Improving the utility and interpretation of children’s physical activity assessed by accelerometers

European Commission; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Edge Hill University is inviting applications for the position of a postdoctoral research fellow focused on developing methods to assess children's physical activity through accelerometer data. This role offers a full-time competitive salary with no teaching obligations, and candidates must hold a PhD by September 10th, 2025.

Qualifications

• PhD in hand by September 10th, 2025.
• 1 - 4 years of research experience.
• Excellent command of English.

Responsibilities

• Develop methods for assessing children's physical activity using accelerometers.
• Conduct research on typical activities undertaken by children and corresponding accelerations.

Skills

Experience with accelerometer data

Education

PhD or equivalent

Job description

Organisation/Company Edge Hill University Department Research Office Research Field Other Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Postdoc Positions Country United Kingdom Application Deadline 5 Aug 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/London) Type of Contract To be defined Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Edge Hill University is seeking to host exceptional research fellows funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships scheme to develop accelerometer methods for the assessment of physical activity in children. Informal queries are welcomed and should be directed to Professor Stuart Fairclough ( https://research.edgehill.ac.uk/en/persons/stuart-fairclough ). Professor Fairclough has an established track record in this field and is based in the Department of Sport and Physical Activity where he and his team undertake world-leading and internationally excellent research. Edge Hill University is a picturesque campus-based university located in Ormskirk, Lancashire, UK, 13 miles north of the vibrant city of Liverpool in the low cost-of-living northwest region.

MSCA European Postdoctoral Fellowships last between 1 and 2 years, offers a competitive salary with no teaching obligations, and are open to researchers of any nationality who have not lived in the UK for more than 12 out of the 36 months prior to September 10th, 2025. Salary in accordance with the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Post-Doctoral Fellowships scheme ( https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/postdoctoral-fellowships ), which is a fixed living and mobility allowance, plus an additional family allowance for applicants with parental responsibilities.

Improving the utility and interpretation of children’s physical activity assessed by accelerometers

Child physical activity research using accelerometers typically reports crude estimates of time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), which are difficult for practitioners, policy-makers and other researchers to understand in relation to everyday activities. This is problematic because it limits the use of accelerometer data at scale to better identify the types of physical activity that children undertake in everyday living (e.g., what acceleration range does brisk walking relate to?). Furthermore, children’s physical activity levels are typically expressed in absolute terms, which do not account for individual differences in fitness status. This results in physical activity levels being over-estimated in more fit children and under-estimated in less children because physical activity data are not expressed relative to children’s maximum capacities (i.e., fitness levels). This MSCA post-doctoral fellowship opportunity seeks to address these current methodological limitations in children’s accelerometer-assessed physical activity through the two linked work packages (WP) proposed below.

Aims:

• To develop a ‘compendium’ of acceleration ranges corresponding to typical activities undertaken by children.
• To develop feasible methods to assess the relative intensity of children’s physical activity from accelerometer data.

Brief overview of WP1 (addressing Aim 1): Compendium of typical activities corresponding to acceleration ranges

• Typically-developing children aged 5-14 years old recruited through existing school partnerships.
• Children engage in simulated free-living physical activities in university campus or school settings whilst wearing accelerometers.
• Physical activities recorded via video cameras positioned around the activity space.
• Time-stamped accelerometer and video data matched for each child.
• Analytical methods applied to generate representative acceleration ranges for activities that are most typically undertaken.
• Developed acceleration ranges applied to subsequently collected free-living accelerometer data

Brief overview of WP2 (addressing Aim 2): Development of methods to assess the relative intensity of children’s physical activity from accelerometer data

• Typically-developing children aged 5-14 years old recruited through existing school partnerships.
• Children wear accelerometers whilst performing assessments of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) to determine accelerations corresponding to maximum aerobic capacity.
• CRF assessment methods will be determined through reviewing literature and small-scale piloting. These could include: the 20m shuttle-run test (20mSRT), sub-maximal versions of the 20mSRT, externally-paced, and self-paced walking tests.
• Use of other indicators of physical activity intensity will be explored (e.g., heart rate, rating of perceived exertion).
• Maximum capacity accelerations integrated into free-living acceleration data (collected in WP1) to represent relative intensity physical activity outcomes that account for individual variations in maximum capacity.

Where to apply

E-mail [e-mail]

Requirements

Research Field Other Education Level PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Experience of working with accelerometer data in applied contexts would be welcomed.

Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent

Research Field Other Years of Research Experience 1 - 4

Additional Information

Eligibility criteria

The applicant/eligibility criteria:

• must have a PhD degree (e.g. PhD in hand by September 10th, 2025
• must have a maximum of eight years' experience in research, from the date of the award of their PhD degree
• must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the UK for more than 12 months in the 36 months prior to September 10th, 2025

Selection process

Interested applicants should submit a one-page CV, an outline of the proposed research (maximum 1,000 words), and a cover letter highlighting why you believe you are suited to this project and our Department (maximum 500 words).