Research Associate in Systems Engineering and Data Analytics

Overview

This is an exciting opportunity for a Research Associate from an engineering (systems, control or signal processing) or computer science background to support a major project at the intersection of systems engineering and healthcare delivery. You will work with a highly interdisciplinary research team and with our clinical and health data partners to ensure that systems engineering processes are applied to the reshaping of healthcare services. You will identify data analytics functions and digital twin requirements and develop software solutions integrating these components. You will have mathematical, computational and systems engineering skills, and be able to apply these in a dynamic and interdisciplinary research environment. 

RESHAPE-CARE (re-engineering services for health, maximising person centred care) is a research and innovation programme to transform care for people with multiple long term conditions. It represents a partnership between systems engineers, healthcare researchers, health data experts and health service providers. It seeks to integrate the human (ensuring person-centred preferences about care) with the technological ( “digital twin” computer models of health systems). The process of designing and implementing changes within services (general practices and community diagnostic centres) will follow systems engineering principles: an important part of this mixed methods researcher role is to participate in that process and also reflect and report on it. The project is underpinned by a strong commitment to Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) including people from underserved and under-represented communities.

RESHAPE-CARE is a partnership between the Universities of Sheffield (School of Medicine and Population Health and School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering) and Manchester with healthcare partners in South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester. It is jointly funded by the National Institute of Health Research and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. 

Main duties and responsibilities

• Work with multiple stakeholders, both public and services, and apply model-based systems engineering principles to reshape healthcare services for people with diabetes and breathlessness. 

• Identify relevant health datasets and required services as part of the management of people with long term conditions. 

• Develop system requirements for patient and practice digital twins within a systems view of healthcare services. 

• Contribute to the development of digital twins and data analytics functions working across data platforms and operating environments, coordinating with project partners and the research team. 

• Conduct a comprehensive literature review to highlight state-of-the-art research in digital twins and model-based systems engineering in healthcare. 

• Prepare high quality papers for journals/presentations at technical level at national/international conferences and seminars for dissemination, and at a lay-person level to inform findings to multiple stakeholders. 

• Report to supervisors and the wider project team on a regular basis about your research plan and results to discuss / agree any changes to the plan. 

• Deliver project objectives assigned to your work package in a timely fashion, and coordinate with other work packages to ensure the solutions are integrated for the success of the whole project. 

• Plan research effectively by continuously monitoring results; the unpredictability of research means that daily planning needs to accommodate new developments. 

• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post

As a RA in Systems Engineering and Data Analytics, you will be responsible for working with the lead investigators to deliver the project. This will involve working with stakeholders (public and services) and academics from engineering, data science and health. The engineering focus of RESHAPE-CARE will involve you working with relevant health datasets and services for diabetes and breathlessness as part of the management of people with multiple long-term conditions, and developing digital twins based solutions. 

You will work on a number of work packages at different stages of the study. Each will have a work-package or task-related team comprising investigators, researcher colleagues and experts by lived experience. You will also be a full member of the wider RESHAPE-CARE research team and be expected to share your work and its findings across the work packages. This means you will have to work with people from different backgrounds and academic disciplines. You will have project management and secretarial support from members of our professional services team.

You will use your systems engineering skills to elicit requirements for data analytics and digital twins by working with the project partners. Experience of working with heterogeneous and complex data would be valuable. You will apply software engineering skills to the development of data analytics and digital twin based software solutions as services and deploy them in the cloud. You will be responsible for producing software documentation and technical reports, as well as regular reports of your work in formats that are accessible to the team, including those from different disciplines. 

You will be based in the Sheffield Centre for Health & Related Research and work closely with colleagues in Engineering (the buildings are only a short distance from each other). You will be required to visit the project partners and healthcare providers (GP practices and diagnostic centres in South Yorkshire, Manchester. 

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Criteria

Essential or desirable

Stage(s) assessed at

A PhD, or close to completion (or equivalent experience) in engineering (systems, control or signal processing), computer science or a related discipline 

Essential

Application

Demonstrable ability to apply systems engineering concepts to a real world problem 

Desirable 

Application/interview

Demonstrable ability to work with large and complex datasets

Essential

Application/interview

Demonstrable ability to work flexibly across data platforms and operating environments. 

Essential

Application/interview

Demonstrable experience of data analytics 

Essential

Application/Interview

Demonstrable experience of developing software in Matlab, C++ or Python  

Essential 

Application

Demonstrable writing skills including both academic papers and reports for other internal and external purposes

Essential

Application/Interview

Excellent communication skills including managing meetings, making presentations and effective 1:1 communication 

Essential

Application/Interview

Demonstrable ability to work effectively with people from different disciplines 

Essential

Application/Interview

Demonstrable ability to work independently, plan own workload and prioritise conflicting deadlines

Essential

Application/Interview

Demonstrable ability to apply creative approaches to solving complex technical problems

Essential

Application/Interview

Further Information

Grade

7

Salary

£38,784 - £41,064

Work arrangement

Full time (100% FTE)

Duration

44 months with an end date no later than  31 January 2030

Line manager

Professor Visakan Kadirkamanathan 

Our website

https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/eee

For informal enquiries about this job contact Professor Visakan Kadirkamanathan on visakan@sheffield.ac.uk.

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will take place on the week commencing 5 January 2026. This will consist of an interview and a presentation. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage on the week commencing 15 December 2025. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact eee-operations@sheffield.ac.uk .

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.