Research Fellow in Outbreak Response

University-of-Oxford; Oxford; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Oxford's Pandemic Sciences Institute invites applications for a Research Fellow in Outbreak Response. The role focuses on real-time spatial transmission modelling, integrating diverse data streams to support outbreak response and vaccine research.

You will lead analyses, collaborate with international partners, and contribute to publications. The appointment is for 12 months full-time on a fixed-term contract, funded by CEPI, with potential for secondment.

Qualifications

• This position requires a PhD with post-qualification research experience in epidemiology, statistics, mathematics or a related field.
• Experience developing spatial or metapopulation models of infectious disease transmission and uncertainty quantification.
• Strong Python and/or R programming skills with experience handling large real-world datasets.
• Excellent written and spoken communication, project management, and collaboration across international teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and run real-time spatial/metapopulation models of disease transmission.
• Integrate epidemiological, mobility, genomic and geospatial data to forecast outbreak risks.
• Create reproducible analytical pipelines and performance forecasts for public health decision making.
• Communicate findings to policymakers and international partners; contribute to publications.
• Lead research activities, manage resources, and support capacity building and technology transfer in DRC.

Skills

Python

R

Data analysis

Spatial modelling

Metapopulation models

Epidemiology

Large-scale data

Communication

Project management

Grant-writing

Collaboration

Education

PhD in epidemiology or related quantitative discipline

Tools

Python

R

Job description

UK date and time: 01-November-2026 05:13

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

We are seeking to appoint a Research Fellow in Outbreak Response to join the Data Analytics and Epidemiology group at the Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine. Working with Professor Moritz Kraemer, you will contribute to B-REACT, a project funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), supporting the response to the Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The research will focus on developing real-time spatial models of infectious disease transmission to inform outbreak response, surveillance, vaccine research and clinical trial preparedness.

You will be responsible for developing and running real time spatial and metapopulation models of disease transmission, integrating epidemiological, mobility, genomic and geospatial data to forecast outbreak risks and support public health decision-making. The role includes developing reproducible analytical pipelines, producing forecasts and surveillance assessments, communicating findings to policymakers and collaborating with international research partners. You will also lead research activities, contribute to publications, manage resources and support capacity building and technology transfer with national public health teams in the DRC.

It is essential that you hold a relevant PhD/DPhil with post-qualification research experience in epidemiology, statistics, mathematics, computational biology or a related quantitative discipline. You should have experience developing spatial or metapopulation models of infectious disease transmission, model evaluation and uncertainty quantification, alongside strong Python and/or R programming skills and experience analysing large-scale, real-world datasets. Excellent communication, organisational and project management skills, a strong publication record, grant-writing ability and experience working collaboratively across international research teams are required. Experience in phylogenetic or phylodynamic methods, outbreak response in low- and middle-income countries, developing dashboards or visualisations, vaccine trial analytics, or a working knowledge of French would be advantageous.

This position is offered full time on a fixed term contract for 12 months and is funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

The post may also be offered as a secondment opportunity

Salary (£) : Research Grade 8: £50,067 - £59,396 with a discretionary range to £66,608 p.a. (pro rata). This is inclusive of a pensionable Oxford University Weighting of £1,730 per year (pro rata).