Department

BSD PHS - Biostatistics

About the Department

Public Health Sciences (PHS) is the home in the Biological Sciences Division to biostatistics, epidemiology and health services research. These core fields in public health research share a focus on the development and implementation of complex analytic methods to understand the determinants of health, the efficacy of experimental treatments, and the structure of health care at the population level. Bringing together these fields in one department underscores their commonality and enhances opportunities for interdisciplinary research. Faculty members lead local, national, and international studies, and also welcome opportunities to collaborate with faculty across the Biological Sciences Division and the university. Substantively, our research themes include social and environmental determinants of health, genetics and disease, the economics of health care, and the evaluation and implementation of new technologies in public health and clinical care. In terms of methodological expertise, areas in which our faculty has developed innovative approaches include: risk factor measurement; multilevel, clustered and longitudinal data; clinical trials; administrative health data; social networks; and statistical methods to assess the genetic and molecular basis of disease.

Job Summary

The job performs a range of activities to support the statistical design and implementation of research analysis. Uses knowledge of statistics to communicate analyses for research proposals and draft reports detailing their results. Follows objectives and procedures for sampling, randomization, data collection, analysis, and quality control.

The Sr. Biostatistician will be responsible for assisting investigators in the design of both basic science and clinical studies, for assisting in the implementation of these studies (e.g., randomizing treatment assignment, interim monitoring of data quality and outcomes, etc.), and for analyzing the resulting data for presentation and publication. They will be responsible for creating workflows for data management and analysis that are both efficient and reproducible, and for producing publishable displays, both tabular and graphical, of data and analytic results. The Sr. Biostatistician will also be responsible for documenting their work in the form of written reports and sections to be included in grant proposals and manuscripts for publication. This at-will position is wholly or partially funded by contractual grant funding which is renewed under provisions set by the grantor of the contract. Employment will be contingent upon the continued receipt of these grant funds and satisfactory job performance.

Responsibilities

• Provides statistical guidance in designing studies to answer scientific questions, including basic science experiments, animal studies, clinical trials and population-based studies.

• Advises clinical investigators in collecting, managing and analyzing their data. Generate interim analysis and statistical reports as needed.

• Assist investigators in the interpretation of the results.

• Provides support for generation of abstracts and manuscripts for publication, including writing of Statistical Methods sections.

• Performs a range of activities to facilitate the design of research projects and the publication of their results. Uses knowledge of statistics to help develop objectives and statistical procedures for the project.
• Analyzes data and prepares data tables, charts, and graphs for reports. Writes grant proposals for faculty throughout the unit.
• Writes statistical computer programs and reviews computer output for consistency and quality.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s degree in Statistics, Biostatistics, Data Science, or Data Analytics.

• At least one course each in mathematical statistics (e.g., point estimation, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, large sample theory, asymptotic efficiency, exponential families, decision theory, etc.), linear models, and longitudinal (or panel) data analysis. Course(s) in at least two of the following areas: generalized linear models, categorical data analysis, survey sampling, survival analysis, epidemiological methods, mixed, hierarchical or latent variable models, or multivariate analysis.
• Courses in computer science, especially those focusing on programming essentials, data structures and/or databases, statistical computing and machine learning.

Experience:

• Experience within an academic environment.
• Experimental design including basic science experiments, clinical trials and/or population-based studies, addressing issues such as sampling or recruitment, allocation to treatment(s), randomization strategies, and development of an analytic plan.
• Experience performing sample size and power calculations using both analytical methods, statistical software, and simulations.
• Experience manipulating and analyzing data from electronic medical records or health care claims.
• Proficiency in Stata, R, or Python.

Preferred Competencies

• Demonstrated ability and willingness to learn new analytic software and tools.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare manuscripts for publication, grant proposals, and technical documentation.

• Proficiency in programming for reproducible research methods.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
• Cover Letter (preferred)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Research

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$70,000.00 - $110,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

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