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A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should appear as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline your skills and related experience.

Job Summary

A research area specialist position is available under the direct supervision of Dr. Erin Ware with co-supervisors Drs. Grace Noppert and Kate Duchowny.  The role is based within the Population Neurodevelopment and Genetics and Social Environment and Health programs in the Survey Research Center at the Institute for Social Research. 

The research area specialist will contribute to research projects focusing on genomics, dementia, biomarkers of aging, immunology and immunosenescence, and the social environment. The candidate will have the opportunity to learn about, analyze, and perform statistical analyses on a variety of epidemiological and genetic projects. The candidate will be expected to execute quality control/computational processing and analysis of genomic data and perform statistical analyses. Opportunities for abstract presentation in national meetings and preparation of manuscripts may also be available.

Examples of specific projects: epigenetic signatures of later life cognition, epigenetic signatures of post-operative delirium, polygenic scores in population-based studies, measuring mitochondrial and immune function and examining their relation to age related health outcomes in ongoing population-based studies. 

The successful candidate will be someone who takes pride in managing and documenting data, shows initiative for discovering and implementing methods for analyzing large data, is collaborative and willing to learn about the interplay of biology and social science and how it is used, and supports our goal of open science.

Why Work at Michigan?

Benefits at the University of Michigan

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and any eligible family members, and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:

Generous time offA retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting upon meeting eligibility requirementsMany choices for comprehensive health insuranceLife insuranceLong-term disability coverageFlexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses

 Learn more about U-M benefits.

Responsibilities*

50%     Processing and analyzing epidemiologic data, performing statistical analyses, documentation. 

 

30%     Collaborate with colleagues to detect potential issues in these data before they reach end-users. Contribute as needed to the production, maintenance, and documentation of these files and processes. Provide quality control assistance to other lab staff.

 

15%     Preparation of abstracts, manuscripts, or grant applications

 

5%       Participate in research dissemination activities including preparing and revising study documentation for internal and external data users (using MS PowerPoint, Word, and Excel), and developing/delivering workshops as well as training sessions (using MS PowerPoint and Canvas Course Manager).

Required Qualifications*Bachelor's degree in a relevant science or related field 1-3 years of relevant research or data analysis experience. 1-3 years of experience using R , including proficiency with tidyverse and R-MarkdownBasic knowledge of statistics, including descriptive statistics, cross tabulations, and regression.Experience with UNIX/Linux for data analysis, data management, and batch file processing. Strong motivation and attention to detail. Ability to quickly master new processes, procedures, and computer programs. Ability to work successfully in both a team environment and independently, in-person and remotely. Capacity to manage multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.Desired Qualifications*Advanced experience with R. Prior experience working in a secure data environment (virtual data enclave). Prior experience working with large data files and complex data structures. Prior experience developing and implementing training materials, in-person or web-based.  Excellent time management skills.   Work Locations

This position will be on-site at the University of Michigan offices in Ann Arbor, with flexible scheduling and remote opportunities made available within our overall Center policies. If relocation is required, we will allow for reasonable time and flexibility to make necessary arrangements.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Additional Information

The statements included in this description are intended to reflect the general nature and level of work assigned to this classification and should not be interpreted as all-inclusive.

The Institute for Social Research (ISR) at the University of Michigan seeks to create a community of respect and authentic collaboration by recruiting and retaining individuals that represent a variety of voices as a reflection of our commitment to serve the people of Michigan, to maintain the excellence of the university, and to ground our research in varied disciplines, perspectives, and ways of knowing and learning.

Institute for Social Research job openings are posted for a minimum of fourteen (14) calendar days. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.