Application closing date: 19/10/2020
Salary: £33,797 - £39,152 per annum.
Job category/type: Research

Job description

We are recruiting for a Research Fellow in Data Analytics who will use data analytics techniques to analyse ophthalmic medical and genetic data for knowledge discovery purposes, e.g., to determine the best combination of factors related to age-related macular degeneration. The post is funded by the Macular Society. The successful candidate will work under the supervision of Dr. Ruth Hogg in the Centre for Public Health where they will assist in the analysis of NICOLA study ophthalmic data (https://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/NICOLA/ ), genetic data and research data generated by the Reading Centre (https://www.networcuk.com). 

The successful candidate will use data analytics techniques (bioinformatics, data mining, machine learning, statistics, etc.) to carry out analysis of ophthalmic medical data which includes parameters extracted from medical images, genomic, biochemistry, clinical and lifestyle data. Principal component analysis, correlation analysis, classification, sequence pattern analysis, anomaly detection, data visualization, are some of the exploration techniques which will be used. This is a varied role which includes bioinformatics, data engineering, analyses, and key visualizations using research methodologies, primarily using R.

The Research Fellow will be supported by the Faculty Postdoctoral Development Centre as part of a wider Queen’s offering which provides outstanding support to researchers to help move into an independent research or academic post.

The successful candidate must have:

• Have or about to receive a PhD in bioinformatics, genetics, statistics or other fields relevant to the technical areas of the post (Candidates about to receive their PhD should provide proof that their viva is scheduled within three months of the closing date).
• 3 years relevant experience
• Experience in working with genetic data and/or bioinformatics.
• Experience in conducting research in bioinformatics, data mining, machine learning or statistics and a publication record in line with stage of career in prestigious leading journals/conferences.
• Experience in using/developing one or more of the following data analytics techniques: principal component analysis, correlation analysis, classification, anomaly detection, sequence pattern, visualization.

The School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences is part of the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences. The School has the perfect balance of world-class teaching resources and internationally recognised research infrastructure and comprises of three education and three research centres.  

The Centre for Public (CPH) Health is committed to identifying the epidemiological and genetic risk factors that are important for the health of the individual and of the population and developing screening and interventions to reduce the burden of chronic diseases in the future, thus advancing the health of the public at a regional, national and international level, by increasing knowledge and influencing clinical and public health practice and policy.

Queen’s University Belfast is a driver of innovation and talent based on excellence. Throughout the University, our academics collaborate across disciplines and with outside agencies and institutions on projects of world significance. We are connected and networked with strategic partnerships across the world, helping us to expand our impact on wider society locally, nationally and globally. The University is committed to attracting, retaining and developing the best global talent within an environment that enables them to realise their full potential.

We are a leader in gender equality and diversity, and are one of the UK’s most successful universities in the Athena SWAN initiative which promotes gender equality and career progression. The University and the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences hold an Athena SWAN Silver award in recognition of our commitment and success in addressing gender equality, representation, progression and success for all our staff.

We are ranked 1st in the UK for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (Innovate UK), 9th in the UK for University facilities (Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2018) and 14th in the UK for research quality (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019).

Based in Belfast, a modern capital city, our beautiful campus is surrounded by abundant acres of parkland and is renowned as one of the safest and most affordable cities in the UK. There is an excellent range of local Schools from pre-nursery upwards and we are immensely proud of what our city and our University will offer you.

For full job details and essential/desirable criteria please refer to the candidate information link on our website by clicking apply. You must clearly demonstrate how you meet the criteria when you submit your application. For further information or assistance contact Resourcing Team, Queen's University Belfast, BT7 1NN. Email on resourcing@qub.ac.uk.

The University is committed to equality of opportunity and to selection on merit. We welcome applications from all sections of society and particularly from people with a disability. 

Fixed term contract posts are available for the stated period in the first instance but, in particular circumstances, may be renewed or made permanent, subject to availability of funding. 

Informal enquiries may be directed to Dr Imre Lengyel via email to i.lengyel@qub.ac.uk

Candidate Information
About the School
About the Centre
About the Group Leader
Further information for international applicants
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