Research Fellow in London

This is an exciting opportunity to join the NIHR Policy Research Unit for Healthy Weight (HWPRU) as a Research Fellow. Based within the Public Health and Obesity Group at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, you will work alongside leading researchers, policymakers and partner organisations to deliver high-impact, policy-relevant research that informs national decision making.

You will contribute to a diverse programme of research focused on healthy weight and obesity prevention. Your responsibilities will primarily involve leading and supporting evidence synthesis projects, including systematic reviews, rapid reviews and other policy-focused evidence reviews. Depending on programme priorities, you may also undertake quantitative analyses of large observational, survey and administrative datasets, and contribute to the development of microsimulation models evaluating the health, economic and equity impacts of obesity-related policies and interventions.

Working across the HWPRU's network of eight collaborating institutions, you will engage with researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders to ensure research is timely, rigorous and impactful. This 12-month role offers excellent opportunities to develop expertise in applied public health research, evidence synthesis, quantitative methods and policy engagement, while contributing directly to evidence that supports healthier populations across the UK.

The salary offered in this role is £47,186 - £53,638 per annum and is funded for 1 year in the first instance.

We are seeking a highly motivated post-doctoral researcher with expertise in evidence synthesis and quantitative public health research. You will hold a PhD in public health, epidemiology, evidence synthesis, quantitative methods, food policy or a related field, and have experience conducting systematic reviews and quantitative analyses using statistical software such as R, Stata or Python.

The successful candidate will possess strong analytical and critical appraisal skills, with the ability to synthesise complex evidence from multiple sources and apply quantitative and regression-based methods to address policy-relevant research questions. You will have excellent organisational skills and be able to manage multiple projects and competing deadlines while maintaining a high standard of accuracy and scientific rigour.

We are looking for someone with strong written and verbal communication skills who can clearly communicate research findings to academic, policy and practice audiences through reports, publications, presentations and policy briefings. A commitment to reproducible and ethical research, clean coding practices and high-quality data management is essential. You will be a collaborative team player who can work effectively with multidisciplinary colleagues, while also demonstrating the initiative, independence and judgement required to lead complex projects in a fast-paced policy research environment.