Research Fellow / Senior Research Fellow in Statistics/Epidemiology

About us

At the UCL Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health, we explore how human behaviour shapes health - and how we can harness that knowledge to improve lives. Our work spans everything from cancer prevention to cardiovascular health, tackling public health challenges like smoking, alcohol use, and obesity with cutting-edge, data-driven research.

Within our department, the Social Biobehavioural Research Group leads globally recognised research into how social factors affect our physical and mental health, including both social assets (e.g. social relationships, arts and culture, leisure, nature) and deficits (e.g. loneliness, social isolation). We investigate how these factors affect individual and population health, the underlying ingredients and mechanisms, and how these effects vary across society. This then advances understanding of how policies and practice might evolve to improve population health. The Social Biobehavioural Research Group is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre. And as the newly designated National Centre on Social Prescribing Data & Analysis, we're at the forefront of using real-world data to drive policy, practice, and innovation nationally and beyond.

Explore our work and meet the team: sbbresearch.org

About the role

We are seeking an ambitious and outcomes-driven quantitative researcher to join the UCL Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health, working at the forefront of social prescribing analytics. This is a unique opportunity to translate large-scale administrative and survey data into real-world insights that shape national policy and community care.

You will join the Social Biobehavioural Research Group, led by Prof. Daisy Fancourt, recently designated as the National Centre on Social Prescribing Data & Analysis. As part of this high-impact team, you will conduct robust statistical analyses to understand the distribution, uptake and impact of social prescribing in the UK, using data such as electronic health records, social prescribing routine data, survey and clinical trial data.

Key outcomes you will deliver:

• High-quality peer-reviewed publications based on rigorous statistical methods
• Data-driven reports and briefings to influence national health policy through collaboration with the National Academy for Social Prescribing, NHS partners, and government bodies.
• Contributions to the national research agenda and funding landscape in social prescribing.
• Supervision of MSc students and delivery of teaching aligned with UCL's Health Psychology and Population Health programmes.

Application Details:

• This is a fixed term contract with external funding until 31 August 2027 in the first instance.
• Appointment at Grade 7 is dependent on award and confirmation of a PhD (or equivalent). If this is not the case, initial appointment will be at Research Assistant Grade 6B, point 25 (salary £ 38,607 per annum inclusive of London allowance) with payment at Grade 7 being backdated to the date of final submission of the PhD thesis.
• This appointment is subject to UCL Terms and Conditions of Service for Research and Professional Services Staff. Please visit for more information.
• This role meets the eligibility requirements for a skilled worker certificate of sponsorship or a global talent visa under UK Visas and Immigration legislation. Therefore, UCL welcomes applications from international applicants who require a visa.

Application Process:

• A full job description and person specification can be accessed at the bottom of this page.
• Please use the personal statement section to explain how you meet each of the essential and desirable criteria outlined in the person specification
• Please ensure you upload the following with your application: - CV with full publication list - A personal statement no longer than 2 sides of A4

Contract Details:

• If you have any queries regarding the vacancy or the application process, please contact Dr Feifei Bu (email: [email protected])
• If you need reasonable adjustments or a more accessible format to apply for this job online or have any queries about the application process, please contact Maria Kristensen (email: [email protected])

About you

The place-holder should have a PhD in epidemiology, quantitative social science, statistics or other relevant discipline (if the degree has not yet been granted, the thesis should have been submitted to the degree granting university by the time of starting). They should be familiar with data manipulation and analysis of large-scale electronic health records, administrative datasets or cohort studies, with an expertise in statistical analysis using a command-based/programming language (e.g. STATA, R) and a track record of high-quality original research. They should be willing to work collaboratively and effectively as part of a multi-professional team and with external research collaborators partner, contributing to a positive work/ learning environment. Please see the full person specification for details.

What we offer

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:

• 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
• Additional 5 days' annual leave purchase scheme
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• Immigration loan and expenses
• Relocation scheme for certain posts
• On-Site nursery
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance

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Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world's talent.

We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL's workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.

Our department holds an Athena SWAN Silver Award, in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality.

You can read more about our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here :