Position Summary
The DRIVES Project has an opening for a senior scientist with interests in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), biomarkers, driving, machine learning, and/or artificial intelligence. This role would advance three ongoing NIH/NIA R01 funded grants that investigate the long-term impact of AD brain pathology on driving behavior and driving cessation among persons with and without preclinical AD. The ability to identify who will be at most risk of driving decline and to predict when decline will occur will inform early driving safety intervention trials for older drivers. Our research program employs several methods to study driving but exclusively uses a commercial off-the-shelf datalogger using a fleet-based telematics device that collects naturalistic driving behavior. We also collect a cadre of biomarkers to study disease pathology, including brain imaging (Positron Emission Tomography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and fluid-based (cerebrospinal fluid, blood/plasma) biomarkers.
We now seek a senior scientist with strong experience in data science skills to organize, manage, and analyze high frequency data relating to whether daily driving behavior reflects underlying neuropathological AD and is associated with prevalent and incident cognitive impairment. The successful candidate will join a dynamic, collaborative, and growing laboratory, and will work directly with Dr. Ganesh Babulal to develop new models to examine and visualize changes in driving behavior and risk of crash. This position is responsible for collaborating with the principal investigator (PI) on the design, conduct and reporting of research projects.

Job Description

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Collaborates with the PI on the design, conduct and reporting of research projects. ​
• Leads oversight of driving data analytics platform, enhancement and maintenance for vehicle telematics data involving data ingestion from multiple data streams, data pipeline development for cleaning and transformation, data aggregations and feature development, model deployment, development of risk indicators and data visualization.
• Leads data exploration efforts to pull in external data streams like air quality (CO, PM10, PM 2.5), weather (temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, humidity), neighborhood deprivation (ADI) to merge with current datalogger streams.
• Assists with grant preparation and reporting. May submit grant proposals in rare circumstances with the approval of the PI, Department Head and Dean.
• Prepares and submits papers on research.
• Develops hypotheses to be tested and ways of testing it.
• Complies with established safety procedures and maintaining required documentation on laboratory and specimen conditions.
• Manages research projects with other institutions and investigators.

Working Conditions

This position works in a laboratory environment with potential exposure to biological and chemical hazards. The individual must be physically able to wear protective equipment and to provide standard care to research animals.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated proficiency in Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Computer Vision.
• Demonstrated proficiency in using statistical software (such as SAS, R, Python, SPSS).
• Demonstrated proficiency with running standard parametric analyses (regression, survival analysis, mixed models).
• Experience with sensor data, specifically telematics data from vehicles and other onboard sensors.
• Experience with classification methods (decision trees, random forest, neural networks and LSTM models for time series classification).
• Ability to produce publication-quality figures representing data.
• Experience with writing scientific papers.
• Ability to review scientific literature.
• Analytical reasoning and problem-solving skills. 
• Demonstrated working knowledge of standard laboratory policies, procedures and equipment. 
• Ability to communicate in oral and written form with all levels of personnel and technical publications. 
• Ability to work well independently or as a team member.

Required Qualifications

Ph.D., M.D. or an equivalent terminal degree and at least three years of postdoctoral experience.

Grade
R12

Salary Range
$59,200.00 - $107,400.00 / Annually

The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Pre-Employment Screening
All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees. Benefits eligibility is subject to employment status, full-time equivalent (FTE) workload, and weekly standard hours. Please visit our website at https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/ to view a summary of benefits.

EEO/AA Statement
Washington University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to an individual’s sex, race, color, religion, age, disability status, protected veteran status, national or ethnic origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation. Women, minorities, protected veterans and the disabled are strongly encouraged to apply.

Diversity Statement
Washington University is dedicated to building a diverse community of individuals who are committed to contributing to an inclusive environment – fostering respect for all and welcoming individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Individuals with a commitment to these values are encouraged to apply.

Applicant Instructions
When you are ready to apply, creating an account only takes a minute. Your account creates a candidate home page which we will use to communicate with you and allows you to apply for jobs and view your application statuses. The first page of the application offers two “Quick Apply” options. Quick Apply allows you to either use a previous application or create a new application using a resume to populate the work experience and education sections of your job application. If using a resume to populate your application, check to ensure the application fields populated accurately. You may skip the “Quick Apply” page by clicking “Next” at the bottom of the page. Documents may be uploaded in the My Experience section of the application. You also have the option to apply with a Linkedin feature, which allows you to apply by using your Linkedin profile to populate some of the job application fields.

Scheduled Hours
40

Position Summary
The DRIVES Project has an opening for a senior scientist with interests in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), biomarkers, driving, machine learning, and/or artificial intelligence. This role would advance three ongoing NIH/NIA R01 funded grants that investigate the long-term impact of AD brain pathology on driving behavior and driving cessation among persons with and without preclinical AD. The ability to identify who will be at most risk of driving decline and to predict when decline will occur will inform early driving safety intervention trials for older drivers. Our research program employs several methods to study driving but exclusively uses a commercial off-the-shelf datalogger using a fleet-based telematics device that collects naturalistic driving behavior. We also collect a cadre of biomarkers to study disease pathology, including brain imaging (Positron Emission Tomography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and fluid-based (cerebrospinal fluid, blood/plasma) biomarkers.
We now seek a senior scientist with strong experience in data science skills to organize, manage, and analyze high frequency data relating to whether daily driving behavior reflects underlying neuropathological AD and is associated with prevalent and incident cognitive impairment. The successful candidate will join a dynamic, collaborative, and growing laboratory, and will work directly with Dr. Ganesh Babulal to develop new models to examine and visualize changes in driving behavior and risk of crash. This position is responsible for collaborating with the principal investigator (PI) on the design, conduct and reporting of research projects.

Job Description

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Collaborates with the PI on the design, conduct and reporting of research projects. ​
• Leads oversight of driving data analytics platform, enhancement and maintenance for vehicle telematics data involving data ingestion from multiple data streams, data pipeline development for cleaning and transformation, data aggregations and feature development, model deployment, development of risk indicators and data visualization.
• Leads data exploration efforts to pull in external data streams like air quality (CO, PM10, PM 2.5), weather (temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, humidity), neighborhood deprivation (ADI) to merge with current datalogger streams.
• Assists with grant preparation and reporting. May submit grant proposals in rare circumstances with the approval of the PI, Department Head and Dean.
• Prepares and submits papers on research.
• Develops hypotheses to be tested and ways of testing it.
• Complies with established safety procedures and maintaining required documentation on laboratory and specimen conditions.
• Manages research projects with other institutions and investigators.

Working Conditions

This position works in a laboratory environment with potential exposure to biological and chemical hazards. The individual must be physically able to wear protective equipment and to provide standard care to research animals.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated proficiency in Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Computer Vision.
• Demonstrated proficiency in using statistical software (such as SAS, R, Python, SPSS).
• Demonstrated proficiency with running standard parametric analyses (regression, survival analysis, mixed models).
• Experience with sensor data, specifically telematics data from vehicles and other onboard sensors.
• Experience with classification methods (decision trees, random forest, neural networks and LSTM models for time series classification).
• Ability to produce publication-quality figures representing data.
• Experience with writing scientific papers.
• Ability to review scientific literature.
• Analytical reasoning and problem-solving skills. 
• Demonstrated working knowledge of standard laboratory policies, procedures and equipment. 
• Ability to communicate in oral and written form with all levels of personnel and technical publications. 
• Ability to work well independently or as a team member.

Required Qualifications

Ph.D., M.D. or an equivalent terminal degree and at least three years of postdoctoral experience.

Grade
R12

Salary Range
$59,200.00 - $107,400.00 / Annually

The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Pre-Employment Screening
All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees. Benefits eligibility is subject to employment status, full-time equivalent (FTE) workload, and weekly standard hours. Please visit our website at https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/ to view a summary of benefits.

EEO/AA Statement
Washington University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to an individual’s sex, race, color, religion, age, disability status, protected veteran status, national or ethnic origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation. Women, minorities, protected veterans and the disabled are strongly encouraged to apply.

Diversity Statement
Washington University is dedicated to building a diverse community of individuals who are committed to contributing to an inclusive environment – fostering respect for all and welcoming individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Individuals with a commitment to these values are encouraged to apply.

Applicant Instructions
When you are ready to apply, creating an account only takes a minute. Your account creates a candidate home page which we will use to communicate with you and allows you to apply for jobs and view your application statuses. The first page of the application offers two “Quick Apply” options. Quick Apply allows you to either use a previous application or create a new application using a resume to populate the work experience and education sections of your job application. If using a resume to populate your application, check to ensure the application fields populated accurately. You may skip the “Quick Apply” page by clicking “Next” at the bottom of the page. Documents may be uploaded in the My Experience section of the application. You also have the option to apply with a Linkedin feature, which allows you to apply by using your Linkedin profile to populate some of the job application fields.