Junior Data Scientist

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.

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 our region including the South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) and the Yorkshire and Humber Secure Data Environment.  Together we are working to make both regional and national health and social care data available to researchers via our developing ISO27001, NHS DSPT and SDE accredited platform.

As a Junior Data Scientist within Data Connect, You will help 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 our team of Data Scientists and Data Managers to develop secure data pipelines, process and curate research datasets, maintain and refresh the data assets. 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 Junior Data Scientist will work closely with the Data specialists in Data Connect to help with the delivery of health data extract requests and critical data updates, ensuring timely and accurate execution.  Your role will involve helping troubleshoot technical challenges, providing support and guidance, and proactively identifying solutions to optimise data workflow performance and accessibility. Key responsibilities include:

• Assisting cleaning, linking, curation and processing of healthcare datasets.
• Supporting the development of data pipelines to provide approved researchers access to healthcare data extracts.
• Providing support to a range of programmes, including the ICB and the Yorkshire &
• Humber Secure Data Environment
• Monitoring and communicating progress, issues and blockers on current work with the
• Data Technical Lead and Data Connect project manager.
• Supporting the building of 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)
• Assisting with 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.
• Assisting with 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

• Database querying and management skills to curate data in line with complex specifications using using query languages such as SQL (Application / Interview)
• Experience in data cleaning and linkage of datasets in a programming language (R or Python) (Application / Interview / Task)
• Software development skills and ability to demonstrate good practice and have experience with a programming language (for example, Python) (Application / Interview / Task)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in order to communicate clearly and confidently with senior data team members and  researchers (in the NHS and elsewhere) (Application / Interview / Task)
• An understanding of how to handle sensitive data, in line with  data governance processes and  data standards (Application / Interview / Task)

Desirable criteria

• Experience in using a version control system (for example, Git) (Application / Interview / Task)