Senior Research Associate in Health Data Science

We are seeking a quantitative researcher with strong skills in advanced data analytics, econometrics and/or statistics for a Senior Research Associate in Health Data Science post to work with supermarket loyalty cards big data, joining a rich interdisciplinary research environment at the Population Health Sciences at the University of Bristol. The appointment is for one year in the first instance, with a possibility for an extension. There is also a possibility of part-time employment.

This is an exciting and unique opportunity for a researcher to play a key role in the development of a novel methodology in population health. The successful applicant will conduct research activities within the multidisciplinary Transaction Data for Population Health UKRI programme funded through Dr Anya Skatova’s UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship. The programme aims to create, test and evaluate techniques to use individual shopping histories data – recorded through supermarket loyalty cards - for population health research.

The successful applicant will work on two main projects with loyalty card data resulting in first author publications. They will analyse loyalty card data for projects relevant to population health, with scope to develop projects depending on role holder’s background and interests. Possible topics include: 1) epidemiology of diseases including case when symptoms have not been recorded though medical system (e.g., management of different types of chronic pain over time, improvement in early diagnostic of ovarian and bowel cancers), 2) better understanding risk factors for consumption driven health outcomes (e.g., cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular), and 3) how decision-making and choice behaviours over time is associated with health outcomes and addictive behaviours (e.g., alcohol and tobacco consumption, diet, adherence to medication). The successful applicant will also be encouraged to contribute to collaborative grant proposals or/and develop individual fellowship proposal to continue work with loyalty cards data. 

The successful applicant will have a PhD in computer science, epidemiology, statistics, behavioural science, economics, geography, psychology or related discipline, have expertise in working with databases (e.g., SQL, Linux) and employing advanced data analytics. They will have strong computing/scripting skills (e.g., in Python and/or R), and publications in high quality journals. The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in population health and excited at the prospect of exploiting commercial data for population health research. They will be willing to learn beyond their current skill set.

Contract type: Open-ended with funding until 30/04/2025 in the first instance

Work pattern: Full-time/ 1 FTE

Grade: Grade J/ Pathway 2

Salary: £41,732 – 46,974 per annum

School/Unit: Bristol Medical School 

Shift pattern: 35 hours per week

This advert will close at23:59 GMTon 13/03/2024

For informal queries please contact: Dr Anya Skatova, [email protected] 

We recently launched our strategy  to 2030 tying together our mission, vision and values.

The University of Bristol aims to be a place where everyone feels able to be themselves and do their best in an inclusive working environment where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. We want to attract, develop, and retain individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives – particularly people of colour, LGBT+ and disabled people - because diversity of people and ideas remains integral to our excellence as a global civic institution.

We are seeking a quantitative researcher with strong skills in advanced data analytics, econometrics and/or statistics for a Senior Research Associate in Health Data Science post to work with supermarket loyalty cards big data, joining a rich interdisciplinary research environment at the Population Health Sciences at the University of Bristol. The appointment is for one year in the first instance, with a possibility for an extension. There is also a possibility of part-time employment.

This is an exciting and unique opportunity for a researcher to play a key role in the development of a novel methodology in population health. The successful applicant will conduct research activities within the multidisciplinary Transaction Data for Population Health UKRI programme funded through Dr Anya Skatova’s UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship. The programme aims to create, test and evaluate techniques to use individual shopping histories data – recorded through supermarket loyalty cards - for population health research.

The successful applicant will work on two main projects with loyalty card data resulting in first author publications. They will analyse loyalty card data for projects relevant to population health, with scope to develop projects depending on role holder’s background and interests. Possible topics include: 1) epidemiology of diseases including case when symptoms have not been recorded though medical system (e.g., management of different types of chronic pain over time, improvement in early diagnostic of ovarian and bowel cancers), 2) better understanding risk factors for consumption driven health outcomes (e.g., cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular), and 3) how decision-making and choice behaviours over time is associated with health outcomes and addictive behaviours (e.g., alcohol and tobacco consumption, diet, adherence to medication). The successful applicant will also be encouraged to contribute to collaborative grant proposals or/and develop individual fellowship proposal to continue work with loyalty cards data. 

The successful applicant will have a PhD in computer science, epidemiology, statistics, behavioural science, economics, geography, psychology or related discipline, have expertise in working with databases (e.g., SQL, Linux) and employing advanced data analytics. They will have strong computing/scripting skills (e.g., in Python and/or R), and publications in high quality journals. The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in population health and excited at the prospect of exploiting commercial data for population health research. They will be willing to learn beyond their current skill set.

Contract type: Open-ended with funding until 30/04/2025 in the first instance

Work pattern: Full-time/ 1 FTE

Grade: Grade J/ Pathway 2

Salary: £41,732 – 46,974 per annum

School/Unit: Bristol Medical School 

Shift pattern: 35 hours per week

This advert will close at23:59 GMTon 13/03/2024

For informal queries please contact: Dr Anya Skatova, [email protected] 

We recently launched our strategy  to 2030 tying together our mission, vision and values.

The University of Bristol aims to be a place where everyone feels able to be themselves and do their best in an inclusive working environment where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. We want to attract, develop, and retain individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives – particularly people of colour, LGBT+ and disabled people - because diversity of people and ideas remains integral to our excellence as a global civic institution.