Senior Epidemiologist

Uppsala Monitoring Centre; Uppsala kommun; On-site; SEK 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Uppsala Monitoring Centre is seeking a Senior Epidemiologist to join the Pharmacovigilance Science section. You will contribute epidemiological expertise to research using VigiBase and other healthcare data to strengthen medicine safety and evidence-based decision making.

The role spans study design, data management, statistical programming, analysis, and scientific reporting, collaborating across disciplines to advance pharmacovigilance science globally.

Qualifications

• MSc or higher in epidemiology, public health, biostatistics, medicine, or a related field.
• At least two years' experience conducting observational epidemiological studies with real-world data.
• Strong expertise in causal inference and bias assessment.
• Proven scientific output in publications or technical reports.
• Experience guiding study design, execution, and interpretation.
• Programming/analysis using R and/or SQL (or similar).
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to research using VigiBase and other healthcare data.
• Design epidemiological studies and advise on analytical approaches.
• Write, maintain, and review code for real-world data analysis.
• Support signal management through data extraction and interpretation.
• Collaborate on multidisciplinary projects across Research and Signal Management.
• Contribute to methodological development in pharmacovigilance.
• Work with colleagues across the organisation to advance science.

Skills

Epidemiology

Causal inference

Statistical programming

Real-world data

Study design

English fluency

Education

MSc in Epidemiology

PhD in Epidemiology

Tools

R

SQL

Git

Job description

Help shape the future of pharmacovigilance science

Use your expertise in epidemiology to promote the safer use of medicines and vaccines worldwide. UMC is looking for a Senior Epidemiologist to join our Pharmacovigilance Science section and strengthen our research into medicines safety using global safety and healthcare data.

Since 1978, Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC) has been dedicated to developing, supporting, and expanding the field of pharmacovigilance science and practice.

As a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre, we support work around the world to examine the potential adverse effects of medicines and vaccines and contribute to safer, more informed care of patients.

We are a diverse, international group of pharmacists, physicians, data scientists, system developers, communicators, and many other professionals motivated by a deep belief that the work we do matters.

About the role

As a Senior Epidemiologist, you will contribute epidemiological expertise to our research and scientific development activities. Working at the intersection of epidemiology, pharmacovigilance, and real-world data, and with VigiBase, the WHO global database of adverse event reports, as well as other healthcare databases and registries, you will design, conduct, and interpret studies that strengthen our understanding of medicine safety and support evidence-based decision-making.

This is a hands-on role spanning the full research process, from study design and data management to statistical programming, analysis, and scientific reporting. Working closely with colleagues across disciplines, you will help generate evidence that advances the science and practice of pharmacovigilance.

You will join an international research environment dedicated to advancing the science of pharmacovigilance and improving the safer use of medicines globally.

What you will do

• Lead and contribute to research aimed at improving the understanding and use of VigiBase, the WHO global database of adverse event reports, other healthcare databases, and health registries.
• Design epidemiological studies and provide methodological advice on study design and analytical approaches.
• Write, maintain, and review analytical code for the management and analysis of complex real-world data.
• Support signal management activities through data extraction, analysis, interpretation, and investigation of potential safety issues.
• Collaborate on multidisciplinary research projects using adverse event reporting and healthcare data.
• Contribute scientific expertise to research and methodological development in pharmacovigilance.
• Work closely with colleagues across Research, Signal Management, and other teams throughout the organisation.

Who you are

• You havea strong foundationin epidemiological methods and enjoy working with complex real-world data.
• You are equally comfortable discussing study design with colleagues and writing the code needed to implement it.
• You combine scientific rigour with practical judgement and enjoy collaborating across disciplines to deliver impactful research.
• You thrive in a collaborative, learning-oriented environment.
• You take responsibility for your work and shared team outcomes, are comfortable with uncertainty and complexity, and remain focused when managing multiple priorities.
• You value openness, learning, and different perspectives, and contribute to an environment of trust and psychological safety.

Required

• An MSc or higher in epidemiology, public health, biostatistics, medicine, or a closely related field.
• At least two years' experience conducting observational epidemiological studies using complex real-world data, preferably including Swedish register data and/or individual case safety report data.
• Strong expertise in causal inference, including identifying sources of bias and applying appropriate analytical methods.
• A demonstrated record of scientific output, such as peer-reviewed publications or technical reports.
• Experience providing methodological guidance on study design, execution, and interpretation.
• Demonstrated experience programming and conducting epidemiological analyses using R and/or SQL (or another statistical programming language).
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Desired qualifications

• A PhD in epidemiology, pharmacoepidemiology, public health, biostatistics, or a related discipline.
• Experience in pharmacovigilance, drug safety, regulatory science, or post-marketing surveillance.
• Experience using Git for collaborative code management.
• Experience collaborating with international stakeholders.
• Experience mentoring junior scientists or contributing to scientific capacity building.