About the role

The Leicester Lifestyle Health and Research Group (LLHRG) are expanding, with recruitment open to early career researchers on a clear upward trajectory in their field to join the group as a Research Associate.

The LLHRG are part of the Diabetes Research Centre (DRC), Leicester Diabetes Centre (LDC), and NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, with a diverse teaching and research portfolio in the area of 24-hour lifestyle behaviours, including physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep and nutrition in the prevention and management of obesity and long-term conditions, such type 2 diabetes, in multi-ethnic populations.

LLHRG are one of the most prestigious Lifestyle as Medicine research groups in the UK, making a major contribution to the University of Leicester’s success at being ranked second overall in the Sport and Exercise Sciences unit of assessment (UoA24) within Research Excellent Framework (REF) 2021, and first for output quality (out 61 institutions nationally; Research Excellence Framework 2021 results | University of Leicester). This success has led to £14 million in new funding from Research England’s Expanding Excellence in England scheme which will enable LLHRG to expand. This includes 20 new staff members across academic, teaching, research, community engagement and administrative positions, in addition to 12 new PhD students. This expanding team will be supported by new office and research spaces within the Leicester General Hospital.

Our research encompasses epidemiology, experimental medicine, clinical trials and implementation, and applications are welcome across these areas of expertise.

About you

As a Research Associate, you will have a PhD in a relevant discipline alongside evidence of contributing independently to experimental or translational research studies and peer-reviewed journal publications, with potential to produce research outputs that are internationally recognised and aspiring to be world class in time for the next REF cycle (2029). You will have strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, and excellent written and oral communication skills, with an ability to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary research team. You will also have some experience of teaching at postgraduate or undergraduate level.

We particularly welcome applications from experts within the fields of exercise physiology (including mechanisms/basic science), 24-hour lifestyle behaviours (including sleep, sedentary behaviour, physical activity and interplay with nutrition), mHealth, implementation science, multiple long-term conditions, physiotherapy or clinical trials.

Additional information

Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to Professor Tom Yates on [email protected]

Applications for job share will be considered.

As part of the University’s ongoing commitment to professional development, this role will also be considered on a seconded basis for existing staff members. Please ensure this is discussed with your line manager prior to applying. More information regarding secondments can be found here

The University of Leicester has been changing the world, and changing people’s lives, for 100 years. When you join us, you’ll become part of a community of Citizens of Change, which includes not only our staff and our current students but also thousands of Leicester graduates around the world.

As a diverse and forward-thinking employer, we embed the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion into everything we do. That includes not just our core missions of teaching and research, but also our support for staff, students and our local community through our values of Inspiring, Impactful and Inclusive through our values of Inspiring, Impactful and Inclusive.

We’re committed to the wellbeing of all our staff and to the sustainability of our environment, on our campus and beyond. We offer a competitive salary package, excellent pension scheme and a generous annual leave allowance, along with opportunities to develop your career in a supportive and collaborative environment.