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U.S. Department of Agriculture
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USDA-APHIS New World Screwworm Modeling and Surveillance U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in United States
Degree Level
Master's
Field of study
Computer Science
Funding
Stipend of $64,000.00–$90,000.00 yearly; appointment initially for two years and may be extended depending on funds.
Deadline
Jan 1, 2027
Country
United States
University
U.S. Department of Agriculture
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Keywords
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About this position
This research opportunity focuses on New World Screwworm modeling and surveillance within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in Fort Collins, Colorado. The project brings students into a collaborative environment with veterinary medical officers, statisticians, economists, entomologists, and ecologists working across epidemiology, risk analysis, disease modeling, economic evaluation, and surveillance.
The selected participant will contribute to the development and operationalization of analytical tools that support national and regional risk assessments, emergency preparedness, response, and surveillance planning for New World Screwworm in wildlife and domestic livestock populations. The work centers on building and applying statistical and mathematical models to understand population dynamics, reproduction, survival, movement, and spread, while incorporating environmental and weather factors into the analysis.
Students will also gain experience evaluating surveillance sensitivity and detection probability, identifying optimal spatial and temporal surveillance strategies, and forecasting surveillance priorities under future environmental conditions. The position emphasizes working with both recent and historical data to assess surveillance, mitigation, and prevention strategies, and translating results into tools that address program needs.
The opportunity is hosted by APHIS, a multi-faceted agency within USDA with responsibilities that include agricultural health, disease management, wildlife damage management, and protection of public health and natural resources from invasive pests and pathogens. The mentor for the opportunity is Katie Portacci.
Funding details
Stipend of $64,000.00–$90,000.00 yearly; appointment initially for two years and may be extended depending on funds.
What's required
The qualified candidate should have received or be currently pursuing a master's or doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields. Preferred experience includes biological, population, or epidemiological modeling and spatial analysis; strong quantitative skills in Bayesian statistics, machine learning, advanced statistical approaches, and geospatial/mathematical modeling; experience with integrated population models; study design and integrating observational field and experimental data into modeling frameworks; proficiency in R, Python, C++, GitHub, ESRI, MCMC frameworks such as JAGS, STAN, and NIMBLE, and ordinary differential equations; and strong communication skills for explaining complex modeling results. U.S. citizenship is required.
How to apply
Apply through the Zintellect/ORISE opportunity page and click APPLY at the bottom of the listing. Submit an application, transcript(s), a current resume/CV, and two recommendations. Ensure all documents are in English or include an official English translation.
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