The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington is accepting applications for its Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Fellowship, a paid, two-year postdoctoral training programme based in Seattle. Fellows work directly on the Global Burden of Disease study, the world’s most complete effort to measure health loss and its causes. Applications close on 21 December at 11:59 PM Eastern Time, and review is rolling, so applying early is a genuine advantage.
This is not a fellowship where you sit apart from the work. You join the team that produces the estimates and learn the methods from the inside.
What fellows actually do
Fellows work inside the established research areas of the study. They extract and standardise data from surveys, vital records, censuses and published research, then build and refine statistical models in R or Python and check results against production deadlines. That production work is the heart of the fellowship.
Fellows also take an intensive Boot Camp with their cohort, rotate across IHME teams, and draft and co-author peer-reviewed papers. Later in the programme, they mentor junior staff and lead internal training sessions.
Key facts at a glance
| Detail | What the official page states |
| Organisation | Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington |
| Location | Seattle, Washington, USA (full-time, in person) |
| Length | Two years, possible third-year extension |
| Salary | $105,000 in year one; $108,156 in year two; $112,488 in year three |
| Start | September |
| Deadline | 21 December, 11:59 PM Eastern Time |
| Application route | Interfolio |
The pay, in plain terms
The salary is set out clearly on the official page and rises each year. In year one it is $105,000, or $8,750 a month. In year two it is $108,156, or $9,013 a month. A third year, if the fellowship is extended, pays $112,488, or $9,374 a month.
Renewal each year depends on performance and funding. Fellows also receive medical, dental and vision cover, paid leave, retirement plans and tuition exemption. International applicants are welcome, and the University of Washington sponsors visas.
Check yourself before you apply
The eligibility rules are strict, so check yourself honestly before you apply.
You are a strong fit if you:
- hold a PhD, MD, DPhil or a foreign equivalent, or you are a doctoral student finishing before the start date;
- have a degree built on strong quantitative methods, such as epidemiology, biostatistics, economics or statistics;
- have research experience in data analysis and statistics, and strong programming skills in R or Python;
- are no more than five years past your most recent degree, with no more than three years of earlier postdoctoral experience;
- already know basic GBD terms such as DALYs, YLLs, YLDs and uncertainty intervals.
Do not apply if you cannot move to Seattle and work in person every day: the fellowship is full-time, not remote or hybrid. Do not apply if you plan to stay enrolled in another programme or hold another position.
How the two years are shaped
The first year is about learning the study and settling into IHME’s teams. It opens with a four-to-six-week Boot Camp covering the institute’s research projects and methods. Rotations across teams then show you how the estimates are produced.
The second year shifts towards independence: fellows take ownership of their analyses and prepare for their next career step. Short courses and a faculty mentor support them.
Writing four short essays that do real work
The application asks for four short essays. The research essay, up to 300 words, should state what you have studied and what you found. The essay on your contribution to GBD, up to 200 words, should name a research area you could strengthen. The production work essay, also up to 200 words, should describe experience with data cleaning, modelling, or checking results under time pressure.
The final essay, up to 250 words, asks why this fellowship and why now. You may use writing or editing tools, including AI, but everything you submit must be accurate and describe your own experience.
How to apply
- Read the full fellowship page on the IHME website before you prepare anything.
- New to this field? Work through the GBD Learning Center first.
- Open the Interfolio page and read the full essay prompts there.
- Prepare your CV and four short essays, each inside its word limit.
- List three references with names and contact details. Letters are not needed yet.
- Submit through Interfolio before 21 December at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
What happens after you apply
Because review is rolling, interviews can be scheduled as materials arrive, so a strong early application may hear back sooner. Interviews run in winter, with final-round interviews in person in early spring and decisions in spring. The fellowship begins in September in Seattle. While you wait, keep your references informed and finish your doctorate before the start date.
Common questions
Q: Who can apply for this fellowship?
A: Early-career researchers who hold a PhD, MD, DPhil or a foreign equivalent, or doctoral students finishing before the September start, with strong programming skills in R or Python.
Q: What is the salary?
A: The official page states $105,000 in year one, $108,156 in year two, and $112,488 in a third year if extended. Fellows also receive medical, dental and vision cover, paid leave and tuition exemption.
Q: Can international applicants apply, and is a visa sponsored?
A: Yes. International applicants are welcome, and the University of Washington sponsors visas for this position. You must be on site in Seattle on the first day.
Q: What does the application include?
A: A CV, responses to four short-essay questions, and the names and contact details of three references. Letters are not required yet. Apply through Interfolio before 21 December at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
If your research is quantitative and you can move to Seattle, this fellowship is worth applying for. Also compare the EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships and the Harvard W. E. B. Du Bois Fellows Program on this site.
