Mathematical modeller infectious diseases

Transform your infectious disease modeling expertise into direct public health impact. Your mathematical models and statistical analyses will inform national health policy, intervention strategies, and outbreak responses for sexually transmitted infections in the Netherlands—working in one of Europe's leading infectious disease research teams with access to world-class surveillance and research data.

Mathematical modeller infectious diseases (English)

• RIVM
• Bilthoven
• 24 - 36 uur
• Gepromoveerd
• Schaal 11
  €4.132 - €6.275 (bruto)

Dit ga je doen

What are you going to do

As a scientist specializing in infectious disease modeling, you will use mathematical, statistical, and computational models to study the spread of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, mpox, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and hepatitis A, B, and C. You will analyze sexual behavior data to map relevant networks within specific target populations. With your expertise you support national public health in the Netherlands, working from the RIVM department of Infectious Disease Modelling.

Using these insights, you will develop and run models to trace infection dynamics and evaluate the impact of control measures. Your work will assess interventions such as treatment, vaccination, partner notification, and educational campaigns, both for the general population and for higher-risk groups. By testing these models against epidemiological data and field observations, you will provide a quantitative foundation for calculating the costs and benefits of public health actions.

You will publish your methodological advances and findings in peer-reviewed scientific journals. While rooted in the RIVM team, you will collaborate regularly across disciplines with epidemiologists, microbiologists, health economists, social scientists, and policy makers. Working in an internationally recognized team with English as the primary language, you will have access to high-quality surveillance and research data, directly informing Dutch national health policy.

The team and department

You will join the Department for Infectious Disease Modelling within the Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Surveillance (EPI). The team brings together eight senior researchers, a postdoc, four PhD students, a software engineer, and a project manager from five countries, with English as the working language. The group collaborates regularly with external partners, including Imperial College London, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and the University of Hong Kong.

We combine flexible working hours with a balanced split between working from home and at the office. Our team thrives on a supportive, respectful culture, united by a shared passion for our research and its impact on society. As a leading team in our field, we take pride in our work and the responsibilities that come with it.

Center EPI is part of RIVM, an organization of nearly three thousand colleagues dedicated to public health, safety, and sustainability. Within EPI, researchers gather surveillance data to track disease trends, investigate outbreaks, and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of control measures. This work covers areas such as the National Immunization Program, sexually transmitted infections, healthcare-associated infections, antimicrobial resistance, respiratory diseases, enteral and vector-borne infections, and zoonotic diseases. Supported by expertise in biostatistics, surveillance methodology, and mathematical modeling, these findings guide policy decisions and intervention advice for bodies like the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS), the Health Council, and Municipal Public Health Services (GGD).

This position is linked to a number of research projects that will run for at least one year. There is a possibility that this engagement will continue. Consequently, the RIVM is keen to connect with candidates interested in a long-term commitment to the organization. However, the RIVM cannot currently provide a guarantee in this regard. You will, of course, be informed in good time about whether or not your employment contract can be extended.

Dit krijg je

• Schaal 11
  €4.132 - €6.275 (bruto)
• Arbeidsovereenkomst voor bepaalde tijd
• 1 jaar
• 24 - 36 uur
• Het salaris is gebaseerd op een werkweek van 36 uur.

Dit bieden we nog meer

Naast het salaris ontvang je een Individueel Keuzebudget (IKB). Het IKB bestaat uit geld (16,50% van je bruto jaarsalaris) en tijd. Met het IKB maak jij de keuzes die bij jou passen en kun je een deel van je arbeidsvoorwaarden zelf samenstellen. Je kunt er bijvoorbeeld voor kiezen om een deel van je maandinkomen te laten uitbetalen wanneer jij dat wenst. Ook kun je dit budget omzetten in verlof en andersom of besteden aan fiscaal vriendelijke doelen. De Rijksoverheid hecht sterk aan persoonlijke groei en loopbaanontwikkeling en biedt daarvoor tal van mogelijkheden. Tot de secundaire arbeidsvoorwaarden behoren onder meer verschillende studiefaciliteiten, bedrijfsfitness, volledige vergoeding van je OV-reiskosten woon-werkverkeer en gedeeltelijk betaald ouderschapsverlof.

Ook zijn we een mantelzorgvriendelijke organisatie.

Dit vragen wij

Who are you

To be successful in this role, you will bring the following requirements:

• A PhD in a quantitative or life sciences field, such as physics, applied mathematics, computer science, mathematical biology, bioinformatics, or infectious disease epidemiology.
• Practical experience in infectious disease modeling, preferably focused on sexually transmitted infections, alongside a demonstrated record of peer-reviewed publications that showcase your ability to generate meaningful scientific insights.
• Proficiency in modern statistical methods and programming languages, preferably R, allowing you to effectively clean, analyze, visualize, and model complex population-level data.
• An adaptable and solution-oriented mindset that enables you to respond thoughtfully to shifting priorities and emerging data in a fast-paced research environment.
• Professional fluency in spoken and written English, ensuring you can clearly communicate technical findings, author research papers, and present results to international audiences.
• A collaborative approach to teamwork that allows you to build effective working relationships within a multidisciplinary, international group of researchers, economists, and policy advisors.

Hier kom je te werken

Over RIVM

Als Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM) zijn we een deskundige, betrouwbare en onafhankelijke adviseur voor overheid, professionals en burgers. Ons doel: een gezonde bevolking en een duurzame, veilige en gezonde leefomgeving. We bewaken gezondheid, ziekten, de kwaliteit van de leefomgeving én het milieu. Daarvoor doen we onderzoek en we verzamelen kennis voor toegankelijke informatie en toepasbare adviezen.

Terwijl we druk de verhuizing voorbereiden naar een prachtig nieuw gebouw op het Utrecht Science Park, werken we op ons huidige hoofdkantoor in Bilthoven met ongeveer 3000 collega’s aan al onze adviezen, rapporten, factsheets en publicaties. Daarbij laten we ons leiden door de vragen van vandaag én morgen. We doen ons werk midden in de maatschappij.

Bijzonderheden

• Bij je indiensttreding vragen we altijd om een Verklaring Omtrent Gedrag (VOG);