Research Officer in the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy (to be seconded to GBAICTI as Chief Data Scientist)

Job Description:

Research Officer in the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy (to be seconded to GBAICTI as Chief Data Scientist) (Ref.: 536669)

The Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute (GBAICTI) is a wholly-owned entity of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, serving as a centralized clinical research facilitation platform with the mission of creating and sustaining a thriving clinical research ecosystem and driving development in Hong Kong and Greater Bay Area (GBA).

In November 2024, the University of Hong Kong LKS Faculty of Medicine (HKUMed) was appointed as the operator of GBAICTI. In December 2025, the Real-World Study and Application Centre (RWSAC) was established under GBAICTI to open up local health and medical databases and promote collaboration between Hong Kong and other GBA cities.

We are now seeking a high-calibre professional to join the RWSAC (located at Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone) as Chief Data Scientist.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Report to Director (RWSAC) and lead the scientific and methodological core of the RWSAC.
• Provide scientific leadership in the design, execution, and analysis of real-world evidence (RWE) studies.
• Oversee the development and validation of the common data model and the data integration platform for use in healthcare research.
• Ensure analytical methodologies are robust, reproducible, and compliant with relevant regulatory guidelines.
• Lead the exploration and application of innovative analytical approaches.
• Manage a team of data scientists and business intelligence (BI) professionals, fostering a culture of scientific excellence and continuous methodological improvement.
• Collaborate with the Data Scientist (AI) to integrate advanced AI/ML techniques into the RWE generation pipeline.

Requirements

• PhD degree in Epidemiology, Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Informatics or related disciplines.
• Preferably a minimum of 5 years’ experience in epidemiology, data management, programming and statistics at supervisory level.
• Proficiency in SQL, Python/R, or similar tools; experience with big data platforms, machine learning, and data warehousing.
• Commitment to quality, integrity, confidentiality and compliance.
• Excellent leadership, organizational, project management and problem-solving skills.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and stakeholders’ management skills.
• Detail-oriented, able to handle multiple concurrent tasks and self-motivated.
• A good command of spoken and written English and Chinese (including both Cantonese and Putonghua).

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a written test and/or an interview.

What We Offer

The appointment will commence as soon as possible on a two-year fixed-term basis, with the possibility of renewal subject to funding availability and satisfactory performance. A highly competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience will be offered, in addition to annual leave and medical benefits. The appointment will attract a contract-end gratuity and University contribution to a retirement benefits scheme, totaling up to 15% of basic salary. Housing benefits will be provided as applicable.

How to Apply

The University only accepts online application for the above post. Applicants should apply online at the University’s Careers site (https://jobs.hku.hk) and upload an up-to-date C.V. Review of applications will start from (at least 2 weeks from posting) and continue until July 31, 2026, or until the post is filled, whichever is earlier.

The University is an equal opportunities employer and
is committed to equality, ethics, inclusivity, diversity and transparency