Research Associate (Fixed Term)

Research Associate, THRIVING food futures: developing a typology of policy functions to support healthy, sustainable and equitable diets

The successful applicant will lead development and testing of a typology of policy functions for healthy, sustainable and equitable diets. Policy functions are the specific mechanisms by which policies exert their actions. They will have a PhD in Population Health Sciences or another relevant subject, or be due to complete their doctoral studies within 3 months of applying. Applicants will have proven skills in systematic reviewing and complex evidence synthesis, have clear interest in public health approaches to supporting healthy diets and strong knowledge of the role of policy in supporting population health.

The MRC Epidemiology Unit is seeking to appoint a Research Associate to work within the THRIVING Food Futures consortium. Based in the Unit's Population Health Intervention Programme, the primary role of this post is to develop and evidence a typology of policy functions to support healthy, sustainable and equitable diets.

THRIVING Food Futures is led by Prof Peter Scarborough at the University of Oxford with collaborators at City St George's University of London, Queen Mary University of London, the Universities of Cambridge, Strathclyde and Warwick, and Sustain. The consortium aims to design and evaluate citizen-facing interventions to support healthy, sustainable diets for everyone. It includes work streams that will: engage the community, develop tools and metrics, enhance our understanding of relevant policy, and develop and evaluate new interventions.

At the University of Cambridge, we are leading work on policy understanding and optimization. This will be conducted in collaboration with the whole consortium, but particularly with colleagues at City St George's University of London.

Alongside a competitive salary, University staff are eligible for a comprehensive package of benefits and services include discounts on shopping, health care, financial services and public transport. We also offer defined benefits pension schemes and tax-efficient bicycle, car lease and charity-giving schemes.

The MRC Epidemiology Unit is a department within the University of Cambridge's School of Clinical Medicine and is situated within the Institute of Metabolic Science on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Its mission is to study the genetic, developmental and environmental factors that cause obesity, diabetes and related metabolic disorders and develop strategies for their prevention. The Unit benefits from a number of large-scale, cross programme epidemiological studies with detailed datasets allowing a wide range of research from genetics to public health. Highly experienced information teams and other specialist teams support the scientists in the delivery of their research aims.

This is a fixed-term position for 3 years.

The role can be performed entirely on-site at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, off-site or as a hybrid position. Whilst we expect you to travel to Consortium meetings held around the UK, there is no expectation of a minimum number of days per week in the office.