Population, Health & Wellbeing (PHeW)

Location:  Highfield Campus
Salary:   £33,314 to £40,931
Full Time Fixed Term (until 31/01/2025)
Closing Date:  Monday 03 April 2023
Reference:  2203323WR

Be part of the world-renowned WorldPop Group at the University of Southampton, a global top 100 university (QS World Rankings 2021). WorldPop is an award winning, multi-sectoral team of researchers, technicians and project specialists working on producing data on population distributions and characteristics at high spatial resolution.  

We are seeking to recruit a Research Fellow in Spatiotemporal Statistical Modelling and Analysis to work on generating and analysing demographic and health estimates at grid square level. The research fellow will undertake spatial analyses at different geographical scales using a range of geospatial datasets and focussed principally on low and middle-income countries. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate on projects funded by the United Nations, USAID, The European Commission and other international organisations such as The Children's Investment Fund Foundation. Experience working on population dynamics and projections and population estimates for humanitarian preparedness and response is welcomed. 

We require an enthusiastic, self-motivated, and committed data analyst and statistical modeller with a strong spatial statistics background and GIS skills to principally work on (i) screening data sources and methods for modelling demographic and health indicators using a variety of spatially referenced data sources, (ii) identifying biases, gaps and challenges, as well as ways to overcome them, (iii) selecting the 'best' data (including any spatial covariates) and methods for comparisons of demographic and health metrics over time, (iv) developing/advancing and implementing suitable spatial modelling approaches, and (v) validating the modelling results, as well as assessing and quantifying their uncertainty. 

As well as joining the vibrant and well-connected WorldPop team based at the School of Geography and Environmental Science, you will have opportunities to lead high-impact publications, deliver workshops aimed at training project stakeholders and present at national and international conferences.   

Strong experience with spatiotemporal statistical analysis, geographic data, and programming are important. You will have a PhD* or equivalent professional qualifications in a computational/statistical/quantitative discipline, ideally with a focus on the quantitative social sciences, such as public health, environment, epidemiology, demography, economics, data science, or a related discipline. 

The University of Southampton offers excellent benefits including flexible/part-time working, including a generous holiday allowance of 30 days, 6 additional university closure days plus public holidays. We will support your long-term future too, with access to a generous pension scheme with the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), subsidised health and fitness facilities and a range of employee discounts. 

The School of Geography and Environmental Science is committed to fostering a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion https://www.southampton.ac.uk/geography/about/equality-diversity-and-inclusion.page . We welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates, and particularly encourage applications from candidates belonging to groups who are under-represented within academic posts at the University, including, but not limited to: people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, people who identify as LGBTQ+; and people with disabilities.   

For a full list of the role tasks and responsibilities, please see the attached Job Description & Person Specification. 

*Applications for Research Fellow positions will be considered from candidates who are working towards or nearing completion of a relevant PhD qualification. The title of Research Fellow will be applied upon successful completion of the PhD. Prior to the qualification being awarded the title of Senior Research Assistant will be given.

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Application Procedure 

The application deadline is midnight on the closing date stated above. If you need assistance, call Recruitment on  +44 (0) 23 8059 2750, or email recruitment@soton.ac.uk. Quote the advert reference on all correspondence.