Postdoctoral Research Scientist

University of Oxford; Oxford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Oxford's Pandemic Sciences Institute invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Scientist to join the Pandemic PACT funding tracking programme. You will lead data collection and analysis, mentor junior researchers, and contribute to methodological development.

Fixed-term contract to 31 October 2028, funded by WHO and ED-TCP; salary range £40,178 to £48,700 pro rata, with Oxford weighting; applications close 27 November 2026.

Qualifications

• PhD/DPhil in a related topic such as medicine, public health, epidemiology, infectious diseases, or biomedicine.
• Experience contributing to publications or presentations.
• Ability to generate ideas for new research funding and income.

Responsibilities

• Manage own research and related administrative activities.
• Develop and refine research methodologies and living reviews of funding data.
• Prepare working theories and analyse qualitative and/or quantitative data.
• Generate proposals for research income and present to senior researchers.
• Provide guidance and supervision to junior team members including assistants, interns and PhD students.

Skills

Data analysis

Quantitative analysis

Literature reviews

Research supervision

Education

PhD / DPhil

Job description

UK date and time: 07-November-2026 14:25

Pandemic Sciences Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health and Information Discovery, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LF

We are seeking to employ a highly motivated Researcher to join the Pandemic Sciences Institute working on the PandemicPreparednessAnalyticalCapacity and funding Tracking programme (Pandemic PACT) within the Policy and Practice Research Group. This is an exciting role within an established team, where you will provide guidance to junior members of the research group including research assistants, interns, PhD students, and/or project volunteers. Academic oversight, supervision and line management of the post will be provided by Professor Alice Norton, Head of the Policy and Practice Research Group.

You will be at the centre of data collection and data analysis that will form the foundation of the funding tracking tool and the Pandemic PACT team’s work. The funding tracker collates global funding data for a wide range of epidemic-prone diseases and broader epidemic and pandemic research preparedness activities on an ongoing basis, mapping these against research agendas in order to support the coordination of the research response during any new epidemics.

You will be responsible for managing your own research and administrative activities, adapting existing and developing new research methodologies and materials including conducting literature reviews and living reviews of funding data. You will prepare working theories and analyse qualitative and/or quantitative data from a variety of sources, reviewing and refining theories as appropriate. As a Postdoctoral Research Scientist, you will develop ideas for generating research income, and present detailed research proposals to senior researchers. Further to this, you will provide guidance to junior members of the research group including research assistants, interns, PhD students, and/or project volunteers.

It is essential that you hold a PhD/DPhil (or close to completion) in a related topic, such as medicine, public health, epidemiology, infectious diseases, microbiology, One Health, or biomedicine. You must have sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to work within established research programmes including quantitative analysis and statistics. Ability to manage own academic research and associated activities is a must. It is essential that you have previous experience of contributing to publications/presentations and the ability to contribute ideas for new research projects and research income generation.

This position is offered full time on a fixed term contract until 31 October 2028 and is funded by World Health Organisation and the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDTCP).

Only applications received before 12 midday on Friday 27 November 2026 will be considered.

Salary (£) : Research Grade 7: Salary in range £40,178- £48,700 per annum (pro rata). This is inclusive of a pensionable Oxford University Weighting of £1,730 per year (pro rata).