Job Description

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Assistant to join a new Oxford-GSK partnership focused on biostatistics and artificial intelligence (AI) for application in medicine.

With a cross-departmental base, the partnership will bring together the University of Oxford's expertise in statistics, mathematics, engineering and AI with industry scientists. Within the partnership, small research teams will focus on ambitious, 'blue sky' research for novel methods development relevant for drug discovery analysis pipelines, trial design and operational efficiency.

Led by Professor Chris Holmes, and with scientific oversight from Oxford Principal Investigators and GSK scientists, the centre will initially focus on some of the following thematic areas:

Decision analysis under model misspecification

Uncertainty quantification around LLMs

Constrained optimal experimental design (active learning)

Combining models and combining data / Realistic simulation of clinical trials

Developing LLMs to utilise ODEs and ProbML as tools; Code synthesis for causality

Generalisability, transportabilty and validation of multiomics ML across biobanks


As the Postdoctoral Research Assistant, you will be responsible for managing your own research project within one of the collaboration's key thematic areas. You will work closely with at least one of the Oxford Principal Investigators, as well as with industry scientists to agree clear task objectives, organise work and delegate as appropriate, keeping accurate and comprehensive records of work undertaken. You will contribute intellectually to the development of projects within the partnership, developing new methods and performing analyses, for example relevant to drug discovery analysis pipelines, trial design and operational efficiency. Other responsibilities will include working within clinical researchers associated with the project, taking responsibility for completion of data analysis, and helping with the supervision of PhD students working on projects as part of the initiative. You will communicate on a regular basis with the relevant Oxford Principal Investigators, GSK scientists and the wider team on all issues relating to the development and application of new methods, ensuring they are kept fully up to date with progress and difficulties in the research projects.

It is essential that you hold a PhD/DPhil (or close to completion) in a quantitative discipline (eg Statistics, Machine Learning, Biostatistics, AI, Engineering) with experience of developing and applying new methods. You will be able to develop research projects, with publications in peer-reviewed journals and at conferences. You will have a proven ability to act as a source of information and advice on specialist methodologies or analytical approaches. A forward-thinking, collaborative approach to research will be essential to meet the aims of the partnership.

Applications for this vacancy are to be made online and you will be required to upload a supporting statement and CV as part of your online application. Your supporting statement must

specify which thematic areas you are interested in working on

, and

explain how you meet each of the selection criteria

for the post using examples of your skills and experience. Please restrict your documentation to your CV and supporting statement only. Any other documents will be requested at a later date.

This position is offered full time on a fixed term contract until 30 September 2028 and is funded by GSK.

Interviews are expected to take place on the week commencing 23 June 2025.

Only applications received before 12 midday on 18 June 2025 will be considered. Please quote

180265

on all correspondence.