Division/School Bristol Medical School
Contract type Open Ended
Working pattern Full time
Salary £38,017 - £42,792 per annum (Grade J) / £44,045 - £49,553 per annum (Grade K)
Closing date for applications 10-Nov-2019

Population Health Sciences at Bristol Medical School is seeking to appoint a highly capable public health mixed methods researcher, with a significant interest in the impact of the built environment on health, urban development processes, public mental health and systems science.

The successful applicant will join a large research consortium - funded through the UK Prevention Research Partnership (administered by MRC) - whose aim is to reduce the burden of Non-Communicable Diseases linked to the built environment through transformation of the urban planning and development systems across the UK.
The 5-year TRU3D project will start in October (see TRU3D website). The project involves collaboration across a wide range of disciplines in addition to public health: urban studies, law, engineering, economics, management, real estate and lay public engagement across five universities (Bristol, Bath, UWE, Manchester and Reading). A key part of the approach is the engagement with individuals who have material influence over the quality of the urban environment, particularly those in the public and private sectors in control of land, finance, delivery, planning permission and core policy/legislation involved in the Bristol and Greater Manchester case study areas.

The post-holder will be co-supervised by the Programme Director and the Health Research Lead within Work Package 3 (WP3 - Synthesis and Co-development of Interventions). Specific research activities will include: leading the systematic literature review of systems science relating to urban planning, development and health, in collaboration with University of Bristol’s Engineering/Systems researchers in WP1 (mapping of urban planning and development system and understanding influence of health outcomes on the system); supporting the Programme Director in elite interviews, conducting stakeholder interviews/focus groups and undertaking thematic analysis using NVIVO or similar in WP1 and 3; contributing to the development of the corporate characterisation work sub-package with University of Bath’s School of Management in WP3; exploration of routine health outcome data sources and analysis of such data in collaboration with WP2 (economic valuation work) led by University of Bath’s department of economics; contributing to the organisation and facilitation of stakeholder workshops in which interventions are co-developed; disseminating findings at conferences and in journal articles.

The role provides an excellent opportunity to further develop expertise in using a systems-based approach to understand and improve public health outcomes, which will have wider application within Population Health Sciences. Knowledge and understanding of at least one of the following: systems science, urban development, or public mental health will be highly beneficial.

For informal queries, please contact: Dr Judi Kidger, (judi.kidger@bristol.ac.uk)

We welcome applications from all members of our community and are particularly encouraging those from diverse groups, such as members of the LGBT+ and BAME communities, to join us.