Research Fellow in Infectious Disease Modelling

Hours: Full time hours considered up to a maximum of 1 FTE/ 37.5 hours per week.
Contract Type: fixed term until 30^th April 2029 / for 3 years
Grade and Salary: Grade 7 starting at £38,784 to £42,254 per annum, pro rata if part time. See current salary scales.
Expected Interview date: 27/28^th April 2026
Expected start date: From 1^st June 2026    

About the role

As the Postdoctoral Research Associate on this project, you will be at the heart of an ambitious effort to transform how we quantify the drivers of infectious disease transmission, i.e. the drivers of the effective reproduction number. Within a collaborative team, you will contribute both to cutting‑edge methodological development and to the creation of accessible, open‑source tools used by public health professionals and researchers. The project will require an interdisciplinary effort, combining epidemiology, statistical modelling, and software development.

In this role, you’ll lead the design and implementation of simulation studies, analyse real-world epidemiological datasets, develop novel statistical methods and help shape the new Rtglm package from its foundations. You’ll collaborate with national and international partners, engage with stakeholders and public contributors, and see your work directly inform best practice in epidemic analysis.

About you

We are looking for a talented, motivated and collaborative researcher who is excited by methodological innovation and real‑world impact. You will hold a PhD in a quantitative discipline such as infectious disease modelling, statistics, mathematical epidemiology, data science, or a related field.

You will bring strong analytical and coding skills, with an interest in developing robust, transparent methods and high‑quality research software. You are comfortable managing your own workload, balancing independent research with collaborative work across an interdisciplinary team.

You will communicate clearly and confidently, able to explain technical ideas to both experts and non‑specialists. You enjoy working with diverse stakeholders, from researchers and public health professionals to community contributors, and you value open, inclusive scientific practice.

Most of all, you are curious, rigorous, and eager to help build tools that strengthen epidemic preparedness and improve public health decision‑making.

About our School

Please find further information regarding the School of Life Sciences on our website.

The School of Life Sciences is proud to hold a Silver Athena Swan Award. 

Why work here

Find out more about our reward and benefits package.

Find out about our equality, diversity and inclusion

Further Key Information

Please contact Pierre Nouvellet (pierre.nouvellet@sussex.ac.uk) for informal enquiries.

For full details and how to apply, click on the ‘Apply’ button above.

The University is committed to equality and valuing diversity, and applications are particularly welcomed from women and black and minority ethnic candidates, who are under-represented in academic posts in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Mathematics (STEMM) at Sussex.

Please note that this position may be subject to ATAS clearance if you require visa sponsorship.

The University requires that work undertaken for the University is performed in the UK. 

Visa Sponsorship Queries: This role has been assigned an eligible SOC code and meets the salary requirements for Skilled Worker Sponsorship if full time and appointed at Grade 7.4. Please consult our Skilled Worker Visa information page for further information about Visa Sponsorship.  

Advert information