Principal Scientist - Biological Statistics (Drug Discovery)

4,000 professionals, 0 days wasted, 1 incredible purpose. Together, we are beating cancer. 

Principal Scientist – Biological Statistics (Drug Discovery)

Salary: £57,400 - £64,400 pa depending on experience plus benefits

Reports to: Principal Bioinformatician

Department: Research & Innovation

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time 35 hours per week (other flexible-working requests will also be considered if it meets business needs)

Location: Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge (we would expect you to be in the office a minimum of 3 days per week).

Closing date: Sunday 15th December 2024 at 23.55. This vacancy may close earlier if a high number of applications are received or once a suitable candidate is found, so please do not delay submitting your application to avoid any disappointment.

Visa sponsorship: Cancer Research UK can consider visa sponsorship for this vacancy. If this applies to you, please ensure that this is clearly marked on your application.

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.

We are professionals with purpose, beating cancer every day. But we need to go much further and much faster. That’s why we’re looking for someone talented, someone who wants to develop their skills, someone like you.

This is a new and exciting role within our Cancer Research Horizons (CRH) Quantitative Biology team based in Cambridge. In this role, you’ll set the vision and lead our biological statistics strategy, helping to identify and implement quantitative approaches to address key biological questions.
 

You’ll bring a wealth of knowledge of biological statistics to impact on drug discovery projects and represent the department across a broad range of therapeutic projects and cross-site initiatives.

About Cancer Research Horizons

As the world’s biggest medical research charity, we’ve helped bring eleven new cancer drugs to market. However, there is still an urgent need to bring more effective treatments to patients faster.

We have recently developed a new approach to driving therapeutic innovation through the creation of Cancer Research Horizons (CRH). We have brought together Cancer Research UK’s established drug discovery teams under one organisation and leadership team, combining our unique pipeline of world class biology, cutting edge technology platforms and clinical expertise to 1) bring new treatments to patients faster and 2) tackle the biggest challenges in discovering cancer drugs by seeking out more radical ideas and embracing risk in our bid to achieve success.  

Based at the Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Granta Park in Cambridge, the CRUK Scotland Institute in Glasgow, the Francis Crick Institute in London, and Newcastle University, Cancer Research Horizons employs ~200 staff from both industrial and academic backgrounds.

What will I be doing?

• Provide deep expertise in biological statistics and its role in pre-clinical drug discovery.

• Provide Scientific leadership across the department.

• Work at the intersection between Biosciences, Molecular Sciences, and Chemistry & DMPK to deliver statistical insight across a range of challenging target classes, from initial target characterisation through to clinical dose prediction.

• Communicate effectively, to influence multiple stakeholders and collaborate across projects and sites.

• Promote scientific excellence, through external publication, presentations.

• Play a pivotal role in training and developing colleagues, including through practical contributions from the bench.

What skills will I need?

• PhD in statistics, mathematics, data science or equivalent experience.

• Deep expertise in biological statistics and its role and application in a pre-clinical drug discovery environment.

• Proven scientific leadership, including through matrix management.

• Experience in analysing a range of data generated during the discovery phase,, for example large and complex datasets (e.g. high-throughput compound screening),  bespoke analysis of enzymology and pharmacology data.

• Knowledge of Bayesian methods and statistical modelling, experimental design (including DOE).

• Programming experience with tools such as R, Python.

• Excellent communication skills, ability to describe complex science in an engaging and inclusive manner. Ability to influence multiple stakeholders and collaborate across projects and sites.

• A passion for promotion of scientific excellence, through external publication, presentations.

Our organisation values are designed to guide all that we do. 

Bold: Act with ambition, courage and determination   

Credible: Act with rigour and professionalism    

Human: Act to have a positive impact on people   

Together: Act inclusively and collaboratively 

We’re looking for people who can believe in and embody these organisation values and can use them to drive forward progress against our mission to beat cancer. 

What will I gain?

We create a working environment that supports your wellbeing and provide a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools. Our policies and processes enable you to improve your work-life balance, take positive steps in your career and achieve your personal wellbeing goals. 

You can explore our benefits by visiting our careers web page. 

How do I apply?

We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. CVs are required for all applications; but we won’t be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to complete the work history section of the online application form for us to be able to assess you quickly, fairly, and objectively.

For more updates on our work and careers, follow us on: Linked In, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Our vision is to create a charity where everyone feels like they belong, benefits from and participates in, the work we do. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented.

We want to see every candidate performing at their best throughout the job application process, interview process and whilst at work. We therefore ask you to inform us of any concerns you have or any adjustments you might need to enable this to happen. Please contact recruitment@cancer.org.uk or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible. 

Unfortunately, we are unable to recruit anyone below the age of 18, so that we can protect young people from health & safety and safeguarding risks.