Graduate Assistant position in Statistics

Introduction

UNIL is a leading international teaching and research institution, with over 5,000 employees and 17,000 students split between its Dorigny campus, CHUV and Epalinges. As an employer, UNIL encourages excellence, individual recognition and responsibility.

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Presentation

The Department of Operations at the Faculty of Business and Economics of the University of Lausanne (HEC Lausanne) invites applications for a Graduate Assistant position in Statistics, with research oriented towards the possible application of causal inference to public health surveillance and pharmacovigilance.

Job information

Expected starting date: 1st March 2027, or by mutual agreement

Contract length: 1 year, renewable 2 x 2 years. The maximum total duration is 5 years

Activity rate: 100%

Salary: Gross salary starting at 67’568 CHF per year (following 2026 official salary grid)

Workplace: University of Lausanne, Chamberonne Campus

The position is fully funded by the University of Lausanne. The successful candidate will have opportunities to attend international conferences to present their research and to learn from experts through our network of academic and institutional collaborations.

The successful candidate will be affiliated with the doctoral programme in Business Analytics, subject to admission to the programme.

https://www.unil.ch/hec/en/home/menuinst/recherche/ecole-doctorale/phd-business-analytics.html

Co-supervision with Professor Alessandra R. Brazzale at the University of Padua (Padova), Italy, is envisaged within a cotutelle (joint doctoral supervision) arrangement, subject to approval by both institutions and completion of the relevant procedures. Under this arrangement, the successful candidate would be responsible for completing the necessary administrative procedures within the first 12 months of their appointment. Research visits and academic exchanges with Padova are also envisaged, with arrangements to be agreed between the institutions.

Your responsibilities

• At least 50% of working time will be devoted to completing a PhD thesis.


• Up to 50% of working time will be devoted to supporting the teaching and research activities of the Department of Operations, as well as administrative and technical tasks.

The successful candidate will work on the completion of a PhD thesis, which content will focus on the development and application of statistical methods, possibly focusing on causal inference, for public health surveillance and pharmacovigilance (i.e., the monitoring and assessment of health and drug safety). Possible directions include the analysis of observational health data, the assessment of treatment effects and the investigation of medicine safety signals. The research will combine methodological work with applications and may involve collaboration with institutional partners in the health sector. Research findings will be submitted to peer-reviewed scientific journals. Specific projects will be defined with the successful candidate, taking into account their interests and skills and the research directions of the department and supervisors.

The successful candidate will also contribute to teaching at Bachelor’s and Master’s levels, including exercise sessions for courses in the domain of Statistics and Data Science, supervision of student projects, and associated administrative and technical tasks.

Your qualifications

Applicants should hold, by the starting date, a Master’s degree or an equivalent university qualification in statistics or mathematics, data science or a related discipline. A solid grounding in statistics, including probability, statistical inference and modelling, would be particularly valued. Previous research experience involving statistical methodology or the analysis of health data would be an asset. An interest in public health, pharmacovigilance or causal inference is welcome; prior specialisation in these application areas is not expected.

Excellent command of English and a good command of French are required at the time of appointment.

Applicants should have a good command of at least one of the following programming languages: R or Python.

What the position offers you

The University of Lausanne offers a pleasant working environment in a multicultural and diverse academic setting, together with numerous opportunities for continuing education, a wide range of activities and other benefits.

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Contact for further information

Dr Marc-Olivier Boldi: E-Mail schreiben

Further information about the Department of Operations:
https://www.unil.ch/hec/en/home/menuinst/faculte/departements/do.html

Your application

Application deadline: 30th November 2026

Please submit a complete application in PDF format, including:

• A motivation letter describing your research interests


• A curriculum vitae


• Copies of diplomas and all university transcripts


• An electronic copy of a piece of research work (e.g. a Master’s thesis, seminar paper, conference paper or other project)


• Two letters of recommendation or the contact details of two referees

The University of Lausanne is committed to promoting gender equality among its staff and encourages applications from women. Only applications submitted through this website will be considered. Thank you for your understanding.

Additional information

UNIL is committed to:
•    equality, diversity and inclusion within its community;
•    ensuring an open and respectful environment that is conducive to personal development;
•    offering working conditions that facilitate work-life balance;
•    supporting early career researchers.

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