Research Associate in Nutritional Sciences

About us

The  Department of Nutritional Sciences explores the relationship between diet, health and disease from molecules to populations. Based at King’s Waterloo Campus, the Department of Nutritional Sciences combines over 60 basic and applied scientists, dietitians, nutritionists, doctors and public health experts. Our mission is to find new ways to improve health and to prevent and treat nutrition-related disease.

About the role

We are looking to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Associate with a PhD in Nutrition. The post will offer leadership on a state-of-the-art large clinical trial that investigates the effect of a diet high in diversity of plant foods on gut and cardiometabolic health. This will be a feeding RCT in healthy participants and will include clinical (e.g. gut symptoms) and mechanistic outcomes (gut microbiome, metabolomics) in healthy adults.

It is a rare and incredibly exciting opportunity to work across the research spectrum at a centre of excellence for diet and health research. Furthermore, through this post, the successful individual will be able to establish themselves as a leader in human nutrition intervention studies that have the potential to inform public health policies. There will be extensive opportunity for publications and developing independence and new skills in research, including supporting the postholder to apply for research grants.

The post holder will lead on the project on a day-to-day basis with a key role including involvement in, and leadership of, developing the study protocol, obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals, recruiting study participants, delivering the dietary intervention, maintaining study documentation, co-ordinating subject correspondence and conducting study visits, processing and analysing laboratory samples, and ensuring measurements of primary and secondary outcomes are conducted according to standard operating protocols. They will also be involved in data analysis and dissemination, including manuscript preparation, and co-ordination of correspondence with funders.

This is a full-time post (35 hours per week) with a fixed term contract until 30/11/2028.

The post requires working on-site at King’s College London campus in Waterloo.

About you

Essential criteria

• PhD in Nutrition (or on a topic related to Nutrition) *
• Experience of working on human dietary intervention trials
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team on a study
• Ability to write high quality reports and manuscripts
• Flexible approach to working in terms of travel, hours, locations, different roles on different studies
• Committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, actively addressing areas of potential bias

Desirable criteria

• Experience in feeding studies
• Proficient at using academic research-related software, eg SPSS, referencing software
• Evidence of excellent organisational skills and attention to detail whilst working on a range of projects
• Experience of managing data and statistical analysis

*Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate, and the salary will increase to Grade 6.

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