Could you influence everyday brands with extraordinary science?

One hundred and fifty million times a day, someone somewhere reaches for a
Unilever product. With leading brands in foods, home care and personal care,
Unilever has grown into one of the world's most successful consumer goods
companies.

At the Safety & Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC), we provide Unilever with
the skills needed to reduce and control any safety risks for consumers,
employees and the environment. We employ leading experts across many
disciplines – each contributing to SEAC’s world-class reputation for risk
assessment. 

We currently have several roles at our Colworth site in Bedfordshire.

Statistical Bioinformatician (Ref: 110207)
As part of the development of novel risk assessment methodologies, SEAC is
using high throughput platforms such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics
and metabolomics to understand more about the biological mechanisms that
underlie toxicological endpoints such as inflammation, genotoxicity and skin
sensitisation. To help in the investigation of these biological systems you
will work in multi-disciplinary teams and use your skills in the latest
statistical techniques to interpret these data sets. As well as analysing each
individual platform, you will also perform combined analyses of these platforms
using data integration approaches such as Systems Biology and Network-Based
analysis.

You will have a relevant post-graduate degree, ideally complemented by
post-doctoral research experience.  An understanding of ‘omics-type data is
essential, as is experience in applying suitable statistical methodologies in
bioinformatics analysis. 


Senior Statistician (Ref: 110206)
Working in multidisciplinary teams, you will use your broad understanding of
statistical methodology and experience of statistical consultancy to help
assess the risks associated with the company’s products. Helping to derive new
risk assessment methods raises considerable challenges, so the work is exciting
and stimulating. Of course we also support risk assessment of Unilever’s
current and new products, with all the interest of supporting a global company
with a diverse portfolio of products.

As well as proven experience of statistical consultancy, you’ll need either
experience of working with Toxicology data or in-depth knowledge of one or more
of: Evidence synthesis, Bayesian statistics, Epidemiology, Probabilistic risk
assessment or Statistical bioinformatics.  You should have a track record of
research and good external links and be capable of facilitating the development
of new techniques and approaches. Supervising and mentoring less experienced
statisticians is another key responsibility. Team leadership of a group of
modellers is available for a suitably qualified candidate. 


Probabilistic Risk Assessment Modeller (Ref: 110204)
Increasingly we are interested in accounting for uncertainty and variability
when we make risk assessment decisions. As a PRA modeller, you’ll apply
quantitative and probabilistic techniques to help assess the risks associated
with the company’s products, and use your expertise to model exposure and
hazard data from a variety of science domains (toxicology, microbiology,
environment). Our position as a global company, with a diverse portfolio of
products, makes this a hugely varied role with many possible consumer exposure
scenarios and different hazard endpoints.

Ideally, you’ll have several years’ experience of applying probabilistic
modelling approaches. Application of Monte Carlo simulation would be
anticipated (preferably in @Risk) but other modelling and Decision Analysis
techniques used to quantify risk (e.g. graphical models) are also of interest.
You’ll have at least an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject, preferably
with a postgraduate qualification, and the ability to communicate well with
those around you. Knowledge of risk assessment would be an advantage, as would
experience of modelling biological (ideally toxicological) data. 

Our final vacancy is for a modeller with experience of applying Machine
Learning approaches (Ref: 110208). 

Colworth Park is located within a country estate near the village of Sharnbrook
in rural Bedfordshire, just 60 miles north of London. There are extensive
sports facilities including a 9-hole golf course. The benefits package includes
a bonus scheme, employee share-save options, private health care and an
attractive final salary pension programme.

To find out more about Unilever and SEAC, and to apply for any of the roles,
please visit www.unilever.co.uk/seac. The closing date for all vacancies is
30th March.