UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS
biobank.cy
CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN BIOBANKING AND BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
VACANT POSITION FOR A SPECIAL SCIENTIST – Research Associate in the field of Epidemiology

Title: Special Scientist – Research Associate in the field of Epidemiology
Number of positions: One (1)
Category: Contract for 2 years, with potential for renewal
Place of employment: University of Cyprus, Nicosia

The biobank.cy Center of Excellence in Biobanking and Biomedical Research of the University of Cyprus has one opening for a Special Scientist, funded by the research program: Biobanking and the Cyprus Human Genome Project (CY-Biobank), which is co-funded by the European Commission, the Republic of Cyprus and the University of Cyprus. Depending on needs and objectives, the funding of the position may be also from other sources.

biobank.cy Center of Excellence
Established in 2019, the biobank.cy is developing the first Biobank in Cyprus while it aspires to fostering frontline research on human genetic diseases and offer better prospects for diagnosis, prevention and therapy, in the framework of precision medicine.

Required Qualifications:
The candidate must possess:
1. Master’s degree in epidemiology, applied mathematics, computer science, biostatistics or other health science related degree.
2. PhD in a relevant field will be considered an advantage.
3. At least three years of experience.
4. Professional experience in statistics and data analysis.
5. Experience and advanced knowledge of statistical programming language (i.e. STATA, SPSS, R).
6. Experience with analytical methods.
7. Very good command of written and spoken english.

Candidate Profile
The candidate will be required to work in a multidisciplinary EU funded project formed by a partnership of 28 countries; they will be required to show effective communication and collaboration skills, be able to take initiatives and have strong organizational skills. Proficiency in genetic epidemiology will be advantageous.

Responsibilities:
1. Collaborate within interdisciplinary teams.
2. Supervise data collection and data analysis, data cleaning and modeling from various data sources.
3. Supervise the project’s database structure, including updating and validating cross-sectional and longitudinal data.
4. Contribute to the development of methods in genetic epidemiology.
5. Contribute to the development of analytical methods, especially in the area of Polygenic Risk Score analyses and longitudinal studies.
6. Identify genetic, environmental and lifestyle risk factors of obesity for optimizing lifestyle interventions.
7. Contribute to the identification of genetic variants affecting variation in BMI and associated traits.
8. Perform complex data analysis and write interpretative reports.
9. Respond to data queries from Principal Investigators and external collaborators.

Terms of employment The position is for a two-year full-time contract with the possibility of renewal depending on funding. Funding may be from the CY-Biobank project or from projects funded from other sources, depending on actual needs. The monthly gross earnings will range depending on qualifications from €1800-€2500. Employee contributions will be deducted from this amount. The program does not provide for the payment of 13th salary.

Submission of applications:
• A letter expressing interest for the position with a brief description of qualifications relevant to the opening (1 page).
• A brief Curriculum Vitae with description of previous experience (3 pages).
• Copies of degrees.
• Contact details of at least two people qualified to provide references upon request.
• Certificates attesting to the good knowledge of the greek and english language, unless this is attested by the mother tongue of the candidate or he/she is a graduate of a greek/english school/University.

At least the best three candidates that satisfy the required qualifications, will be interviewed by a 3-member Committee. Candidates shall be informed of the result of their application by the relevant entity. The University of Cyprus shall collect and process your personal data according to the provisions of the General Regulation on Personal Data 2016/679 (EU).

The University of Cyprus (UCY) is committed to promoting inclusivity, diversity, and equality, as well as the elimination of all forms of discrimination in order to provide a fair, safe, and pleasant environment for the entire university community, where students and staff members will feel supported both in their professional and personal development, within and beyond their multiple identities. To this end, UCY seeks to create the necessary conditions that will encourage and respect diversity and ensure dignity both in the workplace and society at large. Moreover, UCY has adopted specific policies to promote equal opportunities, as well as respect and understanding of diversity, while it is committed to promoting and maintaining a working, teaching, and learning environment, free from any form of discrimination, whether direct or indirect.
Applicants need not be citizens of the Republic of Cyprus. Applicants should however ensure, before applying, that in case they are selected they will be residing in Cyprus on a full-time basis during the employment period. Submission of application implies acceptance of this condition.
The application material should be sent electronically as one single pdf file to biobank@ucy.ac.cy , at the latest until May 10th 2024.
For more information the candidates may contact the biobank.cy Center of Excellence by phone at +357 22892815 or by email at biobank@ucy.ac.cy.