Data Science Research Fellow

Nesta
London - United Kingdom
S: Circa £50K, plus benefits

Nesta is looking for a Research Fellow to work with the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE), an independent centre for research and development of economic statistics for the modern economy. ESCoE is a consortium of leading institutions led by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) with Nesta, King's College London, the University of Cambridge, Warwick Business School and Strathclyde Business School (see here for more information). Nesta is leading the Consortium's work on novel uses of big data for economic measurement.

The Research Fellow will lead Nesta's research for the Centre in using big data to improve labour market statistics. In particular, the project uses UK online job ads data, which has been licensed by ESCoE, to produce improved estimates on occupations, skills and wages. Building on and improving the existing occupation and skills classification schema used by the ONS is a major focus of the research. As such, as well as having an interest in labour market statistics, the successful candidate should have excellent skills in machine learning. An important part of this project is to understand the challenges associated with the use of such datasets for economic statistics and to identify ways of mitigating them.

We are seeking to appoint a researcher with deep expertise in using quantitative research methods and machine learning specifically. We are particularly interested in candidates with proven expertise in using online sources of data, and those with experience and/or interest in using these methods for the analysis of labour markets. We welcome applications from quantitative economists or econometricians who have a keen interest in labour market statistics and have a demonstrable aptitude for programming and statistical analysis at the highest levels.

The ideal candidate will have:

● A PhD in a relevant field (e.g. machine learning, data science, quantitative economics, operations research, statistics, etc.). An excellent Masters qualification i.e. distinction, in a relevant subject will also be considered if you have relevant professional research experience.
● Strong quantitative data processing and analysis skills, including knowledge of data analysis software, and data science-relevant programming languages such as Python and R.
● Quantitative research experience in the labour market field, including labour economics and skills.
● Strong communication skills, including a proven ability to present research findings in ways that are clear, compelling and credible, and to draft high-quality outputs from research.
● The ability to learn quickly and master new research areas.

How to Apply:
For the full Candidate Specification and our Application Form, please visit the relevant advert on our website.
The closing date for completed applications is 9am, Tuesday 16 May.
1st Interviews will take place on Tuesday 23 May.
2nd Interviews will take place on Tuesday 30 May.

Job summary