The Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) is one of the most dynamic university campuses in Europe and ranks among the top 20 universities worldwide. The EPFL employs 6,000 people supporting the three main missions of the institutions: education, research and innovation. The EPFL campus offers an exceptional working environment at the heart of a community of 16,000 people, including over 10,000 students and 3,500 researchers from 120 different countries.

Data Scientist & Project Manager (W/M)

Your mission :

The Digital Epidemiology Lab at EPFL, based at Campus Biotech in Geneva, is running a multi-year citizen science research project around food & nutrition called "Food & You" (www.foodandyou.ch). In this project, potentially thousands of citizens participate in a study to understand better the links between nutrition, the microbiome, and blood glucose levels. The study is entirely coordinated through a mobile app and a website, forming one of the first "digital cohorts" that are increasingly seen as an important future of medical research in the digital age.



After a successful launch, we want to expand our team working on this ambitious project which requires careful planning and dedicated execution. We are in particular looking to analyze and visualize the increasing amounts of data we are collecting. This is why we are looking for someone who is responsible for the data analysis while also providing project management support (starting date to be defined, but preferably as soon as possible).
Main duties and responsibilities include :



You will be responsible for all aspects of data analysis, and co-ordinate with the team on the execution and management of the project. Your tasks will include (non-exhaustive list):

• Data analysis and visualization (and other aspects of the data science pipeline)


• Management of project website


• Coordination with device- and service suppliers


• Coordination with academic partners


• Coordination with academic partners


• Management of logistics


• Communication with participants and the media

Your profile :

The ideal candidate should have :

• has strong analytical and problem-solving skills


• has strong organizational skills as well as the ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities


• can set and meet ambitious deadlines


• speaks English and French fluently, and ideally even German (as we're opening the German language section of the website soon)


• ideally has research experience in bio/medical sciences


• has the ability to read the scientific literature in the field. Ideally, you have an advanced degree in the bio/medical field (PhD, Dr.med) but this is not a requirement. Excellent candidates with other degrees are also considered, provided they can navigate the scientific literature.

This is a pioneering project with many unknowns, and so the most important skill set of the ideal candidate is to be able to navigate and execute despite many uncertainties. It's a good sign if you have worked in dynamic environment (e.g. startup) before and enjoyed the experience. You are going to be responsible for the data science aspects of the project, and help with the execution of the project, which involves a lot of different tasks, from data analysis to planning the logistics all the way to packing and shipping hundreds of boxes with sensors. This is a job for a true all-rounder.

While technical skills such as web development & mobile development are not required, they will nevertheless be considered very favorably.
We offer :

EPFL is one of the world's leading technical universities. It is part of the Swiss federal government and offers the corresponding benefits. The Digital Epidemiology Lab is a dynamic group of scientists and engineers who enjoy working on interesting and relevant problems at the intersection of technology and the medical sciences. We are located at Campus Biotech in Geneva.

Start date :

As soon as possible
Term of employment :

Fixed-term (CDD)
Duration :

1 yearContact :

For additional information, please contact Prof. Marcel Salathé by e-mail marcel.salathe@epfl.ch
Remark :

Only candidates who applied through EPFL website or our partner Jobup’s website will be considered.apply online