Please bring the following to the attention of any 
students or staff who might be interested / suitable.

The University of Birmingham
Department of Public Health and Epidemiology

Research Associate / Fellow (Medical Statistics)

- Use of sub-group analysis in RCTs

Re advertisement

As many of the applicants for this post have been 
offered and accepted other jobs before our personnel 
department could manage to organise any interviews, 
we are re-advertising the post.

Applications will be accepted until the post is filled.

Anyone interested should contact me (see foot of 
message) in the first instance, and I will send further 
details (by e-mail if possible), and an application form.

Applications should be posted to me, or can be made, if 
preferred, by e-mailing a CV with covering letter. Please 
include names, addresses, and telephone numbers (& e-
mail addresses if available) of two or three referees who 
can comment in detail on your work.
 
NB if sending e-mails be careful not to reply accidentally 
to the whole ALLSTAT list

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Brief Job Description.

The department has recently been funded by the NHS 
HTA methodology programme to review the use of sub-
group analysis in RCTs. Components of this potentially 
important, interesting, and challenging research include:

a) reviewing the available methods for sub-group     
analysis
b) developing a classification to be applied to papers 
reporting RCTs, to classify their use of subgroup analysis
c) developing methods for assessing the validity of 
subgroup conclusions
d) classifying subgroup analyses made in a sample of 
RCTs e) conducting an experiment to assess which 
factors seem to influence clinicians and reviewers when 
drawing conclusions about subgroup effects
f) writing peer reviewed papers and a final report

The appointee(s) will work closely with David Braunholtz 
(medical statistician, grant-holder) to carry out these 
tasks, with the help and advice of the research team, 
which has experience and expertise in all the required 
areas. There are possibilities for collaboration with a 
parallel HTA funded research group looking at subgroup 
analyses in RCTs, using simulations, led by Dr Elise 
Whitley (University of Bristol).

Appointee(s) will also be expected to contribute to the 
Department's programme of teaching and research 
generally as appropriate.

There are considerable numbers of medical statisticians 
working in the medical school, in particular in the 
University Clinical Trials Unit. Occasional informal 
meetings and seminars are arranged. The DPHE has 
fortnightly seminars from invited speakers and members 
of staff presenting work in progress.

Required attributes:
High level of initiative and intellect
Interest in Bayesian, as well as Frequentist, methods
Interest in clinical trials

Desirable Attributes:
Experience in these areas
Experience of literature review
Expertise in cognitive/experimental psychology
Proven ability to draft papers/reports
Higher degree

Pay and Conditions:
May be suitable for job-share or other part-time basis. 
Secondment may be another possibility.

Funding is available for 15 months in the first instance, 
to start as soon as possible, but we are prepared to wait 
for the right candidate(s). The DPHE is expanding, and 
in the past has been successful at winning new research 
and other contracts and so re-employing members on 
fixed term contracts.

Salary according to age, qualifications, and experience 
(up to point 10 currently £20867 subject to pay award).

Appointee(s) will be sharing an office with 3 or 4 others. 
A new PC will be provided, with access to the Internet, 
and extensive electronic journal and bibliographic 
databases. Some funds are available for attending 
seminars and conferences. If appropriate, the 
appointee(s) will be encouraged to register for a higher 
degree.

All enquiries and applications to David Braunholtz (see 
below).

There is no closing date for receipt of applications, 
but we wish to appoint as soon as possible


David Braunholtz
Department of Public Health & Epidemiology
Public Health Building
University of Birmingham
Birmingham B15 2TT
E-Mail:  [log in to unmask]
Tel: 0121-414-7495
FAX: 0121-414-7878


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