Job Title: Scientific Director, Clinical and Machine Learning Data Architecture  
Location: Stevenage, London or Edinburgh 
Job Type: Permanent  

At LifeArc, we want to hear from people who are as passionate as we are about making life science life changing to improve patients’ lives. 

A bit about the role: 

LifeArc’s science organisation has undergone significant transformational change over the past two years, including the formation of a new Data Sciences department that uses and exploits data, informatics and computational methods to deliver beneficial impact for patients. We achieve this by working closely with LifeArc’s Translational Challenges, our laboratory-based science platforms and multiple external collaborators.   

As part of LifeArc’s investment in Data Sciences we are now expanding significantly our capabilities in clinical and healthcare data, with the formation of a Platform for Clinical Data Sciences. A critical element of this Platform will be access to relevant datasets, the analysis of which will enable us to deliver positive impact in early detection, diagnosis, progression, patient stratification, and management of disease and to contribute to the development of current and future treatments.   

We are seeking an experienced leader with extensive experience and expertise in the access, use, capture and storage of clinical and healthcare data. This is a key leadership role within the Data Sciences department and its Platform for Clinical Data Sciences, across LifeArc and with external stakeholders.   

The role is accountable for leading, informing and influencing LifeArc’s future direction in leveraging, scaling up, integrating and maintaining clinical data for patient benefit. This will involve making impactful decisions based on your experience, using your leadership skills to deliver effective line and project management, driving discussions with external partners, and constructively collaborating with your colleagues in Data Sciences and across the wider organisation around joint objectives. 

About you: 

• Leading the appropriate management, data access and data model standardisation for LifeArc’s use of clinical data to deliver patient impact.  
• Provides technical input and expertise in the data architecture (creation of scalable, efficient and secure procedures and data models) encompassing the access, integration, use and storage of clinical data, to impact and influence strategic decision-making across LifeArc 
• There are significant legal and privacy considerations when accessing and using Clinical and healthcare data; this role will require an in-depth appreciation and understanding of these factors and taking a proactive and collaborative approach to ensuring that LifeArc is fully compliant with all such requirements.  
• Identifies new opportunities that add value to clinical and science data from in-house and external sources that have the potential to impact LifeArc goals; proactively explores these with relevant colleagues/groups, bringing forwards recommendations to Head of Data Sciences, LifeArc Scientific leadership, LifeArc Technology leadership and Translational Challenge Heads. 
• Represents LifeArc with external collaborators and other organisations including national bodies such as HDR-UK and Our Future Health 
• Works closely with other groups at LifeArc and multiple external partners, often at a senior level, to monitor progress, identify emerging needs, solve problems. 
• Keeps up to date on new developments in the field of clinical data, identifies where these may provide a key strategic advantage and brings forward proposals and recommendations on course of action. 
• Line management, resourcing decisions, recruitment and career development responsibilities for a team of professionals. 
• Actively contributes to the Data Sciences leadership team, contributing to the development of strategy, application and delivery of data sciences approaches. 
• Some budgetary responsibility commensurate with the seniority of the role 
    

Education & experience required:  

• Deep knowledge of clinical data, electronic health records and an appreciation for how these can be accessed, handled, integrated, and optimised to address real-world problems with patient impact. 
• Practical experience using such data and associated technology stack and standards in a life sciences industry/biotech, academic or not-for-profit environment  
• Evidence of sustained impact on project progression 
• Experience working within a complex matrix environment. 
• Line management experience.  
• Track record of publications/patents (including software/databases) that demonstrate creation of novel solutions to complex problems. 
• A higher degree in relevant area of science 
• Effective communication skills, both presentation and written 

About us: 

At LifeArc, our ambition is to make life science life changing. We do this by advancing scientific discoveries beyond the lab, faster, so that they can shape the next generation of diagnostics, treatments, and cures.  

Working at the cutting edge of translational science and as the early-stage translation specialists, we progress scientific discoveries on their journey to becoming a medicine, diagnostic or intervention that can improve patients’ lives. Our work begins by seeking out innovative science, then helping to develop this to a point where there is a clinical and commercial pathway for others to invest the time and money to take it further forward.  

What we can offer you: 

Salary will be determined by qualifications and experience along with other exceptional benefits. Because we understand everyone has different requirements, our flexible benefits allow you to choose those which are important to you. Our pension scheme offers employer contributions of up to 12%, private health insurance, and annual leave of 31 days PLUS bank holidays.  

Join us, and you’ll have the scope to be creative and take measured risks. You’ll be rewarded for your curiosity, for working as one team, and for learning fast. And you’ll have everything you need to be your best every day.  

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people from minority ethnic backgrounds, for example, are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At LifeArc we are dedicated in building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so whatever your background or lived experience, if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. Our top priority is finding the best candidate, and you may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.  

We all have potential. At LifeArc, you’ll discover what you can really do with it. 

Agencies: We will only work with recruitment partners on our preferred supplier list and will not engage with speculative CVs submitted.