University of Oxford
The role
The International Severe Acute Respiratory and emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC) was created in 2011 to change the paradigm of outbreak response by integrating patient-centred research as a core component of public health response. It is grassroots, investigator-led federation of independent, hospital based clinical research networks with operations in 130 countries. ISARIC undertakes research to characterise and find new treatments for emerging infections. By improving research methods, strengthening capacity internationally, and focusing on collaboration, ISARIC enhances the collective ability to generate evidence that improves patient outcomes and reduces the impact of infectious diseases on global health.
This is an opportunity to be a part of a dynamic team creating tools that enable researchers to rapidly capture, process and analyse clinical data during and between disease outbreaks. As the Data Scientist, you will have a key role in designing, developing, and maintaining these tools, as well as supporting their use across international research institutions. The role includes engineering, adjusting, and using complex data pipelines, as well as validating, documenting, and sharing them. You will identify issues with the tools’ data, functionality, and documentation and make improvements where necessary
Leading the analysis of clinical and epidemiological data to generate new evidence is a key part of the role. You will be a part of an international team who improve the quality of data and evidence by defining better research methods, developing standard data models, and designing machine-readable data.
The post will suit someone with advanced data management, software engineering and analytical skills, who has excellent interpersonal skills.
The post will be based in the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford.
Responsibilities
You will:
- Design, build, and improve tools and methodologies for data collection and processing in collaboration with members of the ISARIC team and international partners.
- Support the implementation of reproducible data analysis pipelines.
- Develop and implement methodologies to generate datasets that enable analysis while preserving privacy, such as synthetic and anonymised data.
- Execute data analysis in collaboration with clinical teams.
- Provide training and support to clinical partners across all aspects of data capture, processing, and analysis.
- Support data management processes and queries at international sites.
- Support communication of project milestones across the ISARIC network and beyond with slides, presentations, website content and peer-reviewed publications.
- Act as a source of information and advice to other members of the group on data related methodologies and procedures.
- Other tasks as required by the team and appropriate to the role.
- Participate in and support the public engagement and widening access activities of the Department and the University. This is anticipated to be not more than 2 days per year.
- Undertake mandatory training as required by the University, Division and Department. The specific list of training courses may change from time-to-time, in response to both legal and internal University requirements
Selection criteria
Essential
- A Masters level degree in Statistics, Computing, or other numerate/related subject.
- Significant experience in data analysis.
- Proficiency in writing Python or R code for data import & manipulation.
- Ability to organise and prioritise work efficiently when under pressure – delivering results to the required standard and to an agreed schedule and to work on a variety of tasks concurrently.
- Track record of academic publications for which you were responsible for analysis.
- Meticulous approach to data handling and documentation.
- Experience using/processing large or complex datasets.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Desirable
- Understanding and/or experience of the use of health-related data for medical research.
- Experience using clinical data management software, especially REDCap.
- Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team (e.g., a team involving clinicians, scientists, etc.) and/or in wider collaborative groups.
- Experience in building and deploying informatics tools.
- Experience of source control and versioning (e.g., GitHub).
- Previous research experience.
Pre-employment screening
Standard checks
If you are offered the post, the offer will be subject to standard pre-employment checks. You will be asked to provide: proof of your right-to-work in the UK; proof of your identity; and (if we haven’t done so already) we will contact the referees you have nominated. You will also be asked to complete a health declaration so that you can tell us about any health conditions or disabilities for which you may need us to make appropriate adjustments.
Please read the candidate notes on the University’s pre-employment screening procedures at: https://www.jobs.ox.ac.uk/pre-employment-checks
How to apply
Applications are made through our e-recruitment system and you will find all the information you need about how to apply on our Jobs website https://www.jobs.ox.ac.uk/how-to-apply.
If you would like to apply, click on the Apply Now button on the ‘Job Details’ page and follow the on- screen instructions to register as a new user or log-in if you have applied previously.
As part of your application you will be asked to provide details of two referees and indicate whether we can contact them now. You will be asked to upload a CV and a supporting statement. The supporting statement must explain how you meet each of the selection criteria for the post using examples of your skills and experience. This may include experience gained in employment, education, or during career breaks (such as time out to care for dependants). Your application will be judged solely on the basis of how you demonstrate that you meet the selection criteria stated in the job description.
Please upload all documents as PDF files with your name and the document type in the filename. Please note using a long file name may prevent you from uploading your documents.
http://www.ox.ac.uk/about_the_university/jobs/research/
All applications must be received by midday UK time on the closing date stated in the online
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Information for priority candidates
A priority candidate is a University employee who is seeking redeployment because they have been advised that they are at risk of redundancy, or on grounds of ill-health/disability. Priority candidates are issued with a redeployment letter by their employing department(s).
If you are a priority candidate, please ensure that you attach your redeployment letter to your application (or email it to the contact address on the advert if the application form used for the vacancy does not allow attachments).
If you need help
Application FAQs, including technical troubleshooting advice is available at: https://staff.web.ox.ac.uk/recruitment-support-faqs. Non-technical questions about this job should be addressed to the recruiting department directly recruitment@ndm.ox.ac.uk
To return to the online application at any stage, please go to: www.recruit.ox.ac.uk.
Please note that you will receive an automated email from our online recruitment portal to confirm receipt of your application. Please check your spam/junk mail if you do not receive this email. Important information for candidates
Data Privacy
Please note that any personal data submitted to the University as part of the job application process will be processed in accordance with the GDPR and related UK data protection legislation. For further information, please see the University’s Privacy Notice for Job Applicants at: https://compliance.admin.ox.ac.uk/job-applicant-privacy-policy. The University’s Policy on Data Protection is available at: https://compliance.admin.ox.ac.uk/data-protection-policy.
The University’s policy on retirement
The University operates an Employer Justified Retirement Age (EJRA) for very senior research posts at grade RSIV/D35 and clinical equivalents E62 and E82, which with effect from 1 October 2023 will be 30 September before the 70th birthday. The justification for this is explained at: https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/the-ejra.
For existing employees on these grades, any employment beyond the retirement age is subject to approval through the procedures: https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/the-ejra.
There is no normal or fixed age at which staff in posts at other grades have to retire. Staff at these grades may elect to retire in accordance with the rules of the applicable pension scheme, as may be amended from time to time.
Equality of opportunity
Entry into employment with the University and progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit and the application of criteria which are related to the duties of each particular post and the relevant salary structure. In all cases, ability to perform the job will be the primary consideration. No applicant or member of staff shall be discriminated against because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
To apply for this job please visit my.corehr.com.