable in 2022 contingent on satisfactory progress)

 

Contract Type: Full-time

 

University of Victoria

1

Emerging Infectious Diseases – One Health

PDF Posting #2:

 

Modelling studies of zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in animals

 

Extensive research has been conducted on SARS-CoV-2's possible source of origin and the crossing of species barrier ever since the first identification of the case of COVID-19. Although the SARS-COV-2 virus is strongly postulated to have originated from animals, scientist yet to identify a specific animal species and to conclude whether such animal acts as intermediate host or reservoir of the virus.

Even though human-to-animal spillover has been reported at several instances, SARS-CoV-2 transmission from animals-to-humans has only been reported from mink-to-humans in mink farms. We are interested in understanding the transmission in susceptible animal species and animal-human-environment cycle. The successful candidate for the position will work with the multidisciplinary team of field scientists and modelers of the CCDM and OMNI network to model and understand the transmission.   

 

The work will be co-supervised by: Huaiping Zhu (York University), Carabin Hélène (University of Montreal) and Nicholas Ogden (Public Health Agency of Canada)

 

Start date: June 2022

 

Term: One year and renewable for one more year contingent on performance

Contract Type: Full-time

York University

 

 

1

 

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

        PhD in applied mathematics, statistics, computer science, data science or a related field (essential)

        Demonstrated mathematical modelling, statistics, or data analysis capacities using data-driven quantitative analyses, differential equations, stochastic modelling, and/or mixed-effects modelling (essential)

        Experience in epidemiology or One Health (desired)

        Good oral and written communication skills


TO APPLY

To ensure full consideration, please submit application materials at your earliest opportunity.  Review of the applications will start immediately and will continue until the position is filled.  You are asked to apply and submit the pdf files to https://www.mathjobs.org/jobs/list/19028 to apply:

  1. Current CV
  2. Cover Letter (please clearly state which PDF posting(s) you are applying to)
  3. Research Statement that describes how your research interests are relevant to the OMNI-RÉUNIS network 
  4. Three reference letters
  5. Work Status Declaration Form: https://acadjobs.info.yorku.ca/affirmative-action/work-authorization-form/
  6. Self-Identification Form: https://acadjobs.info.yorku.ca/affirmative-action/self-identification-form/

If you have any questions, please contact Natasha Ketter, Program Manager of OMNI-RÉUNIS at nketter@yorku.ca.

 

OMNI-RÉUNIS is hosted by York University and is committed to the university’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan. OMNI-RÉUNIS welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, including individuals within the University's employment equity categories of women, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities and aboriginal persons, individuals of diverse gender and sexual orientation and all groups protected by the Human Rights Code. OMNI-RÉUNIS is committed to employment equity and diversity and a positive and supportive environment. OMNI-RÉUNIS offers accommodation for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment processes. If you are contacted by OMNI-RÉUNIS regarding a job opportunity or testing, please advise if you require accommodation.

 


Application Materials Required:
Submit the following items online at this website to complete your application:
And anything else requested in the position description.

Further Info:
www.yorku.ca/science/mathstats/
email address
416-736-5250
 
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
N520 Ross, York University
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M3J 1P3