Research Associate in Advanced Population Health Modelling and Simulation for Food Security

Are you skilled at data science and want to make a difference? The NOURISH research team -- Nutrition, Obesity and Unhealthy Food Relationships in Food Insecure Populations-- funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is looking for you. We are using agent-based modelling (ABM) to assess the impact of food environment policies on dietary behaviours, food insecurity and obesity. This project is a collaboration between the University of Sheffield, the University of Liverpool, Teesside University and Liverpool John Moores University alongside key public health stakeholders.

We want candidates with a PhD and strong IT skills in R programming and GIS, who can handle large datasets from surveys and food environment data. The successful candidate will support the development of the agent-based model by creating and processing datasets to create the synthetic population of agents for the model. This role is based at the University of Sheffield under the supervision of Dr Megan Blake. You will source, clean and integrate data from various national and regional surveys, including large-scale and geographic datasets. In this role, you will be responsible for building the comprehensive data that will underpin the ABM, ensuring that it accurately reflects the different factors that influence food choices and food insecurity. You will also analyse data to estimate the mechanisms driving food-related behaviours, supporting the mapping of the complex relationships in the model.

You will be keen to work across disciplinary boundaries in developing world-class and transformative research in the modelling of population health behaviours and outcomes. You will be able to draw on world-leading expertise in food insecurity, behavioural science, public health nutrition and advanced modelling in support of your role. You will have a significant opportunity to advance your data science career in active collaboration with a range of world leading researchers and will participate in multiple peer-reviewed publications.

In addition to working in a friendly and collegial environment, as an employee of the University of Sheffield, you will receive:

• 38 days/41 days annual leave (including closure days and Bank Holidays), with the possibility to purchase up to ten additional days.
• Up to 5 days of paid time off to cover emergency caring responsibilities.
• A commitment to work-life balance including, flexible working opportunities and hybrid working where possible.
• A highly competitive pension scheme.
• Discounts at participating shops and cinemas, and a cycle-to-work scheme.
• A commitment to your development, with programmes, learning modules and mentoring schemes.
• An inclusive and diverse workplace.
• A commitment to your well-being, with confidential emotional support, support for those going through menopause, experiencing fertility treatment and having a baby, paid leave for IVF treatment and more.

Further information can be found at https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits,

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

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

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