Senior Public Health Data Informatician

New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science Ltd; Upper Hutt; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

Four weeks annual leave + 2 days + PHF

Annual volunteer day

Flu vaccinations

Life insurance

Insurance discounts

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

PHF Science seeks a Senior Public Health Data Informatician to manage information systems for SHIVERS, integrating data from multiple sources and supporting study design and analyses. You will work with researchers to ensure data quality, contribute to publications, and advance public health research globally.

You will develop REDCap databases, automate workflows, and apply advanced analytics in R, Python, and SQL, enabling evidence-based decision-making across multidisciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualification in public health, epidemiology, biostatistics, data science, or related discipline.
• Strong experience in data informatics, data management, or epidemiological research.
• Expertise in database development/management, including REDCap or relational databases.
• Advanced programming/analysis in R, Stata, SAS, Python, or SQL.
• Experience integrating/cleaning complex datasets from multiple sources.
• Epidemiological and statistical knowledge for study design and publications.
• Strong problem-solving and process-improvement mindset.
• Excellent collaboration across multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain REDCap databases and automated data workflows.
• Integrate data from multiple sources while ensuring data quality and security.
• Support study design, statistical analysis plans, and publications.
• Identify patterns and trends to inform public health decision-making.
• Collaborate with researchers and stakeholders across disciplines.

Skills

RESEARCH INFORMATICS

DATA INFORMATICS

DATA INTEGRATION

EPIDEMIOLOGY

R PROGRAMMING

Python

SQL

Education

Postgraduate qualification in public health/epidemiology/biostatistics/data science

Tools

REDCap

SQL

R

Python

SAS

Stata

Job description

The role

We are seeking to appoint a Senior Public Health Data Informatician within the highly respected Southern Hemisphere Vaccination Effectiveness, Research and Surveillance (SHIVERS) programme. In this fixed-term role, you will be responsible for the information systems, data integration, and analytical processes that underpin SHIVERS surveillance, research, and decision-making. Working closely with the Principal Investigator and multidisciplinary study, clinical, laboratory, and epidemiology teams, you will develop and maintain REDCap databases and automated workflows, integrate data from multiple sources, and ensure the integrity, security, and quality of complex research datasets. Beyond managing data systems, you will contribute to study design, statistical analysis plans, reporting, and scientific publications. Your analytical expertise will help identify patterns and trends in population health data, generating insights that advance public health research and support evidence-based decision-making. This is an opportunity to combine data science, epidemiology, and research informatics in a role that has a direct impact on nationally and internationally recognised public health research. Be part of a global research consortium. Play a key role in a high-performing and respected research team. Contribute to research that informs public health policy and practice. Competitive remuneration. An opportunity to challenge your curiosity and apply innovative thinking. This is a fixed-term position to 30 April 2029, based at the PHF Science Wallaceville Science Centre, Upper Hutt.

About you

You are a curious and analytical data professional who enjoys solving complex problems and transforming data into meaningful insights. You thrive in collaborative research environments and are equally comfortable developing technical solutions, analysing data, and partnering with researchers and stakeholders. To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• A postgraduate qualification in public health, epidemiology, biostatistics, data science, or a related discipline.
• Strong experience in data informatics, data management, or epidemiological research, ideally within a public health or health research environment.
• Expertise in database development and management, including experience with REDCap and/or other relational database systems.
• Advanced programming and analytical skills using software such as R, Stata, SAS, Python, or SQL.
• Experience integrating, cleaning, and managing complex datasets from multiple sources while maintaining high standards of data quality and integrity.
• Sound epidemiological and statistical knowledge, with the ability to contribute to study design, statistical analysis plans, and scientific publications.
• Proven problem-solving abilities, with a talent for identifying patterns, trends, and opportunities for process improvement.
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams and with external collaborators.
• A commitment to continuous improvement, innovation, and delivering high-quality research outputs.

The benefits

• Flexible working options to support balancing work and non-work commitments.
• Four weeks annual leave, plus two additional annual leave days and three additional PHF Science days (usually the three days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve) 15 days sick leave and service leave provisions after five years
• Annual volunteer day to support an organisation or issue you care about in the community.
• Free annual flu vaccinations.
• Life insurance and physical loss benefit.
• Subsidised Southern Cross insurance & access to special retail discounts.
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a confidential and free counselling service.

About Us

Established in 2025, formerly ESR, PHF Science is a New Zealand Government-owned research organisation dedicated to the health, wellbeing and safety of our communities. Specialising in public health and forensic sciences, we monitor disease, help ensure safe food and water, reduce harm from drugs, support the justice system and more. Our science powers innovations and solutions to help New Zealand prosper and grow. With 4 locations across Aotearoa New Zealand from Auckland to Christchurch and Wellington (Kenepuru and Wallaceville), we use world-leading science to monitor disease, test food and products, safeguard our water, and support the justice sector. By joining forces with experts and iwi, we’re tackling critical issues to ensure a better Aotearoa New Zealand for all. We are an accredited Living Wage employer and value our people, providing excellent environment for fostering and developing our people in a values-driven, flexible, and ever evolving landscape. We are committed to sustainability and are proud to have received our Toitū Carbonreduce Certification.

Health, Safety and Wellbeing

At PHF Science, the health, safety and wellbeing of our people is our highest priority. Depending on the role and exposure risks, mandatory vaccinations may include Tetanus, Typhoid, Meningococcal, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B, and Polio. In some roles you may need to confirm your vaccination status in accordance with health and safety advice before you commence employment. Participation in PHF Science’s vaccination programme is a condition of employment for new staff. We choose to share this information early in our hiring process so candidates can make an informed choice and are happy to discuss further at interview stage if you have any questions.

PHF Science is an equal opportunity employer and committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. Your unique talents and experience will help us deliver exceptional services to New Zealand. We look forward to your application. If you don't meet every requirement in this position description, please don't exclude yourself. Studies indicate that women and other individuals from under-represented groups often only apply when they satisfy all the criteria. We focus on recruiting individuals who share our core values of Mahi Rangatira (Our quality counts), Mahi tahi (our team spirit), Mahi Auaha (we push boundaries), Mahi Pono (we do the right thing). If these values resonate with you, we encourage you to submit your application. PHF Science is committed to developing a diverse, inclusive, equitable workplace where people feel they belong. We believe this is the right thing to do, but we also believe it is a worthwhile commitment that makes our organisation stronger and more capable through building on our diversity of thinking, enabling us to better understand the needs of our stakeholders and people and respond effectively to them. An inclusive environment means the diverse perspectives we have are more likely to be expressed, heard, and acted on.

Please note the successful applicant will be required to complete a pre-employment drug-screen and police records check as conditions of employment.

We use world-leading science to safeguard our health, keep our communities safer, protect our food-based economy, and improve the health of our water and natural environment. Keeping people safe and healthy through science is our focus and our staff bring a wealth of different experience and backgrounds to deliver this expertise. If you have the skills, initiative and commitment for protecting people through science, we’d like to hear from you.