The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

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

Are you passionate about advancing cancer diagnostics and digital health innovation? We are inviting applications for a Research Assistant to join a newly funded project through the Cancer Research Horizons Data Innovation Award.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the creation of the UK’s first and largest open-access multimodal dataset focused on oral, head and neck precancers and cancers. The dataset will bring together digital whole-slide pathology images, clinical photographs, genomic sequencing, and clinical outcome data, laying the foundation for AI-powered diagnostics, biomarker discovery, and personalised medicine.

You will join the vibrant NEOPATH Research Group, and work with Dr Hanya Mahmood and Professor Ali Khurram in a supportive, multidisciplinary environment at the forefront of translational oncology.

In this role, you will gain valuable, in-demand experience in:

• Multimodal dataset curation and integration
  
  
• Research data ethics, governance, and commercialisation
  
  
• AI-readiness and translational cancer research
  
  

We welcome candidates from diverse academic and professional backgrounds including health sciences, data science, biomedical informatics, and computational fields. If you’re collaborative, detail-focused, and driven to make a real-world impact, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties & Responsibilities:

• Curate, organise, and expand a high-quality, multimodal research dataset that includes histopathological whole-slide images, clinical photographs, demographic data, clinical outcomes, and genomic profiles.
• Identify and retrieve additional eligible cases from diagnostic archives and NHS clinical systems, ensuring accurate digitisation and consistent, standardised data capture.
• Collaborate with University teams (e.g., research governance, ethics, knowledge exchange, and commercialisation) to ensure all dataset activities comply with relevant legal, ethical, and regulatory requirements including those related to commercial readiness.
• Integrate additional data types (e.g., radiology, genomics) to enrich the dataset’s utility for AI-based research, clinical translation, and decision-support applications.
• Work closely with the Principal Investigator and co-investigator to support project planning, coordination, and delivery against defined milestones.
• Actively contribute to the NEOPATH Research Group, participating in regular team meetings, collaborative projects, and strategic discussions.
• Maintain meticulous, anonymised records of data acquisition, processing, storage, and sharing, ensuring compliance with all relevant ethical, legal, and governance standards.
• Lead or contribute to data quality assurance tasks, including cleaning, validation, and harmonisation, to ensure the dataset is AI-ready and suitable for open-access and/or commercial use.
• Present progress updates at internal meetings and, where appropriate, at external events, collaborator briefings, and academic conferences.
• Contribute to technical documentation, publications, and future research funding applications.
• Promote and uphold responsible research practices, robust data security, and sustainable research approaches throughout the project lifecycle.
• Undertake other duties as reasonably required and commensurate with the role and grade.

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.

Further Information

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will take place within 4 weeks of the application submission date.  This will consist of an interview and presentation, the title of which will be provided to all shortlisted candidates. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage within 2 weeks of the close of the application process.  If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact Jennie Young on j.l.young@sheffield.ac.uk who will be able to assist..

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.
• 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.

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.