Research Scientist,Senior

Senior Research Scientist - Computational Cancer Epidemiology (REGAL Research Team)

Role Overview

The REGAL (Research to Eliminate Global Cancer Disparities) team at Duke University seeks a Senior Research Scientist to serve as a key scientific contributor within a high-impact, data-intensive research program focused on cancer health equity. This role is designed for an experienced and analytically rigorous investigator who combines strong methodological expertise with the ability to execute and drive complex research projects forward. The Senior Research Scientist will work closely withDr. Tomi Akinyemiju (PI)and collaborating faculty to advance the program's scientific agenda. While overall scientific direction is led by the PI and faculty, this role carries significant responsibility for translating that vision into high-quality, efficient, and methodologically rigorous research outputs. The position requires both strategic thinking and hands-on execution, including advanced data management, statistical analysis, and leadership of manuscripts and grant development.

About REGAL

REGAL is a multidisciplinary research program focused on understanding and eliminating cancer disparities through integrated, multi-level approaches spanning biological, clinical, and structural determinants of health. The program leverages large-scale cohort studies, registry data, and multi-omics platforms to generate rigorous, actionable evidence across the cancer continuum.The team includes faculty, research scientists, postdoctoral fellows, analysts, and trainees working collaboratively in a highly analytical and mission-driven environment.

About the Duke Environment

Duke University provides a highly collaborative and resource-rich environment for interdisciplinary and computational research. The Department of Population Health Sciences and Duke Cancer Institute offer access to extensive data resources, advanced analytic infrastructure, and strong collaborative networks across epidemiology, biostatistics, genomics, and clinical disciplines.

Core Responsibilities

Scientific Contribution & Project Advancement: The Senior Research Scientist will contribute substantively to advancing rigorous and impactful science within the REGAL program by helping to define research questions, develop analytic strategies, and ensure that projects are aligned with overarching program priorities. This role requires the ability to take ownership of key scientific areas and move them forward efficiently, while working in close coordination with the PI and faculty. This involves synthesizing emerging evidence, identifying opportunities for new grants and analyses or extensions of existing work, and contributing to the intellectual development of projects within the program's strategic framework

Advanced Data Management & Analytical Execution: The Senior Research Scientist will lead and execute complex data management and analytical workflows across multiple projects, ensuring data integrity, reproducibility, and methodological rigor. This includes developing and implementing data pipelines, overseeing data cleaning and harmonization, and conducting advanced statistical and computational analyses using large-scale and high-dimensional datasets. The role requires deep expertise in epidemiologic and biostatistical methods, including causal inference, survival and longitudinal modeling, and approaches for integrating multi-level data such as genomic, clinical, and social determinants of health. Hands-on coding and analytic execution are central expectations of this position.

Manuscripts, Grants & Scientific Productivity: The Senior Research Scientist will contribute to driving the program scientific output by leading the development of manuscripts, abstracts, and grant proposals. This includes independently drafting and revising manuscripts, contributing to grant applications, and ensuring that analyses are translated into clear, rigorous, and high-impact scientific products. The role requires the ability to manage multiple writing and analytic timelines simultaneously and to move projects from data to dissemination efficiently.

Project Leadership & Coordination: The Senior Research Scientist will lead the day-to-day scientific execution of projects, coordinating across team members to ensure timely and high-quality completion of deliverables. This includes developing analytic plans, tracking progress, troubleshooting challenges, and maintaining alignment between scientific objectives and project timelines. The role requires strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple complex projects in parallel.

Mentorship & Team Development: The Senior Research Scientist will provide mentorship and oversight to postdoctoral fellows, research analysts, and trainees, supporting their development in data analysis, study design, and scientific writing. This includes reviewing analytic code and outputs, providing structured feedback, and fostering a culture of rigor, accountability, and continuous learning. The role also contributes to strengthening the overall analytic capacity and productivity of the team.

Collaboration & Integration: The Senior Research Scientist will work closely with faculty and external collaborators to support interdisciplinary research efforts and collaborative projects. This includes contributing knowledgeably and respectfully to team discussions, supporting cross-institutional initiatives, and representing the program in scientific exchanges as appropriate. The role requires clear communication and the ability to work effectively across diverse teams.

Who This Role Is Designed For

This role is ideal for candidates who:

• Have a PhD in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, or a related quantitative field with substantial postdoctoral or equivalent experience
• Demonstrate advanced expertise in statistical modeling, data management, and computational analysis
• Have strong experience in cancer epidemiology, genomics, and/or social determinants of health
• Have a strong track record of leading manuscripts and contributing to grant development
• Are comfortable working both independently and collaboratively to move projects forward
• Are highly organized, detail-oriented, and committed to rigorous, reproducible science

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with large-scale or high-dimensional datasets
• Familiarity with causal inference methods and/or machine learning approaches
• Strong proficiency in R, SAS, STATA, Python, or similar tools
• Experience mentoring trainees or junior analysts

Why Join REGAL

This role offers the opportunity to contribute to a high-impact research program addressing critical questions in cancer disparities while working in a collaborative and analytically rigorous environment. The position provides the ability to take ownership of key components of the research portfolio, develop advanced methodological expertise, and contribute directly to meaningful scientific and translational impact.