Cambridge Mathematical Innovation Research Associate (Fixed Term)

About the role

The Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics at the University of Cambridge is looking for a Cambridge Mathematical Innovation Research Associate (CaMIRA) to work within the newly established Cambridge Hub for Innovative Mathematics in Research and Applications (CHIMiRA). The position is at Research Associate or Senior Research Associate level, depending on experience. CHIMiRA aims to improve the real-world impact of university research through interdisciplinary academic projects, industrial collaborations and consultancy. The role is flexible in application area and project type, and involves a small team working on short-to-medium term projects funded by academic or industrial partners.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and conduct individual and collaborative research objectives, proposals and projects
• Plan and manage your own research and administration, with guidance if needed, and help prepare proposals and applications to external bodies
• Communicate technical material and build internal and external contacts
• Assist in supervising student projects, developing student research skills, giving instruction and planning or delivering seminars on the research area
• Proactively initiate collaborations with research groups across the University and in industry, engage with the wider UK Innovation Research Associate network and promote CHIMiRA's activities

Required profile

• PhD in Statistics, Data Science or a similar discipline; a postdoctoral position or industry experience is an advantage
• Experience in several areas of statistics, having seen one or more projects through to completion, preferably with a real-world application
• Strong communication skills to scope ideas, co-design projects and explain statistical concepts to non-technical audiences
• Desirable: prior industrial experience and interest in entrepreneurial activities such as research commercialisation, intellectual property protection and translational research
• Positive attitude to industrial engagement is essential

Required skills

• Skills in several areas of statistics, with eagerness to learn techniques from other statistical disciplines, machine learning and AI
• Coding and software engineering proficiency expected where relevant, e.g. for machine learning challenges
• Interpersonal communication, relationship building, time management, manuscript preparation and grant writing

The post is fixed-term, funded for two years initially and possibly renewable depending on funding availability. The preferred start date is February 2027, with interviews likely in the first half of January. Candidates apply online, naming three academic referees and uploading a CV and a description of recent research or projects (no more than three pages).