Research Assistant

We have a fantastic opportunity for a Research Assistant to join the School of Health & Wellbeing.

The successful candidate will contribute to the NIHR-funded OPTIMA project, “Orienting Policy Towards Inequality Minimising Actions (OPTIMA): A systems science approach to 20-minute neighbourhood policy and evaluation”.

Place-based interventions are increasingly of interest to policymakers attempting to tackle health inequalities (or, ‘Level Up’). Yet, the evidence base for these interventions to achieve this is insufficient. As is frequently the case, policy is having to move beyond the evidence-base to attempt solutions to large societal challenges, and more dynamic and forward-looking methods are required.

This project will:

• Examine a large place-based intervention, the 20-minute neighbourhood in Scotland, set to impact on populations at scale, before costs have been fully sunk;

• Use cutting-edge data and dynamic, future-oriented system simulation methods to build on the current evidence, and draw on consistent and close stakeholder and public engagement to align evidence generation to evolving policy needs;

• Produce and communicate to stakeholders new health inequality-specific evidence for place-based interventions, and modelling and data assets that can be further built-upon as our understanding of the mechanisms and impacts continues to grow.

The postholder will lead on delivery of the qualitative (‘soft systems’) side of the project. You will:

1. Conduct a realist review of the literature to compile the ‘system rules’ that the modelling is based on;
2. Conduct stakeholder workshops (with policy stakeholders and communities) to inform and fill evidence gaps via real-world lived and policy experience and expertise;
3. Help grade the quality of the evidence gathered above to inform future research and the uncertainty incorporated into the modelling process.

You will also be expected to contribute to the formulation and submission of research publications and research proposals as well as help shape and direct this complex and challenging project as opportunities allow. You will work alongside Dr Corinna Elsenbroich and colleagues in the first work package, and be line managed by the project’s co-lead, Dr Jonathan Stokes.

This post is full time and has funding for up to 36 months.

For enquiries regarding this post please contact Dr Jonathan Stokes

Jonathan.Stokes@glasgow.ac.uk

We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/ 

We endorse the principles of Athena Swan https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/

and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too.

Advert information