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We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

Data Connect, a service within the University's Research and Innovation IT team, is seeking an enthusiastic Data Scientist to contribute to the development and delivery of multiple health data assets. Data Connect works closely with stakeholders across the South Yorkshire region including the South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB).  Together with the ICB we are working to make both regional and national health and social care data available to researchers via our developing ISO27001:2022, NHS DSPT and SDE accredited platform.

As a Data Scientist within Data Connect, You will support a steady stream of project requests from researchers requesting health and social care data extracts and work on a range of technical deliverables that span the ‘data for research’ lifecycle.  You will collaborate with external partners to establish secure data pipelines, process and curate research datasets, maintain and refresh the data assets that Data Connect maintains. You will also provide essential support to researchers throughout the data for research lifecycle, from feasibility assessments to data delivery.

You will be working as part of a wider team that includes Project, Product and Delivery Managers, Engineers and Data Managers. By joining our dynamic team, you will have the opportunity to work with leading experts in the field and contribute to groundbreaking research that directly impacts people's lives.

Main duties and responsibilities

The Data Scientist will be a key expert for our healthcare datasets, responsible for their delivery, maintenance and improvement. Collaborating closely with the Data Technical Lead (responsible technical strategy and workflow), and research project manager you will ensure the delivery of data extract requests and critical data updates, ensuring timely and accurate execution.  Your role will involve troubleshooting technical challenges, providing support and guidance, and proactively identifying solutions to optimise data workflow performance and accessibility. Key responsibilities include:

• Being responsible for cleaning, linking, curation and processing of healthcare datasets.
• Developing pipelines to provide approved researchers access to healthcare data extracts.  
• Providing specialist support to a range of programmes, including the Yorkshire & Humber Secure Data Environment
• Providing time estimates of the work required to support proposed research projects
• Monitoring and communicating progress, issues and blockers on current work with the Data Technical Lead and Data Connect project manager.
• Building effective processes and data pipelines for projects to ensure best practice and reproducibility of the data processing tasks and where necessary identify and assess alternative solutions to ensure project objectives are met.
• Assessing, providing and assuring appropriate technical security controls for the data managed within Secure data Environments (SDEs)
• Provide technical guidance and support for the team
• Provide support for approved researchers, including validating data, spinning up virtual machines for research groups and enabling access to the relevant data as appropriate, providing support for researchers using the environment and dealing with any data, access or environment issues that arise.
• Provide technical support to improve the findability of data, providing metadata for datasets maintained within the Secure Data Environment.
• Be an active member of the team taking on data management tasks as required.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

As a member of the Research and Innovation team with IT Services, the role will also require engagement with activities to share skills, knowledge and experience more widely to improve how we work together to meet the strategic objective of the University as a whole.

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and are respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Essential criteria

• Demonstrable expertise of database querying skills and management systems to curate data in line with complex specifications using using query languages such as SQL (Application / Interview)
• Expertise in data cleaning and linkage, with experience in the storage, extraction, manipulation of complex datasets in a programming language (R or Python) using database and other data analytics technologies (Application / Interview / Task)
• Software development skills and ability to demonstrate good practice and have experience with a programming language (e.g. Python) and a version control system (e.g. Git) (Application / Interview / Task)
• Experience of working with complex technical workflows and pipelines for  managing large datasets (Application / Interview / Task)
• Ability to provide the appropriate technical support to users (including requests for changes from specifications, etc.), while ensuring that relevant technical strategies, regulatory frameworks,  policies, standards and practices (including security) are applied correctly (Application / Interview / Task)
• Ability to prepare technical plans and advise on technical aspects of solution development and integration (Application / Interview / Task)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to build internal and external networks with a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds in order to communicate clearly and confidently with stakeholders including senior researchers and data providers (in the NHS and elsewhere) (Interview)

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of data driven research applications, open research and the research data lifecycle (Application / Interview)
• Experience of handling sensitive health data, preferably with exposure to data governance process, data standards, and working within trusted research environments (TREs) and/or secure data environments (SDEs) (Application / Interview)

Further Information

Grade: 7

Salary: £38,249 - £46,735 per annum

Work arrangement: Full-time

Duration: 1x fixed-term until 31 March 2026

Line manager: Data Technical Lead

Direct reports: Junior Data Scientist

Our website: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/it-services/about (opens in new window)

For informal enquiries about this job contact Kate O’Sullivan on k.k.osullivan@sheffield.ac.uk

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will consist of an interview and technical test with a chance to meet the existing team. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage at least a week before interviews. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact it-services-recruitment@sheffield.ac.uk

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).
 

What we offer

• A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Professional Services Shared Skills Framework.
• A range of generous family-friendly policies
  • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
  • support for those going through the menopause
  • paid time off and support for fertility treatment
  • and more

More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

Criminal record

A basic  DBS check will be needed for this role. More details on the checks can be found on the Government website: gov.uk/criminal-record-checks-apply-role.

Possession of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment at the University of Sheffield. We recognise the value of steady employment in the rehabilitation process and examine each case in its own right. More information can be found on our Information for candidates page:- sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/candidates .

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision (www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.