Postdoctoral Research Associate Grade 7 (2 posts) at University of Liverpool

Two posts are available for ambitious post-doctoral researchers with knowledge and understanding of public health nutrition and food insecurity in the UK context and skills in evaluating complex interventions to be a part of a research programme trialling innovations in the food system. The SALIENT (food System triALs for Impact on Environment, Nutrition and healTh) consortium is drawn from eight universities (Oxford, Cambridge, Warwick, Birmingham, Hertfordshire, Liverpool, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and Queen Mary University of London) and two research institutes (Nesta and the Behavioural Insights Team). The aim of SALIENT is to co-design and evaluate interventions that support healthier diets and reduce the environmental impacts of our food system, working with partners in local government, food charities, community support teams and the food industry to deliver these interventions in real-life settings.

In these University of Liverpool-based posts, the postdoctoral researchers, with support and leadership from Dr Rachel Loopstra, will have a lead role in developing and conducting evaluation(s) of initiatives aiming to increase access to healthy food and improve well-being for people experiencing food insecurity and low income, working in partnership with stakeholders in the community food and support sector and wider research team. Duties of the posts will involve regular discussions with stakeholder partners, helping to develop the study design and questionnaires, literature reviews, data collection and analysis, and all stages of the publication process.

Postholders should have:

• Experience of undertaking evidence syntheses
• Experience of designing and managing complex intervention evaluations
• Ability to conduct qualitative research including interviews and focus groups, and analyses of documents
• Experience analysing of qualitative and quantitative data
• Successful publication of first author, peer-reviewed research papers
• PhD in relevant subject, using mixed methods, and preferably with a focus on public health nutrition or evaluation of complex interventions
• Understanding and experience of assessments of the deliverability and evaluability of population health interventions
• Fluency in English
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
• Strong skills and experience of working collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team
• Highly organised, able to prioritise and work efficiently to agreed objectives and timelines
• Motivated individual with a strong desire to learn and a willingness to contribute to the wider efforts of the research team
• Proven skills in working independently, an ability to solve research related problems and challenges, and to deal with uncertainty

The posts are available to start as soon as possible and end on 31 March 2025.

Job Ref: 061849                                                                        Closing Date: 4 August 2023

For full details and to apply online, please visit: https://recruit.liverpool.ac.uk