Faculty of Medicine and Health
School of Medicine
Leeds Institute of Health Sciences
Yorkshire Centre for Health Informatics and MRC Medical Bioinformatics Centre
Associate Professor in Health Informatics /e-Health research
Following the MRC award of £7M to support a new Leeds Medical Bioinformatics Centre, we are
seeking an Associate Professor with expertise in health informatics, health data analytics and / or
e-heath research to augment our research portfolio with further grant income from the Research
Councils, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and other funding bodies, support our
teaching activities and strengthen our existing multidisciplinary teams in these areas.
Applicants should have a PhD or equivalent experience in health informatics or e-Health research
and be familiar with working in a multidisciplinary research environment. The successful applicant
will be an experienced multidisciplinary researcher with a significant publication record, effective
communication and presentation skills, a capacity to inspire others with enthusiasm and ability to
work successfully as a team member. Please note that bioinformaticians or epidemiologists
without substantial health informatics research experience will not be eligible for this post.
The University of Leeds is committed to providing equal opportunities for all and offers a
range of family friendly policies (http://hr.leeds.ac.uk/homepage/4/policies). The University
is a charter member of Athena SWAN and holds the Bronze award. The School of Medicine
gained the Bronze award in 2013. We are committed to being an inclusive medical school
that values all staff, and we are happy to consider job share applications and requests for
flexible working arrangements from our employees.
University Grade 9 (£47,328 – £54,841) depending on qualifications and experience
Informal inquiries to Professor Jeremy Wyatt (research issues), Tel: + 44 (113) 3430858,
email: j.c.wyatt@leeds.ac.uk or to Dr Susan Clamp (teaching issues) Tel: + 44 (113)
3434960, email: s.clamp@leeds.ac.uk
If you have any specific enquiries about your online application please contact Sue Davis
on 0113 3430831, s.davis@leeds.ac.uk
Interviews to be held on Tuesday 19 May 2015
Job Ref:
MHIHS1030
Closing Date: 26 April 2015
Purpose of the post
The primary responsibility of the post is to contribute to the development and research productivity
of the Leeds MRC Medical Bioinformatics Centre and Leeds Institute for Data Analytics, linking
these with the research activities of Leeds Medical School and the Leeds Institute of Health
Sciences (LIHS) in health informatics, health data analytics and/or e-health. We interpret health
informatics as the design, development and evaluation of interactive information systems to
directly improve the quality of healthcare, self-care or health promotion – ie. clinical informatics,
rather than research using data that happens to be held in computer systems. Teaching will be
expected in the post-holder’s area of expertise, to a degree commensurate with a predominantly
research role.
Research, Innovation and Impact
 To pursue, develop and lead research innovation and impact in the field of health informatics /
e-health (specifically methodology and applied health research) of national and international
standing and enhance the research profile of the institute/faculty
 To develop the strategic direction within their own research area, which will be complementary
with other research in the MRC Centre, the Yorkshire Centre for Health Informatics and LIHS
 To promote synergy between their own research area and other research activities within and,
as appropriate, outside the school and faculty, eg. via the Leeds Institute for Data Analytics
and the ESRC-funded Consumer Data Research Centre
 To maintain a record of regular high quality and original research publications in the top
quartile of journals as appropriate to the discipline
 To attract research income on an individual and collaborative basis, as appropriate to the
discipline, to underpin high quality research activity
 To provide excellent postgraduate supervision and attract high calibre research students to the
university
 To take part in knowledge transfer activities, where appropriate and beneficial to the University
Teaching
 To undertake research-led teaching on undergraduate and/or postgraduate taught courses,
regularly collecting, and responding to, student feedback
 To contribute at an appropriate level to school and faculty policy and practice in teaching
 To play a significant role in the design, development and planning of modules and
programmes within the subject area as required
 To play a significant role in the review of modules and programmes and in quality assurance
and enhancement as required
 To develop innovative approaches to learning and teaching as appropriate
 To provide general support and guidance to students, resolving issues and/or referring to
specialist parties, where appropriate
 To provide timely feedback and assessment of coursework and examinations
To provide academic leadership through:
 Significant contribution to the overall work of the university and/or equivalent external
organisations by representing the school and faculty on appropriate committees and groups
 Effective contribution to the management and administrative processes and committee
structures of the Unit, school, faculty and university
 Managing or leading major initiatives or areas of work (as either sustained or one-off projects)
which facilitate school, faculty or university performance or business as required
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Involvement in the recruitment, management and development of staff and acting as mentor to
less experienced colleagues
The promotion of the values of collegiality within the academic community
Actively engaging with and promoting the objectives of valuing and developing all our staff via
compliance with the University’s People Management Framework to ensure high standards of
employment practices across the School.
General duties
 Adhere to University values and standards, including the Leadership and Management
Standard, and in line with university policies and procedures and local faculty/school
benchmarks as appropriate, upholding high professional standards and leading by example
 To be aware of and work in line with the university’s learning and teaching partnership
agreement and work with our students as members of a learning community to provide world
class education and an excellent student experience
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To contribute to the development and delivery of university, faculty and school strategy within
the context of an international, research-led university
To be recognised as an authority in the field of health informatics / e-health, developing and
maintaining an external profile appropriate to the discipline
To maintain scholarly activity and keep up to date with developments in the field as necessary
to carry out the duties of the post
To maintain a safe work environment, including ensuring compliance with legislation and the
undertaking of risk assessments
To maintain your own continuing professional development
To integrate the University value of inclusiveness into all appropriate aspects of the job;
respecting the dignity and diversity of all members of the University community and of visitors
to the University
To undertake any other duties commensurate with the post as might be reasonably required
This job description provides a framework for the role and it may be necessary to undertake any
duties commensurate with the post as might be reasonably required. The title of Associate
Professor is linked to the role, not the individual. Individuals should be addressed as ‘Dr.’ or other
appropriate title and would not be expected to present themselves as ‘professor’ internally or
externally.
Relationships
You will be part of the Leeds Institute of Health Sciences (Yorkshire Centre for Health Informatics)
and located in the MRC Centre for Biomedical Informatics. The post-holder is responsible to the
Head of Research in the Yorkshire Centre for Health Informatics, Professor Jeremy Wyatt, through
whom he/she is accountable to the Head of the Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, Professor Tim
Ensor and the Dean of the Medical School and of the Faculty, Professor Paul Stewart.
University Values
All staff are expected to operate in line with the university’s values and standards, which are an
integral part of our strategy and set out the principles of how we work together. More information
about the university’s strategy and values is available at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/comms/strategy/
Person Specification
Essential
 A recognised post graduate qualification (PhD or equivalent experience) relevant to health
informatics / e-health.
 Substantial postdoctoral expertise in undertaking applied health research relevant to e-health
 A research focus that aligns with the research strategy of Leeds Institute of Health Sciences
and the MRC Centre
 A track record of high quality, high impact research publications in health informatics / e-health
 Proven track record of generating substantial external grant income from a range of funding
sources
 Experience and proven success in supervising postgraduate research students
 Initiative, motivation and enthusiasm to advance research, service and system development in
the field
 Proven record of delivering teaching to postgraduate and undergraduate students including the
delivery of novel teaching materials (including for example, by distance learning)
 Ability to lead effectively within a multi-disciplinary environment including expertise in
mentoring, coaching etc.
 An ability to motivate and inspire others
 Knowledge of the potential impact of current educational technology for learning and teaching
 Demonstrable willingness and evidence of ability to contribute effectively to administrative
activities of a University Faculty
 Ability to work effectively, responsibly, independently and under pressure
 A high level of interpersonal and communication skills, including written and presentational,
and the ability to work as member of a team
 Effective organisational ability, including the ability to manage time effectively
 Commitment to your own continuing professional development
 Willingness to travel
Further information
Faculty Information
With more than 6,000 students, 1,600 staff and annual research income of £50m, the Faculty of
Medicine and Health at Leeds is bigger than some universities. Leeds has one of the largest
medical and bioscience research bases in the UK, and is an acknowledged world leader in cancer,
cardiovascular, psychiatric, genetic, musculo-skeletal and health services research. With its recent
success in gaining a £7M MRC Centre for Medical Bioinformatics, the Faculty is prioritising health
informatics, health data analytics and eHealth as key research priorities for the future.
The School of Medicine
The School of Medicine at the University of Leeds is a major international centre for research and
education. Our ambition is to improve health and reduce health inequalities, locally and globally,
through excellent scientific research and the translation of that research into healthcare practice,
and through the education of future scientific and clinical leaders who will advocate and practise
an evidence-based approach. Our major strategic aims are to:
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Deliver outstanding research including basic discovery science through to applied health
research that makes a significant difference to health.
Produce exceptional graduates, clinicians, educators, doctoral and post-doctoral fellows whose
learning has been informed and inspired by our research excellence and who will form the next
generation of academic and clinical leaders.
Develop and support knowledge transfer activities that flow from our academic activities.
Create and maintain an efficient and sustainable environment for research and teaching within
an organisational culture and management style that enacts and supports the university’s core
values of community, inclusiveness, integrity and professionalism.
The School of Medicine is organised into four Institutes: Leeds Institute of Health Sciences
(LIHS), Leeds Institute of Genetics Health & Therapeutics (LIGHT), Leeds Institute of Medical
Education (LIME) and Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine (LIMM). All are committed to high
quality research-led teaching, through their training of postgraduate research students, delivery of
postgraduate taught courses, and its leadership in undergraduate teaching. The Yorkshire Centre
for Health Informatics is part of the Leeds Institute of Health Sciences.
Leeds Institute of Health Sciences (LIHS) Director: Professor Tim Ensor
LIHS delivers problem-driven research that supports decisions about the content or delivery of
healthcare. Our interdisciplinary approach incorporates expertise in applied health research
designs, health implementation sciences, social sciences, health economics, informatics and
statistics, as well as skills in communicating with basic scientists, policy makers, healthcare
providers, public and patients. We conduct research at the individual, population and
organisational level. The Institute has active research groups in International Health, Primary
Care and Public Health, Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, eHealth and Health Services
Research. For more information visit our website at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/lihs/.
The Yorkshire Centre for Health Informatics (LIHS) Head Dr Susan Clamp, Research
Director Prof Jeremy Wyatt
The Yorkshire Centre for Health Informatics (YCHI) is part of the Leeds Institute of Health
Sciences. Within the University, YCHI also has strong academic links with the Schools of
Psychology, Computing and the Business School (with its Centre for Decision Research), the
University’s Clinical Trials Research Unit and the Division of Biostatistics and the emerging Leeds
network for behaviour change research. Outside, we link with local organisations via the University
of Leeds strategic partnerships with the Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, local NHS primary
care commissioning groups, community and mental health trusts and Leeds City Council and its
Leeds Care Record project. Nationally, we have strong direct links with the Royal College of
Physicians Health Informatics Unit, NHS England, the British Standards Institution and the Health
and Social Care Information Centre. There is a joint ambition within the Faculty of Medicine and
Health to achieve status as a safe haven data depository with the NHS. Depending upon your
interests, there will be many opportunities for collaboration with academic groups outside the
Faculty of medicine healthcare and psychology – for example in geography or computing science ,
and for working with NHS partners in the primary or secondary care organisations with whom we
have links.
The origin of health informatics in Leeds was 40 year ago in Tim de Dombal’s Clinical Information
Sciences Unit and the Leeds Abdominal Pain System. We continue to work on decision support
systems but now have a wide research portfolio and strong links with TPP and its ResearchOne
database. We also link closely with Harvard University and Partners in Health, health informatics
departments in Amsterdam, Paris & Porto Universities, and average 6-8 PhD students at any one
time. YCHI also has international teaching and research collaborations in low and middle income
countries in Africa and the Middle East. We teach a well respected MSc course which attracts
around 16-20 students pa. This is currently being revised to develop two new strands, in Clinical
Informatics and Health Data Analytics; the post holder will take a key role in this process along
with existing staff. The Yorkshire Centre for Health Informatics (YCHI) continues to build on its
international reputation in research and teaching. We have been major partners in European
Commission Framework Programmes and NIHR research programme grants. Many of our
research outputs are used internationally, for example the OpenMRS record system is used in
more than 50 low and middle income countries and the Ellipse software for Down syndrome
screening is used in over 30 countries.
Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine (LICAMM) Director: Professor
Mark Kearney
LICAMM integrates basic and clinical scientists with a common goal of understanding the
mechanisms underpinning common chronic diseases of human health and developing new
approaches to treating patients at an individual and population level. At the heart of LICAMM’s
philosophy is a vibrant multidisciplinary approach to science that provides a platform to deliver
internationally competitive translational research and teaching in disorders including
cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases) our key aim is to
improve the lives of our patients and the experience of our students.
Leeds Institute of Medical Education (LIME) Director: Professor Trudie Roberts
LIME provides the administrative support, co-ordination and leadership for the School of
Medicine’s undergraduate medical degree, including admissions, curriculum development,
assessment, student support and clinical placement liaison. It provides the technology-enhanced
learning and innovation support for the School of Medicine. LIME also has a very active
scholarship programme of research and innovation in medical education and uses its expertise to
influence medical education policy and practice nationally and internationally. To achieve this it
works with a range of stakeholders including the academic community, the profession, the public,
regulators and policy makers.
The Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology (LICAP) Director: Professor Tim Bishop
The Leeds Institute of Cancer Studies and Pathology addresses both laboratory based and clinical
research into cancer with a major focus on translational science. LICAP is one of the largest
cancer Institutes in the country and has major financial support from the cancer charities. The
laboratories and clinical research are all based on the St James’s site with laboratory activities
being located in the Wellcome Trust Brenner Building and adjacent buildings while the clinical
work is based within Bexley Wing.
Leeds Institute of Biomedical & Clinical Sciences (LIBACS) Director: Professor Philip
Hopkins
LIBACS undertakes clinically-driven research from the level of the gene through cellular, tissue
and organ to clinical trials. Our vision is to develop a sustainable centre of excellence for the
advancement of patient care by translating research results into clinical practise and contributing
to medical education at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Our research interests are
encapsulated in 6 clinical themes (Gastrointestinal inflammation & tumorigenesis, Genetic
disorders, Infection & immunity, Neuroscience, Perinatal medicine, Perioperative outcomes &
technologies) underpinned by 4 generic science technology strands (Animal models, Cell biology,
Gene regulations & Genomics). We are based predominantly at the St James’s University Hospital
site.
Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine (LIRMM), Director: Professor
Paul Emery
LIRMM is dedicated to improving diagnosis, therapy, intervention and outcome across the
spectrum of rheumatic and musculoskeletal medicine. It boasts a dynamic portfolio of research
and education, delivering wide-ranging clinical, translational and basic research across five
Sections: Clinical Musculoskeletal Medicine, Experimental Musculoskeletal Medicine, Clinical
Biomechanics and Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation Medicine and Orthopaedics. A multidisciplinary approach is the core of our activities, with significant interdisciplinary links between
Experimental and Clinical research. LIRMM’s clinical activities are focussed at Chapel Allerton
Hospital, which is also base for our NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit (LMBRU)
and our basic sciences at St James’s University Hospital.
Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research (LICTR) Director: Professor Julia Brown
LICTR delivers innovative design, delivery and knowledge transfer in clinical trials research. Our
multidisciplinary approach, in collaboration with basic scientists, clinicians, policy makers,
healthcare providers, public and patients and University colleagues, delivers internationally
competitive research and teaching that makes a significant contribution to the evidence base for
healthcare delivery. The Institutes research is conducted through the Clinical Trials Research Unit
where we have expertise in design and conduct of complex clinical trials incorporating novel
designs to evaluate CTIMPs, complex interventions, diagnostics, medical devices and surgery.
Additional information
Terms and Conditions
Details of the terms and conditions of employment for all staff at the university, including
information on pensions and benefits, are available on the Human Resources web pages
accessible via the links on the right hand side, or at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/hr/index.htm
Learning and Teaching Award
The Senate of the University has agreed that all newly appointed staff with a contract of 0.5 fte
and above who have a teaching role and are deemed new to teaching in HE should be required to
complete successfully all of the requirements of the University of Leeds Teaching Award:
Professional Standard 2 (ULTA-2) or an appropriate alternative. Whether or not this applies to you
will be decided as part of the appointment procedure at interview.
Further details of the ULTA-2 are available at www.leeds.ac.uk/sddu/lt/ulta/ulta2.html
Guidance on the criteria used to decide ‘new to teaching’ is available at
www.leeds.ac.uk/sddu/lt/ulta/ulta_criteria.html
Staff with contracts of less than 0.5 fte may take the ULTA-2 provided that they have a broad
enough range of teaching and assessment to complete the requirements of the Programme: this
will be decided in conjunction with the School and the course providers.
Disclosure and Barring Service Checks
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check is not required for this position. However,
applicants who have unspent convictions must indicate this in the ‘other personal details’ section
of the application form and send details to the Recruitment Officer.
Disabled Applicants
The post is located in the Charles Thackrah Building with a move to newly refurbished premises in
the Worsley Building in summer 2015. Disabled applicants wishing to review access to the
building are invited to contact the department direct. Additional information may be sought from
the Recruitment Officer, email disclosure@leeds.ac.uk or tel + 44 (0)113 343 1723.
Disabled applicants are not obliged to inform employers of their disability but will still be covered
by the Equality Act once their disability becomes known.
Further information for applicants with disabilities, impairments or health conditions is
available in the applicant guidance.