JOB SUMMARY

We are currently looking for a Data Scientist to join our Scientific Data & Insight Function within the Safety & Surveillance group.
This is a full-time opportunity, on a permanent basis. The role will be based in 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf London, E14 4PU. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.
Government departments and agencies are working towards implementing a minimum 60% attendance in office sites.
We are currently implementing a flexible, hybrid way of working, with a minimum of 8 days per month working on site to enable the collaboration and contact with partners and stakeholders needed to deliver MHRA business. Attendance on site is driven by business needs so depending on the nature of the role, this can flex up to 12 days a month, with the remainder of time worked either remotely or in the office. Some roles will need to be on site more regularly.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Our successful candidate will have:
-
A PhD in Computer Science, Statistics, Machine Learning, Data Science or a similar quantitative discipline or demonstrable equivalent professional experience.
-
Strong experience of using machine learning or data science to analyse and model large datasets.
-
Experience of working collaboratively within multidisciplinary data science teams and delivering results in a timely way.
-
Demonstrable technical knowledge and skills in at least one of the following domains: mathematical statistics, machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, Bayesian inference.
-
Experience of communicating complex data science concepts and results effectively to a wide range of stakeholders.
If you would like to find out more about this fantastic opportunity, please read our Job Description and Person Specification!
Please note: The job description may not open in some internet browsers. Please use Chrome or Microsoft Edge. If you have any issue viewing the job description, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk

IN THE INSTANCE THAT WE RECEIVE A HIGH NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS, WE WILL HOLD AN INITIAL SIFT BASED ON THE LEAD CRITERIA OF FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE WITH MACHINE LEARNING TECHNIQUES

Applicants are assessed on whether they meet any mandatory requirements as well as the necessary skills and experience for the role. Applications are scored based on the competency-based answers provided- ensure you have read these thoroughly and allow sufficient time. You can view the competencies for this role in the job description.

NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements

WHAT’S THE ROLE?

This role supports the Agency’s mission to protect public health by applying advanced data science and machine learning techniques to enhance vigilance and safety monitoring of medicines, vaccines, and medical devices.
The post holder will develop and implement innovative analytical approaches. They will collaborate across functions to solve complex data challenges, drawing on expertise from a range of scientific and regulatory disciplines.
Strong communication skills are essential, as the role requires translating complex analyses into clear, actionable insights for colleagues across the Safety and Surveillance Group and the wider Agency.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Apply data science and machine learning approaches to large and complex datasets using programming languages such as Python, R, or Julia to generate actionable insights and robust evidence.
• Communicate approaches and results clearly and effectively to a wide range of stakeholders, including using data visualisation methods.
• Work cross-functionally to enable the delivery of innovative evidence-generation and collaborate with external partners to enable data-driven discovery in medical product safety.
• Apply analytical methods to patient data collated through vigilance systems to support assessment of the safety of medicines and medical devices and advise on the refinement of AI tools for data processing.

Certain roles within the MHRA will require post holders to have vaccinations, and in some circumstances, routine health surveillance. These roles include:

• Laboratory-based roles working directly with known pathogens
• Maintenance roles, particularly those required to work in laboratory settings
• Roles that involve visiting other establishments where vaccination is required
• Roles required to travel overseas where specific vaccination may be required