Biostatistician

This is an exciting opportunity to join one of the largest UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC) registered clinical trials units in the country. The Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit (CRCTU) is a Department within the School of Medical Sciences at the University of Birmingham. The CRCTU employs a multidisciplinary team of around 200 staff including statisticians, trial management staff, research nurses, monitors, programmers, administrators and IT staff. It specialises in running early and late phase clinical trials in adults and children. Alongside trials portfolios in a broad range of adult solid cancers and haemato-oncology, CRCTU is the national lead for prestigious programmes of children’s cancer and leukaemia trials. The unit also includes two trials teams dedicated to non-cancer trials: the Diagnostics, Drugs, Devices and Biomarkers team (D3B), running mainly early-phase trials, and the Inflammation, Advanced and Cellular Therapy (I-ACT)team, specialising in trials in rheumatology and advanced therapies.

The post holder will work within the CRCTU Biostatistics Group, which currently include 28 biostatisticians, who are working on trials and methodological projects, mainly in adult and paediatric oncology. This post provides an excellent opportunity for a biostatistician to apply their experience and expertise within a leading academic trials unit undertaking methodologically challenging research.

Role Summary

This post is for a Biostatistician to be the main statistical scientist for a methodological project on improving statistical methods for the design and analysis of clinical trials in paediatric cancer, funded by the UKRI Better Methods, Better Research Programme. This project will focus on the use of ordinal longitudinal outcomes and appropriate statistical modelling, investigating whether use of these methods will improve statistical efficiency, and exploring specification of outcomes and presentation of the results.

The post holder will co-ordinate the project, in collaboration with the investigators, ensuring that its aims are achieved on time and on budget. The project will involve liaison with the project investigators (in Birmingham and other institutions), as well as clinicians and patient representatives. The post holder will also take the lead in presentation and publication of the project’s outputs.

The Biostatistician will have opportunities to collaborate with other members of the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit (CRCTU) Biostatistics Group on various projects, and to contribute to teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Person Specification

MSc in medical statistics (or equivalent qualifications), or relevant technical qualification and considerable relevant experience. Where no equivalent qualification is held, significant practical relevant experience and expertise in a series of more demanding roles will be required demonstrating the conceptual understanding required.

Informal enquiries can be made to Professor Simon Gates, email: S.Gates@bham.ac.uk

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the 'Apply' button above.