Salary Starting salary is normally in the range £25,769 to £28,143. With potential progression once in post to £31,656 a year.
To assist in research (by carrying out data collection or analyses) to create knowledge through providing research support for projects and research groups to Janice L Thompson. The person appointed to the role will assist with two funded research studies 1) the "Retirement in ACTion" (REACT) study, 2) the By-Band-Sleeve (BBS Study).
REACT is a randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation assessing the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a community based physical activity intervention to prevent mobility-related disability for retired older people. The basic idea is to identify people who are on a trajectory towards lower limb disability (using a battery of functional ability tests called the short physical performance battery), then give them a targeted programme of both exercise and lifestyle-related physical activity designed to prevent or reverse the deterioration of lower limb muscles, as well as to build cardiovascular fitness.
The REACT study is funded by the Public Health Research Stream of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the chief investigator is Dr Afroditi Stathi from the University of Bath. The University of Birmingham is one of three sites for the delivery of this study (along with the University of Bath and University of Exeter Medical School). BBS is a randomised controlled trial, examining the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the three main types of bariatric surgery in the UK; gastric bypass, gastric band and sleeve gastrectomy. BBS is led by Professor Jane Blazeby at the University of Bristol, with the University of Birmingham and Professor Janice Thompson acting as Nutrition lead for the trial.
The post-holder will be responsible to Prof Janice L. Thompson (the principal investigator for REACT at the Birmingham site and the Nutrition Lead for BBS), and will work in conjunction with equivalent research fellows based at the Universities of Birmingham, Bath and Exeter and the study investigators including Dr Janet Withal (REACT Project Manager) and Dr Afroditi Stathi (Chief Investigator) in Bath to ensure the effective implementation of the REACT study. In addition, the post-holder will work in conjunction with Professor Thompson's PhD students at Birmingham, and will liaise with members of the BBS team in Bristol, including researchers in the Clinical Trials Unit and Professor Jane Blazeby, Chief Investigator. The post will be hosted in the School of Sport, Exercise & Rehabilitation Sciences and based at the University's Edgbaston campus in Birmingham.
• First (undergraduate) degree relevant to health or behaviour change research e.g. nutrition, psychology, social science, sports/exercise science, health professional training.
• Experience of research data collection via surveys, questionnaires or face-to-face contact.
• Experience of undertaking quantitative research including management and analysis of data sets (e.g. using SPSS).
• Experience of undertaking qualitative research including analysis of in-depth interviews.
• Experience of analysing dietary intake data (e.g., 24-hr recalls).
• Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team involving academics, non-academics and service providers in a health, public service or voluntary sector setting.
• Experience of conducting research and engaging with ethnically-diverse communities.
• Experience of presenting research ideas or findings to a variety of audiences.
• Ability to communicate complex information, orally, in writing and electronically.
• Ability to use research resources, equipment and facilities as appropriate and to take responsibility for conducting and implementing risk assessment procedures, reducing hazards and ensuring the health and safety of oneself and others (e.g. in relation to lone working during data collection visits).
• Ability to assist in the monitoring of research budgets as appropriate.
• Experience contributing to the planning of future research projects and assist with preparation of proposals and applications to external bodies, e.g. for funding and contractual purposes.