Research Assistant/ Research Fellow in Computational Social Science

About the role

We are seeking a motivated and skilled Computational Social Scientist to join our interdisciplinary team as a Research Assistant or Research Fellow focused on simulating the spread of infectious diseases in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. The postholder will: design the waterborne component of the simulation framework; work together with the team, develop and test the waterborne component of the model, alongside examples of specific water-borne diseases (especially Cholera and Typhoid); identify and process sources of spatial water and water-source information; identify gaps in the availability of such data and candidate options to proactively address such issues; develop and test scenarios to demonstrate the impact of water-borne disease in ABMs; leverage machine learning techniques to predict trends and improve decision-making; address challenges related to data quality, bias, and scalability; work closely with colleagues at Zimbabwe Infectious Disease Modelling Consortium, Médecins Sans Frontières, etc; work closely with city officials, urban planners, and community stakeholders in the target countries; conduct original research in the field of disease modelling; publish findings in reputable conferences and journals; present research outcomes at relevant workshops and seminars; ensure project milestones are met within specified timelines. This is a fixed term post available from 1st May and it is funded until 31/10/ in the first instance. Starting salary (at Grade 7, Research Fellow) offered will be in the range of £43, - £45, per annum inclusive of London Allowance, due to limited amount of funding available. Appointment at Grade 7 is dependent upon having been awarded a PhD; if this is not the case, initial appointment will be at Research Assistant Grade 6B (salary - £38,–£41, including London Allowance per annum) with payment at Grade 7 being backdated to the date of final submission of the PhD thesis. This appointment is subject to UCL Terms and Conditions of Service for Research and Professional Services Staff. Please visit for more information. We will consider applications to work on a part-time, flexible and job share basis wherever possible. For any queries about the role please contact Dr Sarah Wise (). The interviews with shortlisted candidates are planned to take place on 11th April. A job description and person specification can be accessed at the bottom of this page. To apply for the vacancy please click on the ‘Apply Now’ button below.

About you

The postholder will have a degree in a relevant discipline and/or relevant professional experience. Disciplines such as Geography, Planning, and Computational Social Science are likely to be relevant, though other relevant or equivalent qualifications may be considered. Appointment at Grade 7 requires a completed PhD in a relevant discipline. Other essential criteria include: experience of working with spatially explicit agent-based models; experience of applying technical/coding skills to solve real-world problems; experience working with Java, Python, and at least one statistical framework (eg R, Stata, etc); experience working with project partners remotely and in-person; experience working at sub-Saharan Africa (SSA); experience with disease modelling, healthcare analysis, or epidemiology – especially working with waterborne diseases; background in computational social science, spatial or geographic data science, or urban analytics; proficiency in Python and working knowledge of Java; sufficient knowledge of subject area, and of quantitative research methods and techniques, to work effectively with the research team; excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills; ability to analyse and organise resources in order to manage time and workload effectively and to work as part of a team; ability to communicate material of a specialist or highly technical nature and to be effective both orally and in writing at a level appropriate to the activity, including public presentations; reliable and professional with a can-do attitude; willingness and ability to work collaboratively; adaptability and an ability to act autonomously and creatively; commitment to continuous professional development. For full list of essential and desirable criteria, please see a job description and person specification at the bottom of this page.

What we offer

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits some of which are below: - 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days); - Additional 5 days’ annual leave purchase scheme; - Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE); - Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan; - Immigration loan Relocation scheme for certain posts; - On-Site nursery; - Onsite gym; - Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay; - Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service; - Discounted medical insurance.