Statistician

Job Reference Number: J84-HPS-MK-11608091
Locations: Colindale NW London
Salary: £37,175 - £39,196 INC
Hours: 37.5  
Job Type: 12 month Fixed Term Contract in the first instance
Closing Date: 10 May 2013 

Public Health England will provide strategic leadership and vision for protecting and improving the nation’s health. Its ambition is to lead nationally and enable locally a transformation in the health expectations of all people in England regardless of where they live and the circumstance of their birth. It will achieve this through the application of research, knowledge and skills. Public Health England will be an executive agency of the Department of Health, and will start on 1 April 2013. It will be a distinct delivery organisation with operational autonomy to advise and support Government, local authorities and the NHS in a professionally independent manner. 

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a statistician to conduct empirical data collection on sexual behaviour, and analyse in detail the local heterogeneity in chlamydia disease burden and coverage of testing to identify causes of disparities. The analysis will contribute to the development of a user-friendly tool to enable decision makers to explore the costs, benefits and uncertainties of introducing point-of-care (POC) testing for chlamydia infection in different clinical settings and target populations. This tool will use a dynamic transmission model of chlamydia infection, which will be developed by another person employed on this project. The project is funded by the Technology Strategy Board and is led by the HPA, with a strong group of inter-disciplinary collaborators (including Johns Hopkins, Oxford, Queen Mary, St George's, UCL, and industrial partners) involved.

This project will improve our understanding of fundamental epidemiology of chlamydia as well as developing a valuable tool. The post-holder will gain valuable experience working closely with epidemiologists, statisticians, modellers and health economists at the HPA and experts in collaborating institutions to analyse the extensive data-sets that the HPA holds (National Chlamydia Screening Programme; Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic Activity Dataset; and Chlamydia Testing Activity Dataset) and to help develop the transmission model at the heart of the decision-makers' tool. Other data that will inform the work come from the recently-completed MSTIC (Maximising STI Control) study, census data on population demography, and new data collected from clinic patients as part of this study.

The post-holder will lead on the statistical and epidemiological analysis required for this project. The diversity of chlamydia epidemiology at the local level needs to be characterised to ensure that the transmission model can represent the range of patterns observed. The post-holder will also be required to undertake empirical data collection (a survey of patient sexual behaviour in between being tested for chlamydia, receiving the result, and being treated) and to publish findings in peer-review papers. The post will be based in the HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections Department.

In summary, we are seeking an able statistician with proven high-level statistical skills and an interest in epidemiology or public health. The successful applicant will have the ability to work well in a team with colleagues in statistics, epidemiology and modelling disciplines, as well as independently.

Candidates must be able to start by 1st July.

Applicants are strongly advised to use the criteria in the person specification (available online) as sub-headings in their application to make it clear how they meet each of the selection criteria.

To apply for this job please click on the 'Apply' button below.

For further information / an informal discussion about the post, please contact Dr Anthony Nardone anthony.nardone@hpa.org.uk or Dr Peter White peter.white@hpa.org.uk.

Public Health England promotes diversity in the workplace and is an equal opportunities employer