Research Fellow in Data Science and Economics – Open to UCL Internal Applicants Only

Job title:

Research Fellow in Data Science and Economics – Open to UCL Internal Applicants Only

Company:

University College London

Job description

About usThe UCL Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction (RDR) inspires innovation and evidence-based practice focused on improving disaster risk reduction (DRR) through our research, education, and partnerships. This creates a better life for many people by reducing the negative impacts of disasters. The RDR is an exciting cross-UCL department, which leads research, knowledge exchange and teaching in the fields of risk and disaster reduction and humanitarian action. By providing a focus for UCL’s activities the RDR, with its breadth of disciplinary emphasis, promotion of novel multidisciplinary research and translation into practice, aims to assume a role of leadership both in the UK and internationally.The Department has 30 members of academic and teaching staff, 12 members of research staff ranging from research assistants to professorial research fellows and 9 members of professional services staff. The Department is in the Faculty of Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MAPS), but works across all UCL’s faculties, and contributes to UCL’s Grand Challenges.Research
The RDR strives to produce world-leading research in disaster risk reduction through a multidisciplinary perspective for the long-term benefit of humanity. The RDR has established the Humanitarian Institute, Centre for Digital Public Health in Emergencies, Centre for Gender and Disaster, and jointly with UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies the Warning Research Centre. The RDR conducts research around the themes of disaster risk reduction and resilience, cascading crises, natural hazards, climate change risk and adaptation, humanitarian crisis response, GIS and remote sensing, law and economics, conflict and migration, catastrophe modelling, warning, digital health in emergencies, and inclusivity including gender responsive resilience, in order to integrate education, research, innovation and enterprise for the long-term benefit of humanity.Teaching
The RDR aims to develop leaders and experts in disaster risk reduction research, education, and practice. We run PhD and MRes programmes in Risk and Disaster Reduction, MSc programmes in Risk, Disaster and Resilience and Risk and Disaster Science, and an undergraduate BSc programme in Global Humanitarian Studies, all with a diverse and cross-disciplinary international intake. We have about 25 PhD students, 90 masters students and will have about 180 students across the three years of the BSc programme from 2023-2024 academic year.Knowledge Exchange, Public Policy and Research Impact
The RDR seeks to empower all to break down barriers to global DRR knowledge. This knowledge exchange is a core part of the mission of the RDR, which it seeks to fulfil by publishing high-impact reports, engagement with the media and building long-term partnerships. RDR members have joined and led several field missions and contributed to multidisciplinary reports. These reports have been drawn on by the UK Cabinet Office and other government bodies in advice to ministers. RDR staff contributed substantially to the UCL-Lancet Commission on Migration and Health. The RDR has close links with London First, the business representative grouping, private companies, London Resilience and UK Government, including the Cabinet Office, and is developing links with intergovernmental organizations such as the International Migration Organization, Plan International, UN Women and other NGOs. UCL RDR runs regular events to engage the public and potential partners in issues relating to risk and disaster reduction and humanitarian action, such as its Annual Conference and Humanitarian Summit.About the roleThe Research Fellow will build and validate a machine learning model for Indonesia that can produce predictions for health costs for various disasters including earthquakes, tsunamis and floods. The relevant data will be extracted from longitudinal household surveys for Indonesia. The post holder will work closely with Dr. Rozana Himaz and Dr. Saman Ghaffarian, who will provide guidance and support as required. The work will include contributing to an associated journal article and organising a webinar. The research will form a part of the key work for the UK-ISPF funded project ‘Social Finance for Better Post-Disaster Health (SoFIT)’, a two-year collaboration between UCL RDR and the Resilience Development Initiative in Indonesia, 2024-2026. The aim of the project is to understand patterns in post-disaster health and recovery at the household-level to inform the development of novel financial instruments that can support disaster risk reduction.About youThe post-holder should be a PhD student or post-doc with excellent analytical and quantitative skills. Prior experience with developing machine learning models, analysing household survey data and a keen interest in interdisciplinary analysis based on techniques in data science, statistics and/or microeconomics required. The post holder should have a track record of high-quality research related to hazard modelling and/or analysing impacts of disasters. You should have the ability to work with packages such as Stata/R, code accurately and methodically, be organised and communicate clearly in both writing and orally. Commitment to producing high quality research in a collaborative working environment essential.Duties and responsibilities
– Data extraction, cleaning and preparation using longitudinal household survey data
– Developing and validating machine learning models that predict health costs for various hazards and disasters in Indonesia
– Meticulous documentation of methods and codes developed
– Literature reviews as required § Contribute to writing at least 1 journal article based on the research
– Contribute to organizing the SoFIT project webinar with international team § Work in an open and transparent way, developing ideas and analysis collaboratively with other team members including international partners
– Contribute to the project communications strategy through policy briefs, presentations at webinars and seminars
– Actively follow UCL policies including Equal Opportunities and Equality policies
– Maintain an awareness of and observe Fire and Health & Safety Regulations.What we offerAs well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits some of which are:

• 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days per annum) per annum
• 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
• Relocation scheme for certain posts
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance. To find out more, visit www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and InclusionAs 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. You can read more about our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here : https://www.ucl.ac.uk/equality-diversity-inclusionAvailable documents

Expected salary

Location

North West London

Job date

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 01:01:36 GMT

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