Research Associate in Alcohol and Public Health

Contract type: Fixed term for 12 months

Working pattern: Part-time (17.5 hours per week)

The Division of Population Health in the School of Medicine and Population Health is looking to appoint a part-time post-doctoral researcher to undertake public health research in a new Policy Research Unit (PRU) in Addictions. The PRU in Addictions has recently been commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care for England, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, and starts in January 2024 for an initial five-year period.

The PRU is a collaboration involving 10 UK universities led from the Addictions Department at King’s College London (KCL), the University of Sheffield’s Addictions Research Group and the University of Glasgow’s Gambling Glasgow Research Centre. Its aim is to inform policymaking relating to alcohol, tobacco and nicotine, other drugs, and gambling. Research conducted within the PRU will draw on a range of quantitative and qualitative research methods, and will incorporate different disciplinary perspectives including public health, epidemiology, psychology, health economics, operational research and psychiatry. The PRU will particularly focus on research that relates to public policy and practice, which can play an important role in guiding future policymaking.

You will work initially on two projects. The first involves developing a plan for extending an existing alcohol policy modelling tool to ensure it takes better account of issues related to alcohol dependence. The second involves carrying out a cost-effectiveness analysis of smoking cessation interventions, including the UK Government's 'swap-to-stop' scheme, which involves providing e-cigarette starter kits to pregnant women who smoke. Depending on your skills and the needs of the PRU, you may also carry out qualitative analyses, systematic reviews, and research on other addictive products or behaviours.

You should have a PhD (or equivalent experience) in a relevant subject and experience of carrying out quantitative research relevant to public health. This should include some experience of health economic or decision modelling. You should also have a strong interest in research related to at least one addictive substance or behaviour and a track record of academic publication appropriate to your career stage.

We are committed to exploring flexible working opportunities which benefit the individual and University.

We build teams of people from different heritages and lifestyles from across the world, whose talent and contributions complement each other to greatest effect. We believe diversity in all its forms delivers greater impact through research, teaching and student experience.

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