Research Associate - Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences - 103978 - Grade 6

The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.

• Developing novel computer-based models, techniques and methods.


• Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required.


• Contribute to writing bids for research funding.


• Analyse and interpret data.


• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding.


• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc.


• Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance where appropriate to the discipline.


• Undertake management/administration arising from research.


• Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration.


• Contribute to enterprise, business development and/or public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under supervision of a project leader.


• Collect research data; this may be through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, and research interviews.


• Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters.


• Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research.


• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines.


• Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
  
  The successful candidate will have a strong background in computer science, state-of the-art machine learning, artificial intelligence and ontology harmonisation and integration. Experience with developing and applying explainable machine learning/AI within a cheminformatic setting is a clear advantage., As the successful candidate you will have strong expertise in Computer Science with familiarity graph and neural network concepts and an excellent publication record. Experience in Cheminformatics, ontologies and semantics as well as Generative AI is a plus.


Educated to MSc level (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Semantic Technologies, Cheminformatics or a closely aligned area, you will be familiar with good practice in research software engineering. Having relevant experience translating abstract algorithms into computer models for chemicals assessment.

Curiosity led, with good communication skills, you will thrive working in a highly interdisciplinary environment. You will be equally happy communicating with computer & chemical scientists, and engineers, you will possess a demonstrable ability to write up scientific findings for publication in a timely and succinct manner.

The successful candidate will benefit from a range of training and supervision opportunities (e.g., seminar series and potential MSc supervision) while in post and will work as part of an interdisciplinary team made up of computer scientists, statisticians, neuroscientists and bioinformaticians and work closely with our collaborators across Europe and the sister project PARC.,
• An MSc, (or near to completion) or equivalent, in the areas of Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Semantics and Ontology, Cheminformatics, or related discipline. Candidates with qualifications from Software Engineering with excellent and proven ML/AI & computational skills are encouraged to apply.


• Demonstrable knowledge of developing cutting-edge machine learning/AI methods in Python/R/Java and applying them to cheminformatic challenges.


• Excellent programming skills in Python/R/JVM and practical knowledge of current semantics, machine learning, and deep learning libraries and frameworks (preferably OWLAPI, mowl, NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and similar).


• Experience of Linux-based systems and relevant software and hardware environments for model development and implementation.


• High level analytical capability


• Ability to disseminate research findings through publication and/or oral presentations.


• Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues from different academic disciplines and deliver information clearly.


• Self-directed, flexible approach to work.


• Contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project.


• Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort. Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day-to-day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.


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  The post holder will also be part of the Centre for Environmental Research and Justice (CERJ), a multi-disciplinary research centre of excellence that combines modern science and law to make the environment safe from toxic chemicals. CERJ consists of 12 faculty members and is/has recruited four additional academics who together have the mission to help remedy harm to human health and the environment caused by pollution. It is currently engaged in large regulatory toxicology research projects that integrate risk assessment for both human health and the environment funded by the European Commission., We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy . You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website .