This is an exciting opportunity to join The Christie’s Clinical Outcomes and Data Unit (CODU) as a Data Scientist, working with the team and colleagues across the Trust to improve patient outcomes through the robust selection, analysis, and visualisation of data to support clinical and operational decision making.
In this role you will be involved in supporting data quality improvement, utilising NLP and machine learning methods to prepare the way for exciting developments aligning to Future Christie aims.
You will be expected to work with Analysts, Data Scientists and Statisticians within the team, working on projects with stakeholders throughout the Christie, extracting insights from data collected throughout the hospital to be presented back to clinical and operational teams to inform improvements.
When completing your application please ensure you have read the attached job description and clearly evidence how you meet the essential and desirable criteria that are indicated as assessed via the application form. short listing will be based on this evidence and you will also be asked about these should you be shortlisted for interview.
After applications have been reviewed, shortlisted applicants will be assessed through a two-stage interview process.
The first round will be held virtually and involve a technical task and presentation.
The second round will be an in-person interview held at our Withington site, a virtual option will not be offered for the second round.
Main duties of the job
- To support clinicians, researchers and non‑clinical staff in performing statistical analysis and producing data models
- To use data and technical analysis to extract insight from data for clinical and operational purposes, identifying solutions, recommending process and business rule improvements
- To interpret statistical results and explain them, verbally and in writing, so as to be understood by non‑statisticians
- To advise on the appropriate techniques for data analysis and interpretation, advising analysts when data science and statistical work feasible
- To identify and recommend improvements in reporting, software or other systems, which contribute to the performance of the systems or accuracy of data
- To utilise explorative data science techniques to extract usable insights from data and explain data‑driven recommendations to others through clear visualisations
- To explore and stay up‑to‑date with various modelling techniques, advising on those optimal for the purpose
- To ensure selected techniques remain to be fit for purpose through ongoing monitoring and robust data pipelines
- To plan own workload and projects appropriately
- To test own work and peer‑review team member’s work
Working for our organisation
The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15 % patients are referred to us from other parts of the country.
We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years.
We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- To support clinicians, researchers and non‑clinical staff in performing statistical analysis and producing data models
- To use data and technical analysis to extract insight from data for clinical and operational purposes, identifying solutions, recommending process and business rule improvements
- To interpret statistical results and explain them, verbally and in writing, so as to be understood by non‑statisticians
- To advise on the appropriate techniques for data analysis and interpretation, advising analysts when data science and statistical work feasible
- To identify and recommend improvements in reporting, software or other systems, which contribute to the performance of the systems or accuracy of data
- To utilise explorative data science techniques to extract usable insights from data and explain data‑driven recommendations to others through clear visualisations
- To explore and stay up‑to‑date with various modelling techniques, advising on those optimal for the purpose
- To ensure selected techniques remain to be fit for purpose through ongoing monitoring and robust data pipelines
- To plan own workload and projects appropriately
- To test own work and peer‑review team member’s work
- To support the learning of team colleagues and mentor junior team members
- To create and maintain documentation on analysis undertaken for the creation of tools and reports for CODU projects
- Any other duties commensurate with the post and grade that may be requested by the Lead Data Scientist
Communication and Relationships
- Communicate professionally with senior clinicians and service managers. This may require the use of specific clinical terminology to understand issues being raised in detail.
- Represent the Clinical Outcomes and Data Unit and Digital Services as appropriate in internal and external meetings, reporting back on progress. The post holder must be able to travel and be sufficiently confident to forge effective working relationships with partner organisations as required.
- Advise, support and lead on reporting at appropriate directorate, divisional and Trust level meetings.
- Be a point of contact for CODU, managing queries, problems, requests, and incidents ensuring they are logged and tracked.
- Lead, manage and action the resolution of assigned tasks in an efficient and professional manner. Post holder must conform to Trust and departmental procedures and working practices, seeking further advice and information when necessary.
Knowledge, training and experience
- Post holder must be adept at researching and understanding complex, multi‑departmental clinical data flows, and apply advanced levels of understanding of specialty specific data.
- Expert at understanding problems and utilising various software to provide data insight tools using appropriate analytical techniques.
- An exceptional attention to detail, ensuring high quality and efficient new processes are implemented.
- Work closely with other teams in digital services (software development, data engineering) to understand cross over in work streams, and potential implications.
- Support the highly important requirements of the performance management and income teams. Post holder should have an awareness of NHS financial and performance reporting.
- Be continuously aware of changes to working practices for colleagues across the trust. Ensure that products are amended to reflect these changes, and meet expectations of stakeholders.
Analytical
- Apply statistical and analytical knowledge to critically appraise and challenge the results of outputs ensuring only meaningful information is delivered to the clinical/business stakeholders.
Responsibility – policy and service
- Act as an ambassador for the CODU by developing and maintaining excellent working relationships with users across the organisation, delivering against local requirements and national targets.
- Lead in the development and maintenance of a culture of service provision and continuous improvement for own areas.
- Be responsible for implementing policies for own work area and for proposing changes to policies, in line with legislation, Trust and NHS policies and guidelines across the Trust, where appropriate.
- Pro‑actively participate in ensuring that services delivered within the Trust reflect best practice with respect to organisational, NHS and legislative requirements and guidelines including IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL), Data Protection Act (1998), Information Standards, Information Security and compliance with NHS Information Governance.
- Participate in Information Governance and security as required and ensure appropriate governance and security in own area.
Responsibility - Staff/HR/leadership training
- Responsible for line management of own team in line with appropriate policies, procedures, working practices and guidelines, ensuring all resources are deployed to maximise an efficient and effective delivery of support services to patients and users.
- Provide regular performance reports on progress, status and achievements for own area to be used by management and users.
- Undertake and support the development of staff in line with personal development reviews and other associated guidance.
Responsibility – finance and physical
- Be responsible for the safe use of ICT hardware and software.
- Monitor the maintenance and support contracts allocated to own area, ensuring continuity of service and budget management. Liaise with third party suppliers to identify and evaluate potential value for money contracts.
- Liaise with external agencies, suppliers and contractors ensuring delivery of service is in line with agreed contracts.
- Support business appraisals and business case production when required in partnership with Trust stake holders. Undertake solution searches and appraisals of supplier proposals.
- Ensure Trust procurement processes and procedures are followed in a timely and efficient manner and participate in the procurement process where relevant, providing assistance for the development and assessment of procurement documentation as required.
- Ensure Trust Standing Financial Instructions (SFIs) and procurement guidelines are followed and adhered to.
Project Management
- Advise and participate in the development and implementation of projects, where required, ensuring Informatics provision of integrated solutions and user objectives are achieved.
- Ensure project tasks, where required, are successfully delivered in line with agreed timescales and budgets.
- Support the activities of project boards and project teams, when required, and making presentations, where required, to all levels of staff.
- Ensure any project management documentation or reports are delivered in line with agreed standards and timescales.
Business Continuity Management
- Participate in the development, exercising, maintaining and reviewing of business continuity plans. Participate the business impact analysis exercises highlighting critical business processes within own area.
- Be familiar with the Trust Business Continuity Plan and personal responsibilities within where applicable.
Values
- Demonstrates the agreed set of values and accountable for own attitude and behaviour
OTHER DUTIES
- To support the learning of team colleagues and mentor junior team members
- To create and maintain documentation on analysis undertaken for the creation of tools and reports for CODU projects
- Any other duties commensurate with the post and grade that may be requested by the Lead Data Scientist
Person specification
Experience
- Experience of using programming languages and statistical packages to solve problems using data e.g. Python, R, Stata
- Experience of developing machine learning tools to extract insights and provide recommendations from data
- Experience of utilising appropriate statistical techniques to extract insights and provide recommendations from data
- Experience working with analytical professionals, senior managers and a multidisciplinary environment on the publication, development and use of clinical data
- Experience of the use and management of Information within the NHS, academic or pharmaceutical community
- Extensive experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
- Experience as a professional statistician/data scientist
- Experience of work in a healthcare setting
- Experience of documenting results for publication
Skills
- Technical skills in data manipulation, statistics, machine learning, programming and data visualisation.
- Able to objectively analyse, evaluate and interpret information from a variety of sources
- Ability to interpret the working practices of others and manage the introduction of new ways of working to improve service delivery creating documentation and policies as required
Qualifications
- Postgraduate qualification in an analytical/statistics/data science discipline or demonstrable equivalent experience
- Master’s degree in an analytical/statistics/data science discipline or demonstrable equivalent experience
Other
- Evidence of continuing professional and personal development demonstrating a keen interest in data.
- Office based role with the need for travel to Christie managed sites or partners as necessary
- Ability to travel to relevant professional conferences nationally/internationally
- Ability to participate with flexible working to meet deadlines
Values
- Respectful
- Trustworthy
- Integrity
- Responsible
Knowledge
- Knowledge of a wide range of statistical, data science and machine learning techniques, including techniques to determine the appropriate tool for a given scenario
- Knowledge of a range of visualisations, including determining the appropriate visualisation for a given scenario
Experience
- Experience of successfully managing a number of equally important tasks successfully
Skills
- Ability to communicate complex system and technical issues to a variety of staff at different levels within an organisation
- Excellent communication skills – verbal, written, presentational and interpersonal
- Ability to clearly explain statistical methods and/or results to audiences of non-statisticians.
- Good organisational skills including time management, record keeping and paying attention to detail
- Able to work to deadlines, prioritise and manage workload in a busy and changing environment
- Flexible, positive, resilient, methodical, team player
- Ability to work under pressure
- Able to confidently converse with senior clinicians, using specialised clinical terminology as required, to understand issues being raised in detail.
Closing Date
The closing date for this post may be extended if there are insufficient applicants or brought forward if there is a high volume of applicants.
Application Information
If you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, I regret that on this occasion your application will have been unsuccessful.
🌍 Sponsorship Information
We are an approved sponsoring organisation. Applications will be considered from applicants requiring sponsorship alongside all other applications.
Please be aware, not all roles are eligible for sponsorship.
You can review the list of eligible role and requirements on thegovernment website.
🔍 Pre-Employment Checks
- Identity verification
- Right to work check
- Disclosure and barring service (DBS)/Criminal record check (dependent on role, payment of this will be the applicants responsibility)
- Professional registration and/or qualification check
- Occupational health assessment
- Employment history and reference validation
External Applicants – HMRC Employment History
All applicants external to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust will be required to provide their HMRC employment history to cover the most recent three years employment. This information will used to validate employment history and references.
Eligibility for Sponsorship
If you require sponsorship, we will assess your eligibility based on current government guidance. If the role is not eligible and you cannot demonstrate your right to work, your conditional offer may be withdrawn.
If You're Offered the Role
You will be agreeing to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.
The Inter‑Authority Transfer (IAT) process is a critical and beneficial component of ESR and will form part of the recruitment process. In the event that you are successful following interview your previous NHS employment data, if applicable, will be transferred from your current / most recent employer.
🚭 No Smoking Policy
You should be aware the Trust operates a No Smoking Policy and therefore employees are not permitted to smoke at work.
📣 Additional Information
We want to ensure that everyone who works at the Christie or uses our services is welcomed, valued and treated with dignity and respect. The Christie values diversity and is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all and fair representation across the organisation at all levels. In support of these commitments, we particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority people and people with disabilities for this post. Appointment will be only on merit.
We are committed to creating a balanced and diverse workforce. As such we welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. Together we will foster inclusion and tackle inequity and health inequalities in cancer care.
As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust is committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity in all our activities. We have a zero‑tolerance approach to modern slavery in any of its forms, including slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour, and human trafficking. We are fully committed to acting ethically and with transparency in all our business dealings and relationships, and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our organisation or supply chains.
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