Research Fellow

The post will entail performing cost effectiveness analyses and other relevant health economics modelling/analysis in cancer, in a cross centre collaboration between Prof Mark Lawler, Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Prof Liam Murray, Centre for Public Health (CPH) and Dr Anna Gavin (CPH) and the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry. External collaborators include Prof Richard Sullivan, Institute of Cancer Policy, Kings College London. This is an exciting opportunity to work as part of an interdisciplinary collaboration, whose expertise spans translational cancer medicine, cancer epidemiology, cancer outcomes and cancer policy research. The successful candidate will contribute to an innovative project that will generate novel data suitable for publication in high impact journals and will also have the potential to underpin policy development. The post is funded by Cancer Focus Northern Ireland.

MAJOR DUTIES:

• To be responsible for designing and managing the conduct of cost effectiveness analyses in a series of cancer projects, including projects with a stratified medicine emphasis.
• To assist in developing a detailed project plan for the research and to liaise with colleagues on project design data collection and data analysis.
• To work with other members of the team at QUB on planning for future grant applications which will include health economics and cost effectiveness analyses and to assist in the preparation of scientific manuscripts and donor reports on the above.
• To assist with the supervision of doctoral students.
• To assist with ethical and research governance procedures in relation to these studies.
• To ensure adherence to project milestones and be responsible for regular production of progress reports.
• To draft and present regular progress reports for research team or to external audiences to disseminate and publicise research findings.
• To prepare, in consultation with research team, material for publication in national and international journals and presentations at national and international conferences.
• To carry out routine administrative tasks associated with the research project to ensure that project is completed on time and within budget, including organisation of project meeting and documentation, financial control, risk assessment of research activities. To read academic papers, journals and textbooks to keep abreast of developments in own specialism and related disciplines.

Planning and Organising:

• To ensure timely completion of specific deliverables within the research project.
• To plan for the use of research resources and workshops where appropriate.
• To plan own day-to-day activity within framework of the agreed research programme.
• To plan to meet deadlines for journal publications and to prepare presentations and papers for conferences.
• To coordinate and liaise with other members of the research group regarding progress.

Resource Management Responsibilities:

• To ensure research resources are used in an effective and efficient manner.
• To provide support and guidance as required to staff and students involved with the research.

Internal and External Relationships:

• To liaise on a regular basis with colleagues, students and key stakeholders (e.g. Cancer Focus Northern Ireland).
• To maintain existing collaborations and establish new internal/external contacts as appropriate and participate in internal/external networks for the exchange of information and to form relationships for future collaboration.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Have a relevant PhD in health economics or in a discipline in a related area.
• At least three years’ relevant experience e.g. experience of health economics of human disease.
• Experience of using data modelling and data analysis approaches.
• Experience of management, co-ordination and analyses of projects involving health economic assessment.
• A publication record commensurate with the stage of career.
• Experience of project management.
• Ability to contribute to broader management and administrative processes.
• Contribute to the School’s outreach programme by links with industry, community groups etc.
• Sufficient breadth and depth of specialist knowledge in research methods and techniques pertinent to health economic
• research. Proven ability to work in a multi-disciplinary environment as part of a research team.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills. Evidence of ability to write reports and meet deadlines.
• Evidence of ability to deal competently with administrative tasks and contribute to broader management tasks.
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly.
• Ability to build contacts and participate in internal and external networks.
• Ability to give formal presentations.
• Demonstrable intellectual ability.
• Ability to assess and organise resources.
• Ability to work independently and on own initiative.
• Ability to act decisively and confidently.
• Ability to work outside normal hours when necessary.

DESIRABLE CRITERIA:

• Strong commitment to a career in research. PhD in cancer health economics Masters in Public Health or related discipline.
• Relevant experience in cancer health economics.
• Experience in the health economics of stratified medicine.
• Experience in cancer epidemiology.
• High quality publications in the cancer health economic domain commensurate with stage of career.
• Experience of public engagement activities and disseminating research to non-academic audiences.
• Evidence of having co-ordinated research projects to successful completion.
• Proven ability to participate in or initiate collaborative research.
• Knowledge of relevant public health systems and datasets.