MRC Expert Referee Selector
As part of the Medical Research Council’s (MRC) peer review process, research grants and fellowship applications are assessed by independent expert reviewers. The MRC is seeking to contract qualified scientists who are familiar with the peer review process to select these reviewers for the Research Boards and Panels. 

MRC Research Board and Panel meetings occur several times a year and if you are successful you will be contracted to select reviewers for between 5 and 30 applications per meeting, depending on your availability. For each grant application which is successfully reviewed, you will be paid either £85 (for grant applications of 2, 3 or 4 years duration) or £130 (for grant applications of 5 years duration). This payment will be made once sufficient reviews have been received to allow the MRC to make a funding decision.


Current Vacancies
We are advertising for External Selector positions to be filled across the MRC’s Boards, Panels and Programmes. Further information about the remit of the Research Boards and Panels can be found at: http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Ourresearch/Boardpanelsgroups/index.htm


Expertise
You will be familiar with medical research and will have research experience relevant to the areas covered by our Boards and Panels.  Selectors will often be expected to cover several research areas within a single application and we are particularly interested in hearing from candidates with expertise in the following areas:

•	Methodology research 
o	Biostatistics
o	Modelling
o	Computational/systems biology
o	Bio and health informatics methodology


Criteria
You will possess a postgraduate qualification in a relevant scientific discipline and have experience of nationally/internationally competitive research. Knowledge of the peer review process would be desirable, as would a demonstrable broad interest in biomedical research.

You will also: 
•	possess good written and verbal communication skills; 
•	have a methodical approach to work; 
•	be able to work independently and to deadline.

Please note to avoid potential conflicts of interest and ensure the best use of scientific expertise available to the MRC, applicants cannot be:
•	Applicants or co-applicants, either now or over the contracted term, for grants from any of the Research Councils 
•	Members of any MRC Boards or Overview Groups or Panels 
•	MRC Employees


Contract
Applicants should be available to start work from October 2015 for a trial period of three months. Successful candidates will then be offered a yearly contract from 1 April 2016 until 31 March 2017 in the first instance, renewable on a yearly basis subject to satisfactory performance.

Applications from individuals currently on a career break or maternity leave are welcome.

This role is not based at MRC offices and would typically be home based but applicants must have broadband access to the internet and be readily contactable. 

Please contact the Research Funding Policy and delivery team ([log in to unmask]) if you would like further information about the role.


Application Process
To apply, please send a full CV (including daytime phone number) with a covering letter stating where you saw the advert, and explaining how you meet the above criteria and expertise required, to [log in to unmask]

Closing date for applications: 31st August 2015

Interviews will be held during September 2015 in London. Successful applicants must be available to attend a one day training course in October 2015. 

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