Research Associate in Bayesian Statistics

Salary: £33,966 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits . We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 03 April 2024

The Role

The School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics (MSP) at Newcastle University is seeking to recruit a Research Assistant/Associate in Bayesian Statistics managed by Dr Kevin Wilson, Dr Cristiano Villa and Prof. Fabrizio Leisen.

The project aims to bridge the Loss-based methodology to the framework of Bayesian Additive Regression Trees (BART) to deal with non-linear phenomena, building on the previous works of Dr Cristiano Villa and Prof. Fabrizio Leisen on model selection, linear regression models and Gaussian graphical models.

You will work on developing prior distributions to estimate the structure of the trees and the number of trees in a BART model by applying a novel methodology. A focus of the project is on building scalable and efficient computational tools to ease the implementation of the methodology.

You will be involved in all of the work packages of the project, and you will build on your experience in Bayesian Statistics to develop loss-based priors for BART models. You must have a solid background on computational methods for Bayesian inference to develop efficient algorithms for the new proposed modelling framework. Within the project, you will also perform theoretical modelling and data analysis, as well as disseminate your work through publications and presentations at scientific meetings.

You will join the growing Statistics group at Newcastle University and interact with the Statistics group at King’s College London. 

In addition to project-specific activities, you will be encouraged to pursue your own independent research and training.

We are committed to building and maintaining a fair and inclusive working environment. 

The position is offered on a fixed term basis for 23 months from the start date, or tenable until the project end date, whichever is soonest. Generous funds are available for travel, training and other support.

For all information enquiries about the position, please contact Dr Kevin Wilson ([email protected] ), Dr Cristiano Villa ([email protected] ) or Prof. Fabrizio Leisen ([email protected] ). 

Key Accountabilities

•    Conduct the theoretical modelling, data analysis and research along the lines of the programme of the funded project
•    Present outputs of the research from the research team to scientific and non-scientific audiences, in written and oral form
•    Contribute to the positive culture and general strengths of the research group and the School; for example, through supervision of project students, organising/participating in research events as well as participation in outreach and leading initiatives to promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
•    Any other duties that may be required from time to time, commensurate with the grade of the post

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience 
•    Excellent technical skills in computational methods for Bayesian inference and data analysis that can be applied to the aims of the project and the specific aspects of the positions listed under ‘The role’
•    A track record of high-quality research outputs related to the goals of the project (e.g., publications, software, research tools etc.)
•    Excellent communication skills, including the ability to write research publications, and to effectively communicate results to the scientific community
•    A track record of presenting research at conferences, symposia, or meetings, commensurate with stage of career
Desirable
•    Demonstrable ability to develop research proposals in collaboration with other academics
•    Experience in creating and/or delivering activities designed to promote science to the general public and/or to make science more accessible and inclusive

Attributes and Behaviour
•    Ability to work independently using own initiative and to meet deadlines
•    Demonstrable ability to work collaboratively as part of a team, including participating in research meetings and working on joint research projects
•    High level analytical and problem-solving capability
•    Ability to set own research goals, be self-motivated and proactive
•    Commitment to the values of equality, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of your work

Desirable
•    An interest in the (co-)supervision of undergraduate and/or postgraduate students
•    Demonstrable commitment to promoting a positive and healthy research culture (e.g., by actively supporting/mentoring students, supporting initiatives to improve the work environment etc.) 

Qualifications
•    PhD awarded in a relevant discipline
•    Honours Degree in a relevant discipline

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are aDisability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 26821