The Alan Turing Institute is the UK’s national institute for data science and artificial intelligence. The Institute is named in honour of the scientist Alan Turing and its mission is to make great leaps in data science and artificial intelligence research in order to change the world for the better.

The 'Finance and economics' programme brings together leading experts in data science, machine learning, finance and the social sciences, from both academia and industry to tackle the most challenging questions by producing world-leading research with significant impact. We inform public policy and enable trusted, research-led thought leadership. The programme works closely with government and the industry to exploit the potential of new technologies in the financial sector and economic research, and to position the UK as the leader in these areas.

We have recently secured a two-year strategic partnership with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) with the aim of developing cutting-edge machine learning and data science tools and working on unique national statistics data sets to gain new insights into the broader economy. We have jointly identified an exciting portfolio of projects on:

1) Economic Networks and Transaction Data

2) Economic Nowcasting

3) Synthetic Data and Privacy Preservation

This role will be part of the Economic Networks and Transaction Data project. This project will build understanding of networked data through a combination of data processing for financial transactions data held by the ONS, economic modelling and forecasting using data from the whole economic system, and the development of methods for efficiently reducing the dimensionality and complexity of network-generated data.

The role will focus on ‘Challenge three’. This research challenge seeks to provide methodological improvements for working with network and high-dimensional economic data, in order to provide accurate and informative aggregates for policy decisions and forecasts. When analysing high-dimensional panels of macroeconomic or financial time series state-of-the-art methods tend to suffer from at least two main limitations.

The candidate will join a vibrant team of researchers and will have opportunities to engage with projects / experts. These will include Sam Cohen, Gesine Reinert, Doyne Farmer, Terry Lyons, François Lafond & Mihai Cucuringu (Oxford), Vasco Carvalho (Cambridge), Aureo de Paula & Lars Nesheim (UCL), and Lukasz Szpruch (Edinburgh). The Research Associate will act as a linchpin and key interface between our two organisations and will play a key role in both delivering and bringing to life our research across the partner and amongst the Turing community.

DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Apply state-of-the-art and novel data science and artificial intelligence techniques emerging from the Institute and elsewhere to the business-inspired research challenges of the Turing partnerships:
• Develop methods for utilising financial transaction data in a national statistics context
• Contribute to the development of input-output network models, including estimation of these models from disparate data sources.
• Develop data-science tools and pipelines to provide economic indicators at various levels of geographic and temporal aggregation, to an industrial standard.
• Enable data sharing between organisations and different departments within an organisation.
• Scope, pilot and deliver high quality research activity in partnership with partner stakeholders, and under the Direction of the Principal Investigator and Programme Director:
• Understand which data are, or might be, available; and collect and manage this data.
• Perform analyses, which might include: building statistical models; applying machine learning techniques; building models and simulations; or applying optimisation techniques.
• Drive the development of mathematical and statistical techniques for the inference of large, sparsely observed networks.
• Document processes for effective and efficient reuse across multiple domains.
• Drive collaboration with academic experts and broader research partners from across the Turing and the wider Turing community
• Publish and disseminate high-quality research papers and publications detailing research output and project case-studies.
• Become part of the broader partnership team and be expected to engage on a regular basis with the partner.

Essential

• Research Associate level: PhD in Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Operations Research, Computer Science or closely related discipline.
• Research Assistant level: Near completion of a PhD or equivalent level of professional qualification in Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Operations Research, Computer Science or closely related discipline.
• A solid background in one or more of the following: Probability Theory, Stochastic Analysis and Control, Bayesian Inference and Probabilistic Machine Learning, mathematical Modelling of collective behaviour of interacting systems and rigorous agent-based modelling.
• Experience in design, development and implementation of research software libraries, ideally using one of the following: Python, R, Julia and their associated frameworks.
• Track record of the ability to initiate, develop and deliver high quality research aligned with the research strategy indicated by the PI and any industrial stakeholders and to publish in peer reviewed journals and conferences.
• Hands-on experience with Machine Learning methods

Please see the Job Description for a full breakdown of the Person Specification.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

If you are interested in this opportunity, please click the apply button below. You will need to register on the applicant portal and complete the application form including your CV and covering letter. If you have questions about the role or would like to apply using a different format, please contact them on 0203 862 3340, or email [email protected].

If you are applying for more than one role at the Turing, please note that only one Cover Letter can be visible on your profile at one time. If you wish to apply for multiple roles and do not want to overwrite your existing Cover Letter, please apply for the role using the button below and forward your additional cover letter directly to [email protected] quoting the job title.[JR1]

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 03 OCTOBER 2021 at 23.59

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This full-time post is offered on a two year fixed-term basis with an expected starting date of 1st January 2022. The annual salary is £37,000-£42,000 (depending on experience) plus excellent benefits, including flexible working and family friendly policies, https://www.turing.ac.uk/work-turing/why-work-turing/employee-benefits

Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as Research Assistant within the salary range £34,500 per annum.

This job description is written at a specific time and is subject to change as the demands of the Institute and the role develop. The role requires flexibility and adaptability and the post holder needs to be aware that they may be asked to perform tasks and be given responsibilities not detailed in this job description.

PARTNER SECURITY CLEARANCE

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check carried out by the partner organisation. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The Alan Turing Institute is committed to creating an environment where diversity is valued and everyone is treated fairly. In accordance with the Equality Act, we welcome applications from anyone who meets the specific criteria of the post regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Reasonable adjustments to the interview process can also be made for any candidates with a disability.

Please note all offers of employment are subject to continuous eligibility to work in the UK and satisfactory pre-employment security screening which includes a DBS Check.

Full details on the pre-employment screening process can be requested from [email protected].