Project Description

Statistical Services Unit (SSU), School of Mathematics & Statistics, The University of Sheffield

The SSU is looking to appoint a Statistical Consultant to undertake client-led statistical consultancy and training work within a commercial and academic environment. The SSU provides a comprehensive statistical service to clients both within the University and a diverse range of external organisations, so offering our consultants a challenging opportunity to gain a rare breadth of experience in the practical application of statistics. The post is designated as a training position, while you gain experience of working in the SSU and develop your skills to undertake projects more independently. A key element of the role is therefore to provide data analysis and investigation, reporting of results, and statistical advice, across the complete range of our clients and contracts supervised by more senior members of staff.

We are looking for applications from candidates with a good honours degree and a postgraduate qualification in Statistics or equivalent experience.

About the Statistical Services Unit

The Statistical Services Unit (SSU) is a specialist advisory unit within the School of Mathematics and Statistics (SoMaS) that arose from the commercial activities being undertaken within the academic environment. Formally established in 1986, the SSU has almost 30 years’ experience of providing a comprehensive statistical consultancy service to clients from both within the University and a diverse range of external organisations and, as such, offers its consultants a challenging opportunity to gain a rare breadth of experience in the practical application of statistics. Our range of specialist services includes statistical design, data analysis and reporting, advisory assistance, statistical audit, surveys, training workshops and research. Our aim is to provide high quality statistical services to a robust client-base and generate appropriate profit or benefit within an efficient working environment.

We employ our own team of statistical consultants, whose collective technical expertise spans very many areas of statistics, applied in a wide range of professional and practical settings (including pharmaceutical industry, health and personal care, life sciences, hospital trusts, dentistry, university policy, rail industry, water services). Our consultants work together closely on many projects and initiatives to provide a supportive environment for staff, and regularly meet both formally and informally to address the technical and practical demands of our business activity. We are also able to support our own expertise with the skills and extensive research experience of our associate consultants, drawn from SoMaS academic staff. Our team-based approach allows the SSU to offer flexible support, supported by our experience and commitment to quality, and enables discussions in many varying contexts and at a range of technical levels, all tailored to our clients’ needs. Please see our website at http://ssu.group.shef.ac.uk for more details.

Job Role

Within the context of our aims, the Consultant will undertake client-led statistical consultancy and training work within a commercial and academic environment. The post is designated as a training position, while the post holder gains experience of working in the SSU and develops their skills to undertake projects more independently. A key element of the role will therefore be to provide data analysis and investigation, reporting of results and statistical advice across the complete range of our clients and contracts, supervised by more senior members of staff. You will ultimately report to the SSU Director, but may report to another senior member of staff in the course of day-to-day activities. The nature of the work may require some flexibility in working hours and in some cases can involve working on-site with clients for extended periods of time.

Work is usually allocated by a senior member of staff and will be planned for up to 3 months ahead. You will plan specific day-to-day work up to one month in advance, whilst keeping in mind the tasks specified further ahead. This usually involves prioritising multiple on-going contracts and dealing with reactive requests, and reporting on individual progress. You may coordinate and delegate work to clerical staff, in collaboration with senior colleagues, or be required to monitor the progress of casual staff in order to report estimated project timescales. You may also be required coach and provide specialist guidance and support to clients and other staff within the SSU.

Job Description

Main Duties and Responsibilities

  • Undertake data analysis, reporting and other statistical work under appropriate supervision from a senior member of staff.
  • Present training workshops with the assistance and guidance of senior members of staff.
  • Provide statistical advice to clients, either supervised by a senior member of staff or independently with increasing experience.
  • Report to a senior member of staff on the progress of individual projects on at least a weekly basis.
  • Gain experience in the full range of the SSU’s activities, through suitable exposure to and shadowing of projects.
  • Identify training requirements with the director and undertake appropriate training activities; keep up-to-date with relevant statistical and software developments.
  • Keep abreast of both SSU and University objectives.
  • Assist with mentoring for new consultants where required.
  • Assist with the development of the SSU in terms of best working practices and quality assurance systems.
  • Any other duties, commensurate with the grade of the post.

Person Specification

Applicants should provide evidence in their applications that they meet the following criteria. We will use a range of selection methods to measure candidates’ abilities in these areas including reviewing your on-line application, seeking references, inviting shortlisted candidates to interview and other forms of assessment action relevant to the post.

Qualifications and experience
  • A good honours degree and a postgraduate qualification in Statistics or equivalent experience.
  • Previous experience with at least one sophisticated statistical software package such as R, S-PLUS or SAS, with an aptitude for mastering new packages.
Communication skills
  • Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, to deal with a variety of statistical and non-statistical clients.
  • Good interpersonal skills with the ability to liaise effectively with colleagues and clients.
  • Ability to present basic statistical concepts in a simple and clear way.
  • Excellent attention to detail.
Team working
  • Able to work effectively and flexibly, both independently and as part of a team.
Problem solving and decision making
  • Ability to plan and prioritise daily work and forward plan up to one month for some tasks.
  • Ability to develop creative approaches to problem solving.
  • Ability to analyse and solve problems with an appreciation of longer-term implications.
Project management

11. Ability to assess and organise resources, plan and progress work activities to deadlines.

12. Appreciation of the need for personal commercial awareness within a consultancy setting.

Personal effectiveness
  • Confident and professional approach to the practical application of statistics.
  • Self-motivated
  • Experience of adapting own skills to new circumstances.