Data Scientist (various levels)

Would you like to contribute to safer use of medicines and vaccines globally? We are looking for a Data Scientist for the Research Department at Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC). You will join a multicultural and dynamic environment with a clear focus to ensure patient safety globally.

Since 1978, Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC) has been dedicated to developing, supporting, and expanding the field of pharmacovigilance science and practice.

As a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre, we support work around the world to examine the potential adverse effects of medicines and vaccines and contribute to safer, more informed care of patients.

We are a diverse, international group of pharmacists, physicians, data scientists, system developers, communicators, and many other professionals motivated by a deep belief that the work we do matters.

About the role

Research at UMC is a team effort. Pharmacovigilance experts, engineers, and data scientists work side by side to develop the best ideas and solutions. We are looking for a Data Scientist with excellent technical skills who thrives on collaboration. You will join a self-organising agile team where members share ideas openly, plan their work together, give each other honest feedback, and take joint ownership of outcomes.

You will report to our Head of Data Science, Angnis Schmidt-May.

What you will do

You will help us make better use of data from different sources, the main one being our global database of adverse event reports. Your work will mostly cover the following areas:

• Machine learning, natural language processing & large language models: develop methods to support signal management using data from case reports and scientific literature. You will judge carefully when and how AI can be trusted to enhance our research.
• Scientific research and dissemination: design and run studies in internal and external collaborations, publish in peer-reviewed journals and present at international conferences.
• Sharing methods and assets: make our methods and tools available to others, for example as open-source packages, documented workflows, and reusable models.
• Product research: develop innovative methods and conduct exploratory research to improve UMC's products and services. You will work closely with product teams to turn research ideas into useful product features.

Who you are

• You are an excellent collaborator. You listen to others and build on their ideas. You share credit and lift the people around you.
• You are curious and eager to grow. You seek feedback, reflect on it and act on it. You see learning and development as a lifelong part of your career.
• You care about the purpose. Patient safety matters to you, and you hold yourself to high standards of scientific integrity.

Must have

• PhD in a quantitative field (e.g., statistics, computer science, computational linguistics, epidemiology, physics), or a master's degree and PhD-equivalent research experience
• Track record of scientific work, such as peer-reviewed publications or conference presentations
• Minimum of 5 years of practical experience in data science (from industry or research)
• Strong Python/R skills
• Fluent written and spoken English

Nice to have

Knowledge of

• best practices in software engineering
• pharmacovigilance, medical terminologies (e.g., MedDRA) or experience working with health data

Experience

• working on open-source code
• working with cloud infrastructure
• working with GenAI and agentic workflows
• taking models and methods from research into production
• working with user research and product development
• mentoring or supervising others

Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC) is an independent, self-funded, non-profit foundation established in 1978 dedicated to safer use of medicines and vaccines. Through an agreement between the Government of Sweden and the World Health Organization (WHO), UMC operates the Programme for International Drug Monitoring, supporting over 180 member countries and regions in strengthening safety surveillance, and maintains VigiBase, the WHO global database of adverse event reports. In addition, UMC provides international standards and related digital solutions for secure exchange of pharmacovigilance data, including a global medicine and vaccine terminology for identification of medicinal products. With around 200 staff, UMC advances the science of pharmacovigilance and transforms its practice through technological innovation.

UMC’s working language is English. We normally apply a probationary period to new appointments.

If you have any questions regarding this position please contact the responsible manager. You will find the contact details at the end of this page.

UMC follows the collective agreements between the Swedish Agency for Government Employers and Saco-S and ST. Union representatives are Malin Zaar (Saco-S) and Jessica Avasol (ST), +46 (0)18-65 60 60.