Research Assistant/Research Associate (EHR Data Scientist) (Fixed Term)

Full Time, 1 year fixed term contract

We wish to appoint a Research Assistant or Postdoctoral Research Associate with experience in Electronic Health Records (EHR) research to work alongside the University Department of Psychiatry, clinical institutions such as Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, and with a secondment to industry (Akrivia Health) to advance science and develop common data models for electronic health records of people with mental disorders, under the guidance of Dr Osimo and Prof Murray at Cambridge, and a line manager to be selected at Akrivia Health.

The aim of the research programme is to develop EHR common data model specifications and to advance knowledge in the field of psychiatry EHR research, including clinical risk prediction modelling.

The appointee will work with a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, data scientists, and data engineers to conduct epidemiological research on large-scale electronic datasets and develop common data model specifications specific to mental health EHRs.

The team conducts research using de-identified EHR data acquired through the Clinical Records Anonymisation and Text Extraction (CRATE) and Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS) tools which enable the assembly of data from patients receiving mental healthcare in UK NHS mental health trusts.

The research programme is led by Dr Emanuele Osimo (Clinical Lecturer in Psychiatry and Mental Health Data Science) and Professor Graham Murray (Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience), who have conducted several studies to investigate clinical outcomes in mental disorders using real-world data derived from EHRs. Their research is readily available on Google Scholar and similar platforms.

The appointee will have a unique opportunity to develop skills in mental health research, epidemiology, and healthcare service research. The appointee will be expected to lead the writing of research protocols and ethics applications, publications in peer-reviewed journals, conference abstract and grant applications. They will join a highly productive research department with the opportunity to develop applications for independent postdoctoral research funding if appointed as a Research Associate.

The role will be based at Douglas House, Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge, and in Oxford, at Akrivia Health (where the postdoc will be seconded to), with the option of working flexibly for one/two days a week.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Dr Emanuele Osimo project lead at

Applicants must have (or be close to obtaining) a PhD.

Appointment at Research Associate level is dependent on having a PhD. Those who have submitted but not yet received their PhD will initially be appointed as a Research Assistant (Grade 5, Point 38 £34,132) moving to Research Associate (Grade 7) upon confirmation of your PhD award.

Closing date: 1st July 2025

Interview date: to be confirmed

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.