RESEARCH ASSOCIATE or SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE* IN SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS AND EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS (Behaviour and Health Research Unit)

Research Associate: (Grade 7) £28,695 – £37,394
Senior Research Associate*: (Grade 9) £38,511 – £48,743

This post offers an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic researcher with extensive interest in, and experience of, systematic reviewing to contribute to a programme of high quality reviews designed to provide timely, reliable evidence to inform public policy decisions in the UK and internationally. The successful candidate will join a small, experienced team and contribute to the development and application of methods for synthesising a variety of conceptual material and empirical evidence to understand the effects of interventions aimed at changing health-related behaviour in populations. 

The successful candidate will be part of a small team within the Behaviour and Health Research Unit (BHRU) tasked with:

Scoping, designing, coordinating and executing a programme of evidence reviews within BHRU’s scope, with the main focus on a review just starting on the impacts of interventions that involve altering physical environments to change health-related behaviour (also referred to as ‘choice architecture’ or ‘nudging’). The researcher will help design and conduct this planned Cochrane review on the effects of altering the placement (e.g. availability and proximity) of food, alcohol and tobacco products in small-scale environments such as shops, restaurants, schools and workplaces. 

The researcher will also assist with the development and conduct of other primary and secondary research projects, depending on current needs and opportunities.

You will have a good first degree, and preferably a Masters and PhD in a relevant subject such as psychology, public health, epidemiology, sociology, or other relevant discipline** or equivalent experience. You will have led (or co-led) on the design and completion of at least one systematic review of intervention effects conducted using Cochrane- or Campbell-type methods, with well-developed skills in literature searching (including the use of electronic databases), data extraction, critical appraisal (including assessment of risk of bias and/or quality of evidence) and quantitative analysis. Demonstrated ability to write for high quality journals is also required.

Funded to 31st December 2017 in the first instance

The post will be based in the Department of Public Health and Primary Care (Primary Care Unit), Cambridge Institute of Public Health, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge. 

For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Dr Gareth Hollands [log in to unmask]

Closing date: Thursday 5th November 2015

Interviews will be held: 24th November 2015

* 	The status of Senior Research Associate is awarded on the basis of individual merit and may be awarded to the successful candidate if approved by the Faculty Board of the Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine.

 ** 	Desirable, but not essential, if experience is sufficient.

To apply online for this vacancy, please go to http://www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/8342/ and click on the 'Apply' button at the bottom of the page. This will route you to the University's Web Recruitment System, where you will need to register an account (if you have not already) and log in before completing the online application form.

Please ensure that you upload a covering letter and CV in the Upload section of the online application. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application. Your cover letter should describe how you meet the person specification for the role. 

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