Senior Research Fellow

We have an exciting opportunity to be part of a definitive trial examining the effectiveness of oral nutritional supplement use in care homes.

We seek to appoint a Post Doctoral Research Fellow to join a multi-disciplinary research team for the REFRESH (nutRition intervEntions For malnouRished oldEr adultS in care homes) trial. This is a large NIHR funded randomised controlled trial examining oral nutritional supplements in care homes over four years.

The trial is a multi-university collaboration led by Professor Mary Hickson and Professor Jane Murphy of Bournemouth University. It is supported by the PenCTU and includes collaborators from the University of Exeter (statistics, health economics and community geriatric expertise), University of Coventry (dietetic expertise), University of Southampton (geriatric expertise), as well as care home managers and public representatives.

Your main tasks will be to recruit, set-up and initiate sites (care homes), maintain excellent working relationships with the care homes, manage the three field workers (to help with site initiation), develop online training for care home staff, and manage the day-to-day running of the trial. You will be supported by a Research Assistant and line managed by Professor Hickson.

Applications are invited from highly motivated individuals with a PhD or equivalent within the field of nutrition and dietetics. You will have excellent communication and organisational skills, clinical research experience with older adults, and ideally will have worked in the care home sector. You will also have an ability to work both independently and as part of a team, be able to work to tight deadlines and be comfortable and resilient working under pressure. A knowledge of training other professionals and using online educational platforms will be an advantage.

The role will be based at the University of Plymouth, recruiting in Devon & Cornwall, Wessex and the Birmingham area with an opportunity to discuss a hybrid online and in person working pattern. You will be required to travel regularly to Plymouth and/or Bournemouth for meetings, as well as visiting care homes in all the regions listed above that may not be accessible by public transport.

Please demonstrate clearly in your supporting statement how you meet the essential and any desirable criteria outlined in the job description.

For an informal online discussion please contact Mary Hickson (mary.hickson@plymouth.ac.uk) or Jane Murphy (jmurphy@bournemouth.ac.uk).

This role will require an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Check plus a Adult's Barred List check.

The successful candidate may be required to obtain an ATAS Certificate prior to this research being undertaken.

Interviews will be on 21^st November 2024, via Zoom.

This is a full-time position working 37 hours per week on a fixed-term basis until 31^st  December 2028 due to funding.

Remote working is available up to 3 days a week.

We offer a competitive salary package and a generous pension and holiday scheme. We also offer a range of other benefits/support mechanisms, including ongoing development opportunities, flexible working, staff networks and enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave.

The Faculty of Health holds four Silver Athena Swan awards, which recognise our commitment to supporting gender equality within higher education.

Staff appointed within the Faculty of Health may be able to join the NHS pension scheme subject to eligibility criteria.

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