Clinical Research Fellow in Infant Body Composition

Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health, Level 3, Women’s Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford 

Are you passionate about research and eager to make a difference in understanding childhood obesity? We invite you to apply for the position of Clinical Research Fellow (CRF) in our INTERPRACTICE body composition research project, funded by the Family Larsson Rosenquist Foundation. This role focuses on measuring infant body composition and coordinating multinational research efforts. 

As a CRF, you will play a crucial role in exploring the origins of childhood obesity and promoting human milk feeding. You will measure early fat deposition patterns in infants up to 3 months old and again at 2 years. Your responsibilities will include establishing research programs in newly developed teams in Argentina and Uruguay, training local teams in measurement techniques, and validating Bioelectrical impedance measurements against the gold standard D20 (deuterium measurement). 

You will work closely with Dr. Adele Winsey and Professor Jose Villar, leading figures in the INTERGROWTH-21st team, at the Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health, John Radcliffe Hospital. This position offers opportunities for collaboration with interdisciplinary teams in Oxford, as well as with centres in Italy and Mexico. 

Key duties include coordinating body composition teams, ensuring high-quality data acquisition, conducting literature reviews, analysing data from previous studies, and preparing findings for publication. You will also have the chance to collaborate with the statistical team at the University of Berkeley, California. 

This full-time position is available for 12 months, and you will be responsible for establishing measurement projects in new centres, conducting site visits, monitoring recruitment and data quality, and maintaining ethical standards in all research activities. If you are ready to contribute to impactful research and work in a dynamic environment, we encourage you to apply! 

To apply for this position, you should be a qualified doctor with a specialization in paediatrics or neonatology. You need to have experience conducting research studies across various sites and countries. A strong enthusiasm for and knowledge of key issues in early infant feeding, body composition, and global child health is essential. You should also have experience training clinical teams in research measurement techniques and be skilled in maintaining accurate and accessible records of results. The ability to prepare research articles for international peer-reviewed publications is required, along with excellent communication skills and confidence in presenting data to diverse audiences. You must be able to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team, engaging effectively with colleagues at all levels. 

Additionally, it is desirable for candidates to speak Spanish, have training in bioelectrical impedance body composition measurement and ultrasound subcutaneous fat measurement, and possess experience in writing research protocols. 

Applications for flexible working arrangements are welcomed and will be considered in line with business needs. 

You will be required to upload a CV and Supporting Statement as part of your online application. Click here for information and advice on writing an effective Supporting Statement.

This role is full time and is fixed term 1 year.

The closing date for applications is 12.00 noon on 27th December 2024. Interviews are expected to take place on either Monday 13th or Tuesday 14th of January 2025.

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