Senior Research Associate

Job Summary:

The Sikora Lab at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus welcomes applications for a Senior Research Associate.

Dr. Sikora's lab is at the forefront of advancing artificial intelligence to enhance medication management in the intensive care unit. By developing foundational technologies and conducting cutting-edge research in natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) with innovative artificial intelligence (AI), the lab is dedicated to creating powerful tools that tackle critical healthcare challenges and integrate seamlessly into healthcare systems. We are seeking passionate individuals who are driven to significantly impact the field through groundbreaking research and inventive solutions.

Responsibilities also include contributing to the ideation and design of new studies, managing data cleaning and wrangling efforts, and preparing scientific communications such as abstracts, oral and poster presentations, scientific manuscripts, and research grant proposals. The projects within the lab aim to transform healthcare through AI by improving medication use.

The Department of Biomedical Informatics fosters a thriving community of researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine who are inventing and deploying advanced analytics and knowledge integration approaches. The goal of building this community is to make the Anschutz Medical Campus a leader in translating data into advances in research practice, health care delivery, and population health and in scaling these to provide nationwide benefit through innovative technologies.

Key Responsibilities:

Research (75%)

• Investigate literatures to identify existing solutions and the problem
• Develop and apply state-of-the-art natural language processing algorithms and models to multimodal data (unstructured and structured text, knowledge graph, etc)
• Design and conduct experiments to test hypotheses with applied statistics
• Analyze and interpret results, present research progress to meetings with PIs, and publish results to peer-reviewed manuscripts in conference proceedings and journals
• Assist PI with grant writing

Communication (15%)

• Prepare abstract/manuscripts for journal and conference paper submission, present at the local and international conferences.

Mentoring and collaboration (5%)

• Mentor and train other group members, such as graduate and undergraduate students.
• Pursue computational, experimental, and clinical collaborations.

Administrative Duties (5%)

• Complete required research training.
• Perform general administrative duties as requested by the PI.

Work Location:

Remote - this role is eligible to work remotely, but the employee must be in the United States.

Why Join Us:

The Department of Biomedical Informatics (DBMI), located in the magnificent new Health Science building with a fabulous view of the Rocky Mountains, provides a fantastic environment to thrive and pursue career goals. DBMI has a dedicated team for Grants Development and Scientific Writing, and a Software Engineering Team that can provide invaluable feedback to improve the quality of your code and your programming skills.

The Sikora Lab at DBMI provides a dynamic and innovative environment where cutting-edge NLP and AI research meets practical medical applications. Collaborate daily with healthcare professionals to develop solutions that have immediate and tangible effects on patient care. As the largest academic health sciences campus in the Rocky Mountain region, CU Anschutz encompasses six health professional schools, over 60 centers and institutes, and two nationally ranked partner hospitals. This vibrant department offers unique opportunities for growth, collaboration, and impact. Our location not only provides unprecedented access to urban amenities and cultural experiences in Denver but also places you minutes away from some of the nation's best outdoor activities, including hiking in the Rocky Mountains and skiing in Vail and Aspen.

The PI is committed to supporting the candidate's research progress and career development, including exploring new project areas and collaborations. With experience in grant-writing to transition to an independent position in academia, the PI will provide guidance and feedback into this direction if aligned with the candidate's goals. The Sikora Lab also provides numerous opportunities for national and international collaborations with researchers across the field of NLP, AI, Human Computer Interaction, Biomedical Informatics, Medicine, and Education.

Why work for the University?

We have AMAZING benefits and offer exceptional amounts of holiday, vacation and sick leave! The University of Colorado offers an excellent benefits package including:

• Medical: Multiple plan options
• Dental: Multiple plan options
• Additional Insurance: Disability, Life, Vision
• Retirement 401(a) Plan: Employer contributes 10% of your gross pay
• Paid Time Off: Accruals over the year
• Vacation Days: 22/year (maximum accrual 352 hours)
• Sick Days: 15/year (unlimited maximum accrual)
• Holiday Days: 10/year
• Tuition Benefit: Employees have access to this benefit on all CU campuses
• ECO Pass: Reduced rate RTD Bus and light rail service

There are many additional perks & programs with the CU Advantage.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.

• Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) or equivalent doctoral degree
• Post-graduate year one and post-graduate year two (critical care, cardiology, emergency medicine, pharmacotherapy) training or equivalent clinical training
• Three (3) years in pharmacy and/or data management and bioinformatic analyses experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Four (4) years of experience analyzing data using a programming language, such as R or python
• Experience programming and attributable source code in R, Python, or related languages that are widely used in Bioinformatics
• Excellent time management and organizational skills.
• Expertise in linux programming environment and reproducible pipelines (e.g., nf-core, singularity)

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to work collaboratively on multiple projects
• Experience with manuscript writing
• Experience with modeling in the ICU medication space

How to Apply:

For full consideration, please submit the following document(s):

1. A letter of interest describing relevant job experiences as they relate to listed job qualifications and interest in the position

2. Curriculum vitae / Resume

3. Five professional references including name, address, phone number (mobile number if appropriate), and email address

Applications are accepted electronically ONLY at www.cu.edu/cu-careers.

Questions should be directed to: DBMI.HR, dbmi.hr@cuanschutz.edu

Screening of Applications Begins:

Immediately and continues until June 23, 2025.

Anticipated Pay Range:

The starting salary range (or hiring range) for this position has been established as HIRING RANGE:

$100,000 to $125,000

The above salary range (or hiring range) represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. This position is not eligible for overtime compensation unless it is non-exempt.

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Colorado provides generous leave, health plans and retirement contributions that add to your bottom line.

Total Compensation Calculator: http://www.cu.edu/node/153125

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

The University of Colorado (CU) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

ADA Statement:

The University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADA Coordinator at hr.adacoordinator@ucdenver.edu.

Background Check Statement:

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our faculty, staff, students and visitors. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background investigations for all prospective employees.

Vaccination Statement:

CU Anschutz strongly encourages vaccination against the COVID-19 virus and other vaccine preventable diseases. If you work, visit, or volunteer in healthcare facilities or clinics operated by our affiliated hospital or clinical partners or by CU Anschutz, you will be required to comply with the vaccination and medical surveillance policies of the facilities or clinics where you work, visit, or volunteer, respectively. In addition, if you work in certain research areas or perform certain safety sensitive job duties, you must enroll in the occupational health medical surveillance program.