This is a grant funded position and is not eligible for severance pay.




The Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University was established in 1981 with the mission of bringing together biomedical, social, political, and behavioral scientists to conduct research, educational, and community-service programs to improve the nutritional health and well-being of populations throughout the world. The mission of the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy is to generate trusted science, educate future leaders, and produce real world impact in nutrition science and policy. Faculty at the School include biomedical scientists, economists, nutritionists, epidemiologists, physicians, political scientists and psychologists focusing on a myriad of issues with the common thread of nutrition and its role in understanding and fostering the growth and development of human populations.

The candidate will work on an original research project supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on expanding the Global Dietary Database ( http://www.globaldietarydatabase.org/ ). The aims of the overall project are to: (1) extend and expand innovative work to build and develop the Global Dietary Database (GDD 2.0) through data assembly, harmonization and quality control to characterize dietary intakes in all countries around the world on individual-level national or subnational data; (2) broadly disseminate the GDD 2.0 via a new online platform, scientific meeting strategies, deeper research collaborations, and strategic partnerships; and (3) perform new investigations and reviews on maternal and child diet diversity/quality, based on existing metrics as well as our prior work considering food consumption patterns, in relation to key health outcomes.

Through the broader networks of Tufts research, this GDD work will also interact closely with other ongoing relevant projects at Tufts such as the USAID-funded Nutrition Innovation Lab ( http://www.nutritioninnovationlab.org/ ), the Gates-funded International Dietary Data Expansion (INDDEX, http://inddex.nutrition.tufts.edu/ ), and the UK-funded Indicators of Affordable Nutritious Diets in Africa (IANDA, http://ianda.nutrition.tufts.edu/ ); and projects that have been affiliated with Tufts such as the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition (GLOPAN, https://www.glopan.org/), the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization/World Health Organization GIFT project (FAO/WHO GIFT, http://www.fao.org/nutrition/assessment/food-consumption-database/en/ ), the Global Burden of Diseases Project (GBD, http://www.healthdata.org/gbd ), GALLUP s development of new global survey instruments on diet quality, the UNICEF/WHO TEAM (Technical Expert Advisory Group on Nutrition Monitoring), and others.

This RA position will lead work to obtain and harmonize global data to achieve the project aims. This will include identifying, reviewing, and standardizing relevant global information from multiple primary sources on dietary intakes in men, women, children, and pregnant/nursing mothers, including from dietary recalls, food frequency questionnaires, and biomarker studies. This RA will also lead efforts to identify key novel global information/covariates to inform hierarchical models on dietary intakes and country-specific and demographic-level analyses of diet and child growth outcomes. The RA will carry out quality control for data flowing into these models, carrying out pre-specified checks at various stages in the data collection and assimilation process. Additionally, the RA will assist with development of content and maintenance of an online communication strategy, including a GDD LinkedIn network and online newsletters and webinars.

This position is anticipated to be for 3 years. The initial appointment is for 1 year with annual renewal conditional on performance. The ability to work in the US is required in order to apply for this position.

To apply, please submit a resume, brief personal statement (1-page) on how your skills, experience, and long-term career goals contribute to your candidacy, 1-2 letters of reference from a professor, prior supervisor, or other professional familiar with your abilities and experience, and an unofficial copy of academic transcript(s) with your application.


Qualifications:

Basic Requirements:

• Bachelor s degree in science, preferably in nutrition, global health, or related-field; exemplary scholastic achievement.
  
• Excellent writing and communication abilities.
  
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills and data collection.
  
• Experience in nutritional assessment and dietary instrument methodology.
• Experience with statistical programming software, such as SAS, SPSS, or STATA.
  
• Ability to work well independently and as part of a team.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master s degree in science, preferably in nutrition, global health, or related field.

An employee in this position must complete all appropriate background checks at the time of hire, promotion, or transfer.

Equal Opportunity Employer minority/females/veterans/disability/sexual orientation/gender identity.



To apply please click here!