School of Medicine

Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,600 faculty physicians and researchers, nearly 2,000 students, and more than 6,200 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, and Duke University Health System comprise Duke Health, a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Health Integrated Practice, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home Care and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

Project Data Coordinator

Duke Global Health Institute & Nicholas School of Environment

Research Context

We are recruiting a Project Data Coordinator for the PanLab.  The PanLab is currently involved in three areas of research that require assistance from a project coordinator and data management expertise: (1) malaria research in the Amazon and Central America; (2) research on artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) and toxic metals exposure in South America; and (3) lead exposure in humans, animals and the environment from the use of leaded ammunition in hunting.  The research is very briefly described below.

Malaria is a vector borne disease causing an estimated 219 million infections and 435,000 deaths annually.  Since 2011, no other region in the world has experienced a larger increase in malaria cases than the Amazon. Malaria continues to be a major cause of morbidity in rural areas of the Amazon, particularly among the Indigenous who have the least access to health system resources and are often the most geographically isolated.  In contrast to the Amazon, malaria cases in Central America were falling rapidly during the 2005-2020 period, with many countries joining the Regional Malaria Elimination Initiative in 2017.  However, malaria has rebounded, with Panama experiencing an increase from just 689 total cases to over 11000 cases in 2023.  Migration is believed to have played a major role, but the region has continued challenges with managing climate/seasonal risk, policies that have limited testing and diagnostics in indigenous areas, and reports about the introduction of new malaria vectors and new malaria strains.  To address these challenges, we have three ongoing research projects in Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Panama, and Honduras to study the relationship between human and vector behavior impacting malaria risk, with a key focus on the underlying roles of climate and environmental (land use) change and human mobility.  Our research is supported by NIH, NASA, and the Duke Climate-Health Initiative, and we pursue the following types of research questions: (1) how do migration networks contribute to malaria transmission; (2) how can we effectively implement a malaria early warning system; (3) what malaria interventions would be most effective at slowing malaria transmission in different socio-environmental contexts; (4) what types of climate-health visualizations are most effective at communicating forecasted malaria risk; and (5) how can we improve malaria ecology modeling across spatio-temporal scales.   

ASGM is the leading cause of anthropogenic mercury pollution.  Peru and Colombia are global Hg hotspots due to widespread ASGM activities.  The PanLab collaborates with experts from engineering, geography, biology, and policy to study human exposure effects of Hg at different periods of the life course, intervention effectiveness in reducing Hg exposure, and identification of tools for communities that can empower decision-making regarding Hg use and exposure risk. 

Leaded ammunition is an overlooked cause of human lead exposure, particularly in populations reliant on wild game for protein.  The PanLab identified leaded ammunition as a major source of lead exposure among indigenous in the Amazon and have begun to apply these same approaches to understanding lead exposure among hunters and wildlife in the US.  We partner with the NCWF, NC WRC, and the US FWS to study the extent of lead exposure in hunting populations, develop interventions to reduce lead exposure in donated wild game, and to evaluate interventions to reduce leaded ammunition use in hunting.

Work performed

The project coordinator will work closely with the PI and research team in coordinating these three areas of research by the PanLab (noting that the malaria and mining teams have significant overlap in personnel).  This includes the following activities:

• Assist in the acquisition of data and development of tools for data management, data visualization and communication (i.e., including dashboards and/or websites) to stakeholders regarding malaria, migration/mobility, and environmental trends and forecasts (30%)
• Coordinate with the PI, research team, and local PIs to implement data management protocols for each project, including the set-up of multiple datasets, documentation, data cleaning, creation of codebooks, and quality checks. (20%)
• Assist in managing team logistics, including coordinating and participating in team meetings, helping track manuscript development, and maintaining communication with partners (15%)
• Assist in drafting quarterly and annual grant reports, assist in the submission of new grant proposals (10%)
• Draft and/or oversee submissions and renewals for IRB and data transfer agreements (5%)
• Ensure records, reports and documentation for projects are properly stored (5%)
• Evaluate and recommend new techniques or technologies related to the project, including new methods for analysis, data management, science communication, stakeholder engagement, project management, and/or budget management. (15%) 

If the project manager is unfamiliar with the field sites, travel will be supported as necessary to ensure knowledge of field conditions.  In many cases, the project manager may participate in field data collection with our collaborators. 

Education and Experience

Minimum work requires communication and analytical skills normally acquired through a 4-year college education.  Advanced working knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese is required. 

Work requires a general knowledge of research methods, procedures and activities normally acquired through at least 1 year of social science, public health, data analytics or environmental sciences research experience.

Preferred:  Two years of experience in infectious disease epidemiology, land use science, climate sciences, data sciences, or a related position. A related master's degree (in public/global health, statistics, environmental sciences, data science, or a related quantitative sciences discipline) may offset required years of experience on a 1:1 basis, e.g. a two-year master's degree in lieu of two years of experience. Previous field experience in Panama and the Amazon region is strongly preferred.

The successful applicant must have experience designing, programming, and/or fielding surveys, with additional experience with migrant populations strongly preferred.

OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Skills

The following skills are required for this position:

• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple consecutive projects
• Excellent writing skills
• Good time management and ability to shift tasks during the time
• Strong teamwork and team communication skills
• Experience working with international collaborative teams
• Strong language skills (e.g. Spanish or Portuguese)

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.