Anastasia Mosquito Control District, St. Augustine, FL is searching for a full time Molecular Entomologist/Biologist or Arbovirologist to conduct arbovirus surveillance /detection and insecticide resistance by using new technology, and related applied research in the field of biology and control of mosquitoes. PhD or Master's Degree in the field of Molecular Biology with the experience in the field of mosquito biology or arbovirology is required. The starting salary is between $60k to $75k based on experience. This is a full time scientist position with full benefits. The expected start date is in February 2020 or is negotiable. Interested persons may submit an application letter and resume to Dr. Rudy Xue at xueamcd@gmail.com

State of Texas, Department of Health and Human Services

Job Title: Medical Entomologist
Job Location: 1100 W. 49th St., Austin, TX

The Medical Entomologist performs highly advanced (senior-level) consultative services, technical assistance, and field work relating to medical entomology and the prevention and control of vector-borne diseases pursuant to statute and to rules adopted by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission; develops policy on the role of the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) in vector control; serves as a DSHS liaison to other state and federal agencies and with representatives from industry, professional organizations, academic institutions, local programs, and local health officials on vector-related issues and projects; organizes, provides leadership, or represents DSHS on project teams whether in-house or in collaboration with groups of representatives from a wide range of stakeholders, e.g. professional organizations and local, state, or federal governmental agencies; develops short-term goals and long- range plan objectives for vector control in Texas; participates in writing and managing vector control-related grants; serves as an expert consultant for vector-control matters and provides highly advanced technical advice and direction to DSHS program staff, local programs, and local health officials, plus the public; manages, develops and coordinates training programs; and maintains working knowledge of laws and rules that directly affect DSHS activities concerning vector-control programs. Works under minimal supervision, with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. Employee actively participates and/or serves in a supporting role to meet the agency's obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation.

Registration or Licensure Requirements: (1) Graduation from an accredited college/university with a Master's degree or PhD in entomology, with emphasis on medical entomology preferred, and (2) Must possess a valid Class C Texas driver's license, or equivalent license from another state.

Initial Selection Criteria: (1) Master's or doctoral degree from a U.S. accredited college or university in entomology or a foreign degree determined to be equivalent by an acceptable education evaluator; emphasis on medical entomology preferred; (2) Experience in field work associated with a vector mosquito control program; and (3) Experience using GIS and statistical software.

For more information and to apply, visit: https://jobshrportal.hhsc.state.tx.us/ENG/careerportal/Job_Profile.cfm?szOrderID=435833.

SUNY Upstate Medical University (UMU), in conjunction with SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) seeks two internationally recognized experts in vector-borne diseases and ecology of infectious diseases, broadly defined, to apply for an Associate or Full Professor of Empire Innovation positions (commensurate of the experience of the Empire Innovation Program (EIP) faculty per decision of campus leadership) as part of the New York State Empire Innovation Scholar Program, which aims to expand the ranks of world-class faculty within the SUNY system. EIP positions are highly prized and very competitive; as such, EIP faculty enjoy special distinction within the SUNY system and are largely free of teaching responsibilities in order to accelerate their research.

The successful candidate will join a growing team of collaborative and interdisciplinary researchers in Central New York in the creation of a new Center for Environmental Health and Medicine, a SUNY funded collaboration between ESF and UMU (less than 5 min walk between campuses). Utilizing the expertise of the successful candidate the Center will be able to leverage the robust facilities, faculty expertise, and platforms for research on a local and global scale to address the greatest challenges to environmental and human health. Linking local and global surveillance and research efforts will provide a unique opportunity for students, fellows and faculty. More information about the Center can be found here: www.sunycehm.org.

This position offers a highly competitive hard-money state-line salary and a generous start-up package supplemented by contributions from the New York State Empire Innovation fund. The faculty member will also have access to the unique, integrated clinical-basic science research environment at UMU and the robust research facilities at ESF and its affiliated field locations including opportunities for engagement with students at all levels from undergraduate to doctoral level.

Minimum Qualifications: We are seeking applications to fill two positions from mid- to senior-career investigators for the Empire Innovation Professor who will work closely with faculty and staff throughout the Upstate and ESF campuses in developing critical mass in the SUNY Center for Environmental Health and Medicine and working collaboratively with the Center Director to establish an internationally recognized research center. One of the two positions will be housed at ESF and the other will be housed at UMU to foster interactions between internationally renowned environmental faculty at ESF and the infectious diseases researchers/clinicians at UMU. Combining the potential of ESF’s unique specialization and international reputation as a leading research institute focused on the environment with UMU’s basic, translational, and clinical research provides an unparalleled opportunity. This exclusive relationship ultimately positions the Center for Environmental Health and Medicine to develop into an internationally recognized entity. The ideal candidate should have an established research program focused on the complex relationship between the environment and human health, currently funded through competitive extramural sources that are R01 or R01-equivalent.

Application Process: Applicants should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and statement of research interests to eisearch@upstate.edu. References will be requested if you are selected as a finalist. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Official posting of this advertisement can be found at https://careers.upstate.edu/en-us/job/495332/associate-or-full-professor-of-empireinnovation

For additional information, contact Dr. Saravanan Thangamani at thangams@upstate.edu.

Assistant Professor - Mosquito/Arbovirus Research

Location: Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), Vero Beach, Florida

Salary: Commensurate with Qualifications and Experience

Review Date: For full consideration, candidates should apply and submit additional materials by Sept. 15, 2019. The position will remain open until a viable applicant pool is determined.

Duties and Responsibilities: This is a 9-month tenure-accruing position that will be 80% research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station) and 20% extension (Florida Cooperative Extension Service), available at the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida. This assignment may change in accordance with the needs of the unit. Research duties focus on the biology and control of mosquitoes and the pathogens they transmit with emphasis on developing and evaluating information and tools relevant to mosquito and pathogen management. Tenure will accrue in the Department of Entomology and Nematology. The successful candidate will participate actively in undergraduate and graduate education by chairing and serving on graduate committees, supervising thesis, dissertation and undergraduate research, and publishing research results with students. Faculty are encouraged to participate in professional development activities related to teaching and advising and may teach courses and seminars. The successful candidate will seek contract and grant funding actively to support his/her program.

Because of the IFAS land-grant mission, all faculty are expected to be supportive of and engaged in all three mission areas—Research, Teaching and Extension—regardless of the assignment split specified in the position description.

Required Qualifications: A doctorate (foreign equivalent acceptable) in a relevant biological science or a closely related discipline is required. Candidates should have demonstrated skills in verbal and written communication, interpersonal relationships, and procurement of extramural funding. Candidates must be supportive of the mission of the Land-Grant system. Candidates must also have a commitment to IFAS core values of excellence, diversity, global involvement, and accountability.

Preferred Qualifications: Postdoctoral experience is desirable. Special consideration will be given to candidates with previous experience in research dealing with mosquito/arbovirus management and related environmental effects and demonstrated experience using modern approaches and techniques in other disciplines which may include, but are not limited to molecular ecology and evolution, community ecology, chemical ecology, toxicology, population biology, tropical ecology, ecosystem ecology, conservation biology, and epidemiology of mosquito-borne diseases. Integrative and cross-disciplinary research is strongly encouraged.

For complete information and details on applying for this position, please visit http://apply.interfolio.com/65566

Assistant Professor - Mosquito Ecologist

Location: Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), Vero Beach, Florida

Salary: Commensurate with Qualifications and Experience

Review Date: For full consideration, candidates should apply and submit additional materials by Oct. 1, 2019. The position will remain open until a viable applicant pool is determined.

Duties and Responsibilities: This is a 9-month tenure-accruing position that will be 80% research and 20% extension, available at the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida. This assignment may change in accordance with the needs of the unit. Duties will include research and extension focusing on ecology of vectors and vector-borne pathogens with emphasis on field ecology of mosquitoes. Tenure will accrue in the Department of Entomology and Nematology. The successful candidate will participate actively in undergraduate and graduate education by chairing and serving on graduate committees, supervising thesis, dissertation and undergraduate research, and publishing research results with students. Faculty are encouraged to participate in professional development activities related to teaching and advising and may teach courses and seminars. The successful candidate will seek contract and grant funding actively to support his/her program.

Because of the IFAS land-grant mission, all faculty are expected to be supportive of and engaged in all three mission areas—Research, Teaching and Extension—regardless of the assignment split specified in the position description.

Required Qualifications: A doctorate (foreign equivalent acceptable) in a relevant biological science or a closely related discipline is required. Candidates should have demonstrated skills in verbal and written communication, interpersonal relationships, and procurement of extramural funding. Candidates must be supportive of the mission of the Land-Grant system. Candidates must also have a commitment to IFAS core values of excellence, diversity, global involvement, and accountability.

Preferred Qualifications: Postdoctoral experience is desirable. Special consideration will be given to candidates with research programs in field ecology of mosquitoes and vector-borne diseases and demonstrated experience using modern approaches and techniques in other disciplines which may include, but are not limited to molecular ecology and evolution, community ecology, chemical ecology, population biology, tropical ecology, ecosystem ecology, conservation biology, and epidemiology of mosquito-borne diseases. Integrative and cross-disciplinary research is strongly encouraged.

For complete information and details on applying for this position, please visit http://apply.interfolio.com/65558

POSTDOCTORAL POSITION
MODELING MOSQUITO AND TICK-BORNE DISEASE SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL

Columbia University
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology (E3B)
International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), The Earth Institute
Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-borne Diseases

A postdoctoral position is available in Maria Diuk-Wasser’s lab @ the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology (E3B), Columbia University, in collaboration with Ángel G. Muñoz at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI). The applicant will join research projects newly funded by the Department of Defense, NOAA and the CDC, and will become part of the Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-borne diseases, a collaborative network including faculty from Cornell, Columbia, Fordham and SUNY Universities, the NY State Department of Health and the Center for Vector Biology and Zoonotic Diseases in CT. The postdoctoral fellow will harness an extensive network of existing and newly acquired surveillance and control datasets to develop diagnostic and predictive models for the presence and abundance of mosquito and tick vectors and their associated pathogens. Areas of emphasis include modeling for optimal deployment of integrated tick management approaches, modeling the population dynamics and spread of mosquito and tick-borne pathogens, multimodel ensemble modeling for Aedes-borne diseases and helping develop a human mobility monitoring system for the US and the Caribbean region. The modeling platforms developed will enhance surveillance and institutional response capacity for real-time impact on vector-borne disease management.

Applicants should have a PhD in ecology, epidemiology, applied mathematics, statistics, climate sciences or a related quantitative field. Background in mathematical modeling of infectious diseases, theoretical ecology, spatial and dynamic modeling or mathematical biology is highly desirable, in addition to having strong programming, statistical and quantitative skills. A track record of research excellence is essential, as are excellent written and oral communication skills.

The position is available immediately. or full consideration, submit application by June 30 review of applications will be on-going until the position is filled. Applications should submit their CV, statement of research interests and the names of three references to:

Maria Diuk-Wasser - mad2256@columbia.edu
Dept. of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology
Columbia University
10th Fl. Schermerhorn Ext., Room 1013
1200 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027

The Vitek Vector Biology Laboratory at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has a funded graduate student (Masters’ degree) position available. The selected candidate will be involved in a vector-surveillance program along the TX/MX border and will be responsible for assisting in field work (collecting oviposition traps) as well as laboratory work (hatching eggs, identifying species, and testing insecticide resistance). This opportunity will include an annual stipend.  Funding is guaranteed for one year, and if not continued TA support is guaranteed. Applicants are also encouraged to apply for the UTRGV Presidential Graduate Award, which includes a tuition scholarship.

The Vitek lab is affiliated with the CDC-funded Western Gulf Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease and the UTRGV Center for Vector-Borne Disease.

Interested applicants should contact Dr. Vitek via email with questions or to apply (christopher.vitek@utrgv.edu). To apply, please send a letter of interest (including your research background and career goals), a CV, your transcripts (can be unofficial copy), and one letter of reference to Dr. Vitek. The accepted candidates will then need to apply to the UTRGV Graduate program to start in Fall 2019. UTRGV has a rolling admissions policy, but it is suggested to apply for admission at least 2 months prior to when you want to start.  If interested in applying for the President’s Award, please contact Dr. Vitek for details.

The Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, is seeking to recruit tenure-track faculty at an academic rank of Assistant, Associate or Full Professor with an MD, PhD, DVM or equivalent degree. 

The preferred areas of vector biology research include: i) biology of disease-transmitting vectors (mosquitos, ticks, mites, or sand flies), ii) vector-pathogen-host interactions, and iii) animal models of pathogen transmission for infectious diseases.

The successful candidate should be highly productive with an established record of extramural funding or the potential to establish robust research programs in one or more of the above areas. The successful applicant should be amenable to collaborative studies with other investigators studying the pathogenesis, ecology and epidemiology of infectious diseases in the department, and to teach and mentor graduate and medical students. Salary and academic rank are commensurate with experience; excellent benefits and highly competitive startup packages are offered.

UTMB has many highly interactive research centers, including the Western Gulf Center of Excellence for Vector-borne Diseases, one of 5 funded by the CDC. It is also home to the Galveston National Laboratory, an NIH-funded national biocontainment laboratory with excellent infrastructure to conduct research in BSL-2, -3 and -4 on diverse animal models of infectious diseases, including arthropod containment levels 1-4 and extensive insectaries. The Department, with 33 full-time faculty, is ranked among the top of its peers in NIH funding. Interested candidates should send their curriculum vitae, a statement of personal and academic goals, and names of three references electronically to:

Lynn Soong, MD, PhD, Vice Chair for Research
Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
University of Texas Medical Branch
301 University Blvd., Route 1070
Galveston, TX, 77555-1070
lysoong@utmb.edu

UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information or veteran status.  As a Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance women, minorities, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Division of Intramural Research (DIR) is seeking an outstanding scientist for a tenure-track/tenure-eligible position to carry out independent research on vector biology and arthropod-borne bacterial pathogens in the Laboratory of Bacteriology (LB), located on NIAID’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) campus in Hamilton, Montana. 

The selected candidate is expected to implement and direct a vigorous, independent research program emphasizing the bacterium-arthropod vector-mammalian host interaction triad as it relates to transmission, infectivity, disease control, or ecology. This program is expected to include studies in both arthropod vector and mammalian host infection models. RML has a long history of research on tickborne bacterial pathogens, and current research interests in LB include the arthropod-borne pathogens Borrelia, Rickettsia, Coxiella, Francisella, and Yersinia. Candidates must hold a Ph.D., D.V.M, M.D., or equivalent doctoral degree in a relevant field and have relevant postdoctoral experience. Independent resources including start-up funding, space (dedicated biosafety level [BSL]-2 and shared BSL-3/4), support personnel, and an annual budget for services, supplies, and salaries are committed to the position.

Laboratories at RML conduct high-impact, innovative basic and translational research on viral and bacterial agents with the goal of developing diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics. Research conducted at RML includes studies of vector/reservoir transmission, pathogenesis, pathophysiology, and host immune response of viral and bacterial pathogens of concern to global health. RML’s state-of-the-art facilities include an operational BSL-3 facility; a BSL-4 laboratory and animal facility that can accommodate work with small animal, nonhuman primate, and small livestock models; and core facilities for genomics, electron microscopy, and flow cytometry. RML is located in the scenic Bitterroot Valley of western Montana with easy access to some of the finest outdoor recreational opportunities in North America. See more information online at Laboratory of Bacteriology.

Salary is commensurate with experience and accomplishments. A full package of benefits (including retirement and health, life, and long-term care insurance) is available. Women and minorities are especially encouraged to apply. U.S. citizenship is not required.

Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae (CV), bibliography, and two- to three-page description of the proposed research program. Additionally, three letters of reference must be sent directly from the referees. Please include in your CV a description of mentoring and outreach activities in which you have been involved, especially those involving women and persons from other groups underrepresented in biomedical research. All application materials should be submitted to Dr. Sarah Cavanaugh at NIAIDDIRSearch@niaid.nih.gov.

Completed applications will be reviewed starting April 25, 2019 and will be accepted until the position is filled. For additional information about the position, please contact Dr. Frank DeLeo, Chief, LB, at FDeLeo@niaid.nih.gov.