On the 19th February 2014, CALC ran the fourth annual PSI careers event. Fifteen different companies and organisations descended on the University of Sheffield, along with approximately 90 BSc, MSc and PhD students from across the country for a half-day event which consisted of a mix of presentations, newly created workshops, and time for the students to talk to the different companies.
The companies included a mix of pharmaceutical companies and CROs (Adelphi Values, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, GSK, PAREXEL, Phastar, PhUSE, PPD, PRA, PSI, Quanticate, Roche, and Veramed). The representatives talked to students about the industry: the opportunities open to them, and their personal experiences of work in the industry to date. In addition, representatives from five universities (Lancaster, Leicester, LSHTM, Reading, and Sheffield) joined to advertise the various course options open to students should they be interested in further study.
The presentation topics for the day included an introduction to the pharmaceutical industry, a discussion of the differences between a statistician and a statistical programmer, the current trends and future challenges seen in the industry, and the role of outcomes research in the industry. In addition, we had a presentation from a new starter in the industry to give the students a real feel for what they could be doing in the next year or so. We also had a session called ‘Statisticians on the spot’: five volunteers were literally put on the spot and asked some fairly difficult questions! This ‘Mock the week’ style session was much more informal and hopefully showed statisticians in a different light.
Feedback received shows that both the companies and the students found the day extremely useful, and that this was our most popular event yet. The students particularly enjoyed hearing experiences in the ‘Statisticians on the spot’ session, and speaking to the company representatives. Many students would have liked even longer time to speak to the companies, which we plan to address for next year’s event.
PSI CALC hopes to repeat the success of the event again next year. The location and timing of the event is currently under discussion, so watch this space for more details later in the year! - See more at: http://www.psiweb.org/careers/careers#sthash.GqIgMSge.dpuf
Date: Ongoing 6 month cycle beginning late April/early May 2026
Are you a member of PSI looking to further your career or help develop others - why not sign up to the PSI Mentoring scheme? You can expand your network, improve your leadership skills and learn from more senior colleagues in the industry.
Joint PSI/EFSPI Visualisation SIG 'Wonderful Wednesday' Webinars
Our monthly webinar explores examples of innovative data visualisations relevant to our day to day work. Each month a new dataset is provided from a clinical trial or other relevant example, and participants are invited to submit a graphic that communicates interesting and relevant characteristics of the data.
PSI Training Course: Effective Leadership – the keys to growing your leadership capabilities
This course will consist of three online half-day workshops. The first will be aimed at building trust, the backbone of leadership and a key to becoming effective. This is key to building a solid foundation.
The second will be on improving communication as a technical leader. This workshop will focus on communication strategies for different stakeholders and will involve tips on effective communication and how to develop the skills of active listening, coaching and what improv can teach us about good communication.
The final workshop will bring these two components together to help leaders become more influential. This will also focus on how to use Steven Covey’s 7-Habits, in particular Habits 4, 5 and 6, which are called the habits of communication.
The workshops will be interactive, allowing you to practice the concepts discussed. There will be plenty of time for questions and discussion. There will also be reflective time where you can think about what you are learning and how you might experiment with it.
Our monthly webinar series allows attendees to gain practical knowledge and skills in open-source coding and tools, with a focus on applications in the pharmaceutical industry. This month’s session, “Graphics Basics,” will introduce the fundamentals of producing graphics using the ggplot2 package.
This networking event is aimed at statisticians that are new to the pharmaceutical industry who wish to meet colleagues from different companies and backgrounds.
This webinar brings together three bitesize complementary sessions to help PSI contributors create conference presentations and posters that communicate clearly and inclusively. Participants will explore how to refine their message, prepare materials effectively, and adopt practical habits that support confident, accessible delivery. A focused, supportive session designed to elevate every contribution.
This networking event is aimed at statisticians that are new to the pharmaceutical industry who wish to meet colleagues from different companies and backgrounds.
This networking event is aimed at statisticians that are new to the pharmaceutical industry who wish to meet colleagues from different companies and backgrounds.
This networking event is aimed at statisticians that are new to the pharmaceutical industry who wish to meet colleagues from different companies and backgrounds.
GSK - Statistics Director - Vaccines and Infectious Disease
We are seeking an experienced and visionary Statistics Director to join our Team and lead strategic statistical innovation across GSK’s Vaccines and Infectious Disease portfolio.
As a Senior Biostatistician I at ICON, you will play a pivotal role in designing and analyzing clinical trials, interpreting complex medical data, and contributing to the advancement of innovative treatments and therapies.
As a Statistical Scientist at ICON, you will play a pivotal role in designing and analyzing clinical trials, interpreting complex medical data, and contributing to the advancement of innovative treatments and therapies.
We are currently looking for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Statistics (full-time, 3-year fixed-term) to join the team based in our office in London, United Kingdom.
We have an exciting opportunity for an Associate Director, Biostatistics to join a passionate team within Advanced Quantitative Sciences – Full Development.
We are looking for Senior Statistical Programmers in the UK to join Veramed, where you'll deliver high-impact programming solutions in an FSP-style capacity, while advancing your career in a supportive, growth-driven environment.