Assistant/Associate Specialist For the Department of Public Health Sciences-Informatics Division

NATURE AND PURPOSE

The Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of California Davis, School of Medicine is recruiting for a full- or part-time Specialist at the Assistant/Associate rank in Health Informatics.

The position of Specialist has a narrow focus in a specialized area and provides technical expertise in the planning and execution of research projects involving artificial intelligence (AI), natural language processing (NLP), and clinical research informatics. The Specialist applies professional knowledge to support research activities, maintains technical competence in designated areas of specialization, and stays informed of emerging developments in AI-enabled clinical research. Under the direction of the Principal Investigator (PI), the Specialist collaborates with faculty, staff, and research partners to advance research objectives and contributes to the development of research methods, datasets, analyses, and scholarly products.

Normally, Specialists do not have Principal Investigator (PI) status but may obtain permission by exception and/or collaborate with a PI in preparing research proposals for extramural funding. The Specialist is evaluated for merit and promotion using three basic criteria outlined below.

The incumbent will work under the supervision of Dr. Anderson and be able to work cooperatively and collegially in a diverse environment.

I. RESEARCH (90% EFFORT)

A. AI and Pilot Data Research Support

• Apply knowledge of generative AI, NLP, and related technologies to support research initiatives.
• Develop and maintain pilot datasets and research materials used for workflow development, model evaluation, and training activities.
• Organize, validate, and document research datasets, including data provenance and quality assurance procedures.
• Collaborate with research staff and project stakeholders to identify project requirements and implement research workflows.

B. Clinical Research Informatics Support

• Analyze and document user requirements, workflows, and functional specifications for AI-enabled clinical research projects.
• Coordinate with clinical and research stakeholders to gather and synthesize project information.
• Prepare technical documentation, reports, and summaries supporting research objectives and system implementation.
• Identify opportunities to integrate AI technologies with existing clinical research systems and informatics infrastructure.

C. Model Evaluation and Dataset Development

• Develop, curate, and maintain datasets supporting AI model development and evaluation.
• Perform annotation, labeling, quality control, and curation activities for NLP and machine learning research.
• Conduct evaluations of language models and related AI technologies using established research methodologies.
• Analyze evaluation results and prepare summaries of research findings.
• Contribute to manuscripts, abstracts, presentations, posters, technical reports, and other scholarly products.
• Build and maintain evaluation frameworks and benchmarks to assess model performance, reliability, consistency, and safety in clinical research workflows.
• Document AI methods, data provenance, architectural limitations, and evaluation results to ensure reproducibility and appropriate use.
• Support weekly laboratory meetings and journal clubs through presentation of technical findings and evaluations.
• Participate actively in research meetings, journal clubs, and collaborative scientific discussions.

D. AI Technology Assessment

• Evaluate emerging AI models, platforms, and technologies for applicability to ongoing research projects.
• Design and conduct comparative assessments of prompting strategies, retrieval methods, and model configurations under the direction of the PI.
• Maintain detailed documentation of experimental procedures, model performance, and research outcomes.
• Prepare comparative analyses and recommendations regarding research technologies and methodologies.
• Evaluate LLM architectures, agentic frameworks, APIs, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) approaches, and prompt engineering strategies for clinical research applications.
• Compare candidate models across accuracy, latency, cost, privacy, and regulatory considerations.

E. Literature Review and Research Support

• Conduct comprehensive literature reviews related to artificial intelligence, natural language processing, health informatics, and clinical research.
• Critically evaluate and summarize findings from peer-reviewed publications and technical reports.
• Maintain organized reference libraries and documentation of relevant software tools and research resources.
• Present literature reviews, technical updates, and research progress to project investigators and collaborators/
• Maintain a curated knowledge base of emerging AI methods, benchmarks, software tools, and regulatory guidance relevant to health AI.

II. PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE AND ACTIVITY (8% EFFORT)

• Maintain current knowledge of developments in AI, NLP, clinical research informatics, and related fields.
• Complete and maintain required certifications and compliance training, including Human Subjects Research, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Responsible Conduct of Research, and University cybersecurity requirements.
• Participate in regular meetings with the PI and research team to discuss research progress, technical challenges, and project priorities.
• Pursue professional development activities that enhance technical and research competencies relevant to project objectives.

III. UNIVERSITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE (2% EFFORT)

• Participate in departmental, school, and university service activities, as appropriate.
• Provide guidance and technical assistance to undergraduate student assistants, interns, and other research personnel.
• Contribute to collaborative, interdisciplinary, and team-based research initiatives within the program.

This recruitment is conducted at the assistant/associate rank. The resulting hire will be at the assistant/associate rank, regardless of the proposed appointee's qualifications.

For the full position description and to apply, visit: recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF07805

A bachelor's degree plus three or more years of research experience or a master's degree in Informatics or a relevant field.

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate that they are legally authorized to work in the United States. The University will not offer sponsorship of a visa for this position.

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

Please provide the names and contact information for at least three professional references.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

To implement this process, UC Davis requires all applicants for any open search to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled, "Authorization to Release Information" into UC RECRUIT as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration.

UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UC Davis positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check.

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all employees and students. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service are embodied by members of our academic community who share our commitment to these values. A variety of resources and programs are available to academics, staff, and students that reflect the core values reflected in our strategic plan: "To Boldly Go," our Principles of Community, the Office of Academic Affairs' Mission Statement, and the UC Board of Regents Policy 4400.

UC Davis is also a national leader in inclusive practice. There are numerous links available on the About Us webpage where you can learn more about our administration, campus rankings, locations, campus safety, sustainability, visiting UC Davis and UC Davis Health.

The university is consistently ranked among the top institutions in the world for campus sustainability practices by the UI Green Metric World University Rankings. UC Davis is focused on achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and repeatedly shown its commitment to preserving a healthy and sustainable environment for generations to come.

The University of California and UC Davis are committed to offering a wide variety of benefits for employees. The University of California Employee benefits and UC Davis New Employee benefits webpages have additional information.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.