PhD Studentship - Nutrition and Health for Optimal Performance in E-sports

Loughborough University; Loughborough; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK educational institution is offering a Ph.D. studentship focused on e-sports nutrition and health. The role involves conducting research on the demands of e-sports athletes and implementing both cross-sectional and intervention studies. Candidates should have a relevant degree, experience in human nutrition or cognitive research, and strong communication skills. The studentship offers a tax-free stipend of £20,780 per annum for three years, alongside tuition fees coverage. Applications are submitted online referencing SSEHS/LJ26.

Benefits

Tax-free stipend of £20,780 per annum

Full coverage of university tuition fees

Qualifications

• Have a minimum 2:1 Honours degree in human nutrition, sport sciences, psychology, or health-related subjects.
• Demonstrated experience in human nutrition or cognitive research.
• Show enthusiasm and passion for human health and performance.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research on e-sports athletes' nutrition and health needs.
• Engage in studies and collect biological and performance data.
• Present findings to industry professionals at Mars.

Skills

Strong communication/inter-personal skills

Ability to work independently and as part of a team

Experience of human nutrition or cognitive research

Education

At least a 2:1 Honours degree in relevant fields

MSc in nutrition, exercise, or psychology-related degrees

Job description

E-Sports are competitive sports in virtual environments, where participants compete at amateur and professional tournaments, as well as socially, with top competitions attracting large audiences and significant prize money. In many ways, e-sports resemble traditional sports, requiring high levels of cognitive capabilities and mental resilience, but typically involve prolonged sedentary time during training and competition.

Due to the paucity of data on nutrition and health needs of e-sports athletes, this project aims to understand the demands of e-sports, lifestyle practices of e-athletes, and potential ergogenic (particularly nutrition) strategies for performance. To achieve this, various methodologies will be used, including cross-sectional and intervention studies, and the collection of biological samples (e.g. blood, urine, saliva etc.), alongside measurement of cognitive and e-sports performance.

This studentship is funded by an industry partner (Mars, Incorporated) in collaboration with Loughborough University and based full-time at the university. Alongside formal research training/activities, the doctoral researcher will have the opportunity to spend time at Mars’ facilities, develop a strong understanding of the nutrition industry, and present findings to a wide array of industry professionals.

Entry requirements

Essential criteria

• Have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent) in human nutrition, sport and exercise sciences, psychology, human physiology, or another health-related subject.
• Experience of human nutrition or cognitive research.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong communication/inter-personal skills.
• Enthusiasm, passion and interest in human health and performance.
• A CV and covering letter submitted with your application.

Desirable criteria

• An MSc in a relevant subject (e.g. nutrition, exercise, or psychology-related degrees).
• A strong interest in e-sports.
• Experience of nutrition, cognitive or exercise assessments.

English language requirements

Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements. Further details are available on the International website.

Funding information

The studentship is for 3 years and provides a tax-free stipend of £20,780 per annum for the duration of the studentship plus university tuition fees.

How to apply

All applications should be made online. Under Campus, please select Loughborough and select Programme Ph.D. Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences. Please quote the advertised reference number SSEHS/LJ26 in your application.

To avoid delays in processing your application, please ensure that you submit the minimum supporting documents. The following selection criteria will be used by academic schools to help them make a decision on your application.