Data Scientist Genomic Epidemiology - Pathogen

The Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) Oxford tackles humanity’s greatest challenges by turning science and technology into impactful global solutions. Focused on areas like health, food security, sustainable agriculture, climate change, clean energy, and AI-driven government innovation, EIT Oxford blends groundbreaking research with practical applications to deliver lasting results.

A cornerstone of EIT Oxford’s mission is its upcoming 300,000-square-foot research facility at the Oxford Science Park, set to open in 2027. This cutting-edge campus will feature advanced labs, an oncology and preventative care clinic, and collaborative spaces to strengthen its partnership with the University of Oxford. It will also host the Ellison Scholars, driving innovation for societal benefit.

The Pathogen Mission highlights EIT’s transformative approach, using Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) and Oracle’s cloud technology to create a global pathogen metagenomics system. This initiative aims to improve diagnostics, provide early epidemic warnings, and guide treatments by profiling antimicrobial resistance. The goal is to deliver certified diagnostic tools for widespread use in labs, hospitals, and public health.

EIT Oxford fosters a culture of collaboration, innovation, and resilience, valuing diverse expertise to drive sustainable solutions to humanity’s enduring challenges.

We are seeking a Data Scientist in Genomic Epidemiology to support the scientific development and implementation of EIT Oxford's Pathogen Programme. Reporting to Head of Population Data Science, the role involves collaborating with internal teams and external partners to assess, develop methods for, and implement at scale, computational and statistical methods for analysing the genomic, phenotypic and epidemiological characteristics of a variety of pathogens in order to inform public health applications ranging from AMR monitoring to outbreak detection and vaccine deployment.

The postholder will carry out research, develop and evaluate high quality software for integration into the EIT Pathogen platform, present findings in peer-reviewed publications and at international forums, contribute to the design and development of large-scale data resources, and explore innovative uses of data to evaluate and improve public health policy and interventions. Ideal candidates will have expertise in high throughput WGS applications within infectious disease epidemiology and monitoring, a strong academic background, excellent skills in research software development, and experience of working with global partners to develop, evaluate and embed new capabilities for data-driven public health.

Key Responsibilities:

• In partnership with the EIT Data and AI team, establish and optimise best practice for managing population-scale genomic and phenotypic data, with appropriate metadata, for downstream analysis.
• In partnership with the Product and Medical Teams, define use cases for data products and services that generate insights from population-level data on pathogen genotypic and phenotypic diversity for public health applications.
• Carry out research and development to establish best-in-class analytics for population-scale data science to characterise, analyse and evaluate the potential impact of interventions for applications such as AMR monitoring, outbreak detection, vaccine deployment, community intervention and clinical trials.
• Deliver high quality software to perform such applications, which can be integrated into the EIT Pathogena Platform by the Technology Team.
• Present work at international meetings and publish in peer-reviewed journals
• Work with external partners, where appropriate, to enable knowledge transfer and to support establishment of best practices for genomic and related data analysis using the products and services developed by EIT.

Requirements

Qualifications & Experience:

• A strong track record of scientific and computational innovation in the field of population-scale infectious disease genomic epidemiology, with an emphasis on public health applications.
• Up-to-date working knowledge of best practices in research software development and testing.
• Experience of working with genomic data at a population scale, including the tools and technologies to manage sophisticated analyses.
• Experience of statistical and/or machine learning methods to make epidemiological inferences from genomic data.
• Experience of working with partner organisations, including academics, public health workers, and counterparts in partner organisations.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Direct experience of working with Oxford Nanopore sequencing technology.

Key Attributes:

Scientific and Technical Expertise

• Proven capability for delivering innovation within public health applications relating to the genomic analysis of infectious disease.
• Experience in developing the computational tools and technologies to support high volume genomic data analysis for a wide range of users.

Strategic Vision and Leadership

• Ability to identify opportunities for innovation which align public health needs with commercial objectives and feasibility.
• Comfortable working within multidisciplinary teams, actively bridging scientific, computational and product expertise.

Collaborative Partnership Builder

• Experience working with scientific and public health partners in endemic countries to establish and disseminate best practices.

Program Development and Execution

• Experience of developing new ideas and proposals to develop and validate new tools and technologies.
• Able to ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget in a delivery-focused setting.

Thought Leadership and Communication

• Strong academic profile with peer-reviewed publications and a developing network within the genomics community.
• Skilled at presenting complex ideas at international scientific conferences and contributing to global discourse in genomics.

Benefits

We offer the following benefits:

• Enhanced holiday pay
• Pension
• Life Assurance
• Income Protection
• Private Medical Insurance
• Hospital Cash Plan
• Therapy Services
• Perk Box
• Electrical Car Scheme 

Why work for EIT:

At the Ellison Institute, we believe a collaborative, inclusive team is key to our success. We are building a supportive environment where creative risks are encouraged, and everyone feels heard. Valuing emotional intelligence, empathy, respect, and resilience, we encourage people to be curious and to have a shared commitment to excellence. Join us and make an impact!

Terms of Appointment:

You must have the right to work permanently in the UK with a willingness to travel as necessary.

You will live in, or within easy commuting distance of, Oxford.

During peak periods, some longer hours may be required and some working across multiple time zones due to the global nature of the programme.