MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL BIOSTATISTICS UNIT - CAMBRIDGE

2 STATISTICIAN POSTS

The MRC Biostatistics Unit has two positions available. Letter of 
application with 2 copies of full CV and names and addresses of 2 
referees should be sent to:
Dr. Linda Sharples, MRC Biostatistics Unit, Institute 
of Public Health, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 2SR as soon as possible, 
and not later than 16th July 1999. 

Both candidates will be appointed to MRC Band 4, salary range 15,500-28,900 
GBP per annum depending on qualifications and experience.


1) MODELLING OF VARIABILITY IN EXPOSURE TO CHEMICALS IN FOODS

The first post is an eighteen-month appointment for a statistician to play
a major part in a challenging project to model variability and uncertainty 
in individuals' exposure to chemicals in foods. The project is sponsored 
by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF).

The project and the post will be based at the MRC Biostatistics Unit
within the Institute for Public Health of the University of Cambridge.
The work will entail combining disparate datasets of food
consumption and concentrations of chemical contaminants in foods, and
estimating within- and between-subject variability in food chemical
exposure, accounting as much as possible for uncertainty and bias. It
is planned to use generalised mixed linear models with Bayesian Markov
Chain Monte Carlo estimation of parameters for this work. the work is
supervised by Mr Stephen Duffy at the MRC Biostatistics Unit, and Dr Gill
Price at the MRC Institute for Environment and Health.  Liaison will
be required throughout the project with government scientists at MAFF
in London.

A postgraduate qualification in statistics and some experience of
computer programming are both necessary for this post.  Experience of 
mixed or random effects models would be an advantage, as would the 
ability to communicate principles and details of the work with 
non-statisticians.

Further details of the post may be obtained from either Stephen Duffy
at the MRC Biostatistics Unit (tel. 01223-330397), or Gill Price at
the MRC Institute for Environment & Health in Leicester (tel.
0116-2231629).

Stephen W. Duffy,
MRC Biostatistics Unit, Institute of Public Health, 
University Forvie Site,
Robinson Way,
Cambridge CB2 2SR
Tel 01223 330397
Fax 01223 330388
email   [log in to unmask]


2) METHODS ARISING FROM CARDIOTHORACIC APPLICATIONS

The second post involves a broad range of activities arising from 
collaboration with Papworth Hospital NHS Trust. The post is funded by 
Papworth and is tenable for three years. The post would be suitable 
for those with a Masters degree or near completion of a PHD in statistics
or medical statistics. The ability to work independently with quantitative
methods and good communication skills are necessary.  

The successful candidate will spend 2-3 days per week
working at Papworth undertaking applied and collaborative research 
as well as contributing to the teaching courses which are held there. 
The remainder of the time will be spent at the Biostatistics Unit where 
methodological work will be carried out. The post holder will take 
responsibility for one of the national 
clinical trails run from Papworth and will help to develop methods
for analysing epidemiological data arising from the transplant cohorts.
There is a great deal of potential in the post to develop skills in a 
wide range of methodological and applied areas. 

The post-holder will be directly responsible to Dr. Linda Sharples at 
the MRC Biostatistics Unit and will work closely with Ms. Noreen Caine,
Director of R&D at Papworth.

The post-holder will be required to:

Research

*	Pursue personal research in the area of medical statistics
*	Undertake collaborative projects in transplantation and 
	cardiothoracic medicine
*	Supervise the data collection and analysis of clinical trials
*	Publish high quality papers based on the above work
*	Present research at national and international meetings

Teaching

*	Contribute to courses on research skills for clinical and allied 
	professions
*	Assist in training clinical and allied professions in use of 
	statistical software
*	Contribute to the supervision of Postgraduate students allied to 
	the cardiothoracic applications programme if appropriate

Other duties

*	Contribute to the provision of statistical consulting within 
	Papworth Hospital
*	Help to develop research projects for funding applications in the 
	region


Dr. Linda Sharples
MRC Biostatistics Unit
Institute of Public Health
Cambridge, CB2 2SR
Tel: (0)1223 330389
FAX: (0)1223 330388
e-mail: [log in to unmask]


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