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Current opportunities to join the Usher Institute.
A summary of current Usher Institute vacancies is provided below. Applications usually close at 5pm on the noted date.
Please note that all Usher Institute vacancies are advertised on the vacancies section of the University of Edinburgh Jobs website, where it is possible to set up personalised email notifications for future vacancies of interest.
Statistical Geneticist
Closing Date: 27-Jul-2020
The Centre for Global Health Research at the Usher Institute within The University of Edinburgh seeks an experienced Statistical Geneticist.
The post holder will support the work of Prof Evropi Theodoratou’s group in cancer, genetic and molecular epidemiology. Cancer of the large bowel (or colorectal cancer - CRC) is one of the commonest causes of cancer death in the UK, but is potentially preventable by understanding the genetic basis of the disease. The position on offer, funded by Cancer Research UK, will be a key replacement post in Prof Theodoratou’s research group. The post holder would work alongside the highly successful University of Edinburgh Colon Cancer Genetics Group to further ongoing efforts to elucidate the genetic basis of CRC.
The group has amassed very large genotype, phenotype and clinical datasets. The overall aims of the CRUK-funded programme of work are: to construct and validate risk prediction models for CRC for clinical and/or public health benefit; to conduct gene-environment and gene-gene interaction studies; to perform Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) and Phenome Wide Association Studies; and to apply Mendelian Randomisation and Instrumental Variable methods.
The work will be set in the context of a highly integrated and collaborative environment within the Usher Institute and the Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, and will require teamwork with long term collaborators (within the UK and internationally). The post holder will develop new research ideas and will contribute to scientific direction and replication studies. Duties will also include application of innovative computational approaches and working alongside other Unit scientists to analyse large datasets.
Salary: UE07 £33,797 to £40,322
Research Fellow
Closing Date: 31-Jul-2020
The Centre for Medical Informatics at the Usher Institute within The University of Edinburgh seeks an experienced data scientist to conduct original research as a key member of the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and Alan Turing Institute funded project “Uncovering retinal microvascular predictors of compromised brain haemodynamics in small vessel disease” aimed at discovering associations between the compromised brain haemodynamics observed in small vessel disease (SVD) and retinal vascular phenotypes derived from optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images.
The successful candidate will be able to capitalise on data already acquired in two ongoing longitudinal studies on cerebral SVD and over a decade of experience in retinal image processing in Edinburgh. Co-PIs Wardlaw and Bernabeu are internationally recognised experts in SVD and cardiovascular mathematical modelling, respectively.
The successful candidate will conduct original research, centred around a) establishing a standard for OCTA image segmentation with particular emphasis on its robustness and applicability to routinely acquired data, b) developing novel metrics to characterise the structure and temporal evolution of microvascular networks based on the principles of Network Science and Machine Learning, c) investigating associations between OCTA-derived retinal microvascular phenotypes and compromised brain haemodynamics (cerebrovascular reactivity, cerebral blood flow, and blood brain barrier leak as well as cross-sectional and longitudinal lesion and diffusion tensor imaging changes).
Salary: UE07 £33,797 to £40,322
Senior Teaching Fellow and Programme Director
Closing Date: 31-Jul-2020
Previous applicants need not reapply
The University of Edinburgh Health & Social Care Data Driven Innovation programme seeks to appoint an experienced Teaching Fellow and Programme Director for the development and delivery of a new online Master of Science (MSc) in Epidemiology.
Based within the Usher Institute, the post-holder will be an epidemiologist with a strong interest in teaching. The post-holder will lead in the development, co-ordination and online delivery of epidemiology teaching and will have overall operational responsibility for the programme, including coordination of the dissertation component. In the initial, development phase of the programme, the main emphasis will be on curriculum design and course development. The emphasis will shift to dissertation coordination, course organisation, teaching and supervision once the programme launches (September 2021).
The post-holder will need to be able to work autonomously to plan a complex programme of work and must be able to co-ordinate and manage the work of others involved in teaching delivery. We are seeking a self – motivated Director with an academic background in epidemiology and a detailed knowledge of current online teaching and learning methods in higher education. You must be able to able to work both independently and collaboratively, initiate and organise activities, and manage and develop others.
The post is part time (17.5 hours per week), for 2 years in the first instance. It is anticipated interviews will take place mid-August 2020.
Salary: UE09 £52,559 to £59,135 pro rata for 17.5 hours
Research Fellow
Closing Date: 06-Aug-2020
The Usher Institute at the University of Edinburgh is seeking a highly skilled and motivated epidemiologist/research fellow to work in the field of vascular disease, including both the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral vascular diseases and the development of vascular complications of type 2 diabetes. The primary role will be to undertake a series of high quality systematic reviews on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases, including abdominal aortic aneurysm, venous thromboembolism and peripheral arterial disease, within the core programme of work which constitutes the CSO funded research project, Cochrane Vascular, one of 25 Cochrane review groups based in the UK. The main purpose of this work is to identify key areas of clinical importance to the management of peripheral vascular disease globally, and to produce and disseminate high quality evidence to guide clinical management, using state-of-the art systematic review methodology. They will also have a data management, quality control and supervisory role for a well-established epidemiological study (the Edinburgh Type 2 Diabetes Study), which aims to identify biomarkers and potential aetiological risk factors for vascular complications affecting people with type 2 diabetes.
The incumbent will work closely with Professors Jackie Price and Gerard Stansby, experts in epidemiological research and clinical management of peripheral vascular diseases, and with Dr Marlene Stewart, senior research fellow and Cochrane Vascular managing editor, as well as other members of the Cochrane Vascular research group based in the Usher Institute. They will work in collaboration with a wide range of researchers and clinicians both locally and world-wide to develop (i) a series of up-to-date systematic reviews, including synthesis of evidence from original studies, ranging from standard intervention and diagnostic test accuracy reviews to more complex methodological approaches such as network meta-analysis and prognosis reviews, (ii) original projects and publications relating to vascular complications of type 2 diabetes, including student projects.
Salary: UE07 £33,797 to £40,322 pro rata for 20 hours
BREATHE Patient & Public Involvement Coordinator
Closing Date: 10-Aug-2020
The Usher Institute within The University of Edinburgh seeks to appoint an experienced Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Coordinator for BREATHE – The Health Data Research Hub for Respiratory Health.
The BREATHE Hub aims to transform the UK’s respiratory health through creating Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR) respiratory rich datasets; providing responsible and safe access to health data as well as providing research and innovation services to help answer health and care questions.
BREATHE is a UK wide consortium involving many of the UK’s leading respiratory academics, and key collaborators from the government, industry and the third sector. BREATHE is led by Professor Aziz Sheikh and will based in and co-ordinated from the Usher Institute at the University of Edinburgh with satellite offices based at Imperial College London, Nottingham, QMUL, Leicester and Swansea Universities
The Patient and Public Involvement Coordinator will develop effective working relationships with patients, the public, lay leads, Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) colleagues in the Hub and across other Hubs/organisations as well as wider colleagues and stakeholders to ensure an integrated strategy for Patient and Public Involvement is developed and delivered for BREATHE and aligns across other HD RUK Hubs.
The successful candidate will be proactive, have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and experience of Patient and Public Involvement in healthcare research. Experience of developing productive working relationships across a range of contexts (e.g. NHS, industry, academia, third sector) to successfully deliver projects will be an advantage.
The post is available immediately, part-time (17.5 hours per week) and available until 31st August 2022
Salary: UE07 £33,797 to £40,322 pro rata for 17.5 hours
BREATHE Digitally Enabled Trials Theme Lead and Data Coordinator
Closing Date: 19-Aug-2020
The Usher Institute within The University of Edinburgh seeks to appoint a Digitally Enabled Trials Theme Manager and Data Coordinator for BREATHE – The Health Data Research Hub for Respiratory Health (www.ed.ac.uk/usher/breathe).
The postholder will work closely with the Hub team, in particular the Leads of the Digitally Enabled Trials theme, BREATHE Operations team, colleagues leading and working on the other themes and workstreams, and other data scientists in partner sites, to provide coordination and support needed to deliver the BREATHE Hub activities.
The BREATHE Hub aims to transform the UK’s respiratory health through creating Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR) respiratory rich datasets; providing responsible and safe access to health data as well as providing research and innovation services to help answer health and care questions.
BREATHE is a UK wide consortium involving many of the UK’s leading respiratory academics, and key collaborators from the government, industry and the third sector. BREATHE is led by Professor Aziz Sheikh and will based in and co-ordinated from the Usher Institute at the University of Edinburgh with satellite offices based at Imperial College London, Nottingham, QMUL, Leicester and Swansea Universities
The successful candidate will have a sound understanding of innovative trial methodologies and experience of working with health records and health informatics. As well as excellent project management skills and effective people management skills.
The post is available immediately, full-time (35 hours per week) and available until 31st August 2022
Salary: UE08 £41,526 to - £49,553
Chief Operating Officer
Closing Date: 20-Aug-2020
The Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit at the Usher Institute within The University of Edinburgh seeks an exceptional Chief Operating Officer, reporting directly to the Director of ECTU.
ECTU is a fully registered UKCRC Clinical Trials Unit (www.ukcrc-ctu.org.uk) with around 65 FTE staff and a trial portfolio of around 50 active studies with currently overall funding to the University of around £50m of which £12m comes to ECTU, whose annual turnover of around £3m. The post holder will be responsible for managing ECTU, ensuring the day to day activities of the various teams (statistics, trial management, data management & programming, clinical nurses, health economics, and business team) within ECTU are co-ordinated efficiently, delivering the ECTU portfolio of studies to the quality required according to the scientific, legal and ethical requirements around clinical trials.
The post holder will take a leading role in the ECTU Senior Management Team, ensuring that ECTU realise its goal of the design and delivery of world class clinical trials that inform clinical practice, and will represent the ECTU within Usher, College Medicine Veterinary Medicine, and the University, as well as nationally and internationally. The post will involve contributing to the strategic vision of ECTU, in terms of personnel, budgets, and space requirements, and assessing ECTU performance against agreed targets.
Successful candidate will be an experienced manager, have a relevant degree, significant operations management experience, have excellent people management skills, with the ability to understand and marshal the resource requirements for this complex trials portfolio across many clinical disciplines and from many different funders (public, commercial, and charitable). These trials are challenging to implement and deliver, and have complex and changing milestones, so flexibility in managing the delivery of projects is essential. The post holder will need excellent prioritisation skills, and be able to communicate effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders – clinicians, methodologists, research support personnel, university and NHS management and administration, and funders.
The post is available from September 2020, full time (35 hours per week) and available for 2 years in first instance, extension will be subject to ongoing funding.
Salary: UE09 £52,559 to £59,135