Research Associate

We have an exciting opportunity for a fixed term research associate to work full time on an Innovate UK-funded project. The project aims to develop advanced data analytics an d tools that empower female athletes with personalised insights and tailored training programs, that recognize the impact of the menstrual cycle on their athletic journey. This will involve working with a collaborative team of researchers at Manchester Metropolitan, Neurocess (UK-based industry partner), and sports and industry partners (Greenteg) based in Switzerland. The overarching aim is to design a complete data acquisition and analysis protocol, assessing skeletal muscle properties, core body temperature and menstrual cycle fluctuations, that can be used to predict and protect from musculoskeletal injury risk in elite women football players.

The Role:

The role involves completing a structured, systematic review of relevant scientific literature to identify injury profiles in female sports and collate evidence for reliable muscle function testing protocols relevant to injury type/site. Interview and data extraction techniques will also be used to collate muscle function testing and training approaches currently used in participating sports clubs. Together the information gained will be used to develop a reliable skeletal muscle-tendon function testing and endocrine profiling protocol that will be applied in later stages of the project. In addition, the role will include designing information leaflets to communicate protocol details to non-scientific audiences.  Following on from protocol development, the role will support the analysis and interpretation of electromyographic data, recorded in participating athletes, to contribute to development of accurate injury prediction models and writing of related scientific journal articles.

You will work within the Department of Life Sciences and collaborate with colleagues in Department of Sport & Exercise Sciences. Work will be conducted within the Manchester Institute of Sport, which provides state of the art research facilities for the assessment human movement and performance.

The Faculty of Science and Engineering is an exciting and dynamic environment in which to conduct cutting edge research.

Qualification we require:

Hold, or be very close to completing, a PhD in a topic aligned to human physiology, exercise physiology or sport science, with an emphasis on neuromuscular (skeletal muscle) physiology.

Application Requirements: 

The following would be advantageous:

• Experience of completing and reporting systematic reviews and meta-analysis
• Experience of developing and conducting skeletal muscle function testing protocols
• Knowledge of human movement science and surface electromyography
• Experience of working with sports organisation and/or athletic populations
• Interest in data science and artificial intelligence

Evidence of good communication skills, working as part of a larger team and an ability to write clear reports detailing project progress and results to date are all essential.

To Apply:

For further information or to how to apply, click the ‘Apply’ button above.

For an informal discussion, please contact; Prof Emma Hodson-Tole (e.tole@mmu.ac.uk).

Manchester Metropolitan University is committed to supporting the rights, responsibilities, dignity, health and wellbeing of staff and students through our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

We promote applications from all sections of the community, irrespective of background, belief or identity, recognising the benefits that a diverse organisation can bring . We particularly encourage applications from Black and Minority Ethnic candidates, who we recognise are underrepresented in this area

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