Research Project Manager

This post will be based in the School of Medicine, Medical Science and Nutrition and linked to the Interdisciplinary Centre for Health, Nutrition and Wellbeing, where the project will be coordinated. This is one of five interdisciplinary centres that span Schools in the University and part of the Aberdeen 2040 Strategy.

The successful candidate will be responsible for the day-to-day management of a large interdisciplinary research project funded by Wellcome: Maximising potential of plant-based convenience foods in real-life sustainable diets. The project is led by Professor Jennie Macdiarmid at the University of Aberdeen, with collaborators in School of Biological Science and School of Language Literature, Music and Visual Culture in Aberdeen and Universities of Glasgow and Oxford. The project team comprises five senior researcher scientists (Professors Jennie Macdiarmid, Pete Smith and Eleonora Belfiore, and Drs Esther Papies and Mike Clark), four postdoctoral fellows and an Interdisciplinary Research Development Executive (Ms Emma Morrison).

This interdisciplinary project will explore the use of plant-based convenience foods to achieve realistic environmentally sustainable and healthy diets. Current diets in the UK are unhealthy and contributing to environmental damage, with recommendations to move towards plant-based diets and reduce meat consumption (‘sustainable diets’). However, changing diets is notoriously difficult and often proposed sustainable diets are idealistic and do not consider the true cost, accessibility, convenience and appeal of these types of diets in the realities of modern living. The aim is to determine the potential use of plant-based convenience food to achieve realistic sustainable diets to influence the development of policies to be consistent with modern lifestyles. The project, comprising four work packages, takes an interdisciplinary approach to developing realistic sustainable diets and provide the insights into what needs to be fully accounted for in the policy development and decision-making process to be successful to achieve actionable climate change mitigation polices with health co-benefits.

We are seeking to appoint a proactive, highly motivated research project manager for the above project. They will need to have excellent organisational, communication, relationship and interpersonal skills, as well as experience of managing research projects.

The post is 50% full-time equivalent for three years starting 6^th January 2024.

Salary will be at the appropriate point on the Grade 5, 50% of £31,396 - £34,980 per annum, pro rata, with placement according to qualifications and experience.

Informal enquiries should be made to Professor Jennie Macdiarmid, Interdisciplinary director for Health, Nutrition and Wellbeing (j.macdiarmid@abdn.ac.uk).

To apply online for this position visit www.abdn.ac.uk/jobs

The closing date for the receipt of applications is 16^th October 2023

The School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition embraces a diverse working environment and recognises the many benefits this can bring.  Applications from individuals from across all of the equality protected characteristics are encouraged. 

Advert information