Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Human Movement and Ageing

This new full-time post is available on a fixed-term basis from 1st January 2025 until 31^st December 2028 in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences.

The post

This post offers the opportunity to join a world-leading falls prevention research team on a prestigious £2.5 million European Research Council (ERC) project, STEPPING OUT, led by Prof. Sallie Lamb and working with experimental psychologists, biomechanists, physiotherapists and mathematicians within the National Institute of Health and Care Research Exeter Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR Exeter BRC). We want to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with applied clinical expertise to develop and undertake a programme of research to investigate factors that contribute to falls in older people in simulated environments in state of the art facilities at the University of Exeter (VSimulators and Motek M-Gait system). This post is available for four years, from Jan 2025. The successful applicant will work in a multi-disciplinary team, including researchers from fields of clinical sciences, biomechanics, psychology, biomedical engineering and mathematics. The post-holder will be required to play a central role in liaising with these disciplines to develop and implement data collection protocols, with particular emphasis on selecting, carrying out and developing future clinical assessments.

The post will include:

• Undertaking research aimed at exploring factors that contribute to falls in older people.
• Analysing human movement/behaviour and underlying physiological and psychological processes.
• Using equipment such as motion capture, virtual reality, functional near-infrared spectroscopy and eye-tracking (with technical support from wider research team)
• Contributing to teaching and learning programmes in the School and to supervise postgraduate research students.
• Acting as research team leader.
• Routinely communicating complex and conceptual ideas to those with limited knowledge as well as to peers using high level skills and a range of media and to present the results of scientific research to sponsors and at conferences.
• As determined by the nature of the project and at the direction of the PI, to plan, co-ordinate and implement research programme activity.

About you

The successful applicant will be able to develop research objectives, projects and proposals; identify sources of research funding and contribute to the process of securing funds and make presentations at conferences and other events.

Applicants will possess a relevant PhD or equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study and be a qualified Health Professional. The successful applicant will be a nationally recognised in analysis of Human Movement and possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop research programmes and methodologies. The successful applicant will also be able to work collaboratively, supervise the work of others and act as team leader as required.

Applicants will be able to: 

• Record research output in high quality publications
• Carry out clinical assessments of balance, walking and cognitive functioning.
• Working with/collecting data from vulnerable patient groups, such as older adults deemed to be at a high risk of falling
• Demonstrate excellent communication skills
• Develop external networks
• Help create an inclusive culture

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.

Further information

For further information please contact Professor Sallie Lamb, Mireillie Gillings Professor of Health Innovation e-mail S.E.Lamb@ex.ac.uk or telephone (01392) 725585 or Dr Will Young email w.young@exeter.ac.uk .

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