Research Associate: Fix Our Food

Department
The University of York is looking to appoint a Research Associate to join a multidisciplinary team aiming to transform early years and school food as part of the food systems transformation project, ‘Fix our Food’. We are looking for someone with a passion to support our vision that tasty, good quality, sustainable food is the ‘default’ and easiest choice for all children. Our research moves beyond the concept of equity, towards approaches which seek to provide the most benefit to those needing it most. The focus of the work will be to engage with stakeholders to identify areas of greatest need within school food settings and to learn more about food policies and practices within early years and schools.

You should ideally have experience of population health, food systems or equivalent public health experience. We are also keen to hear from people with relevant transferable skills (e.g. background in human geography, education or social policy). In this role you will conduct research under the supervision and mentorship of Professor Maria Bryant and Professor Kate Pickett (University of York) in partnership with the Food Foundation. You will join the Public Health Nutrition group within the Public Health and Society research group in the Department and be embedded within the wider Fix our Food multidisciplinary team.

Role
You will lead the coordination of a work package within Fix our Food under the supervision of senior colleagues, as well as contributing to the wider programme of work; integrating activities between work packages and collaborating with other postdoctoral fellows, experts, partners, local authorities, schools and anchor institutions. With support, you will lead on early years and school-based stakeholder engagement, including a youth-led ‘Leaders for Change’ group; providing support and developing platforms for meaningful involvement as well as lead on recruitment and data collection within early years and school-based settings in collaboration with the Food Foundation. You will also support the co-design of transformative interventions and development of innovative methods for their evaluation.

Skills, Experience & Qualification needed

• First degree in public health, nutrition, food systems, psychology or other relevant transferable areas ( e.g. human geography, education or social policy).
• PhD in population health, food systems or equivalent experience in relevant areas.
• Knowledge of public health nutrition to engage in high quality research.
• Knowledge of a range of research techniques and methodologies, including study design, intervention development, co-design, with expertise in mixed methods.
• Research experience in an area that will complement and enhance the department's research strategy.
• Highly developed communication skills to engage effectively with a wide ranging audience, both orally and in writing, using a range of media.
• Competency to conduct individual and collaborative research projects.
• Ability to develop research objectives, projects and proposals for own and joint research.
• Competency to present at conferences or exhibit work in appropriate events.
• Experience of carrying out both independent and collaborative research.
• Demonstrable experience of co-production of research and participant involvement.
• Commitment to social justice in health and health care.

Interview date: To be confirmed.

For informal enquiries: please contact Professor Maria Bryant on maria.bryant@york.ac.uk.

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