Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Resilient Food Systems and Sustainable Nutrition

University of Exeter; Exeter; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 49,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Part-time / Job-sharing options

Job summary

The University of Exeter, hosting the UKRI-funded Net+ Centre, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow (full-time, fixed-term 01/01/2027–30/09/2029). The starting salary is £44,352 on Grade F, with hybrid working options.

We seek a mixed-methods researcher in climate-resilient nutrition, skilled in evidence synthesis and public engagement. You will help plan, deliver high-quality research, and collaborate across disciplines within Net+ Centre to inform policy and practice.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to design and execute mixed-methods research projects.
• Strong experience in synthesising evidence from diverse sources (literature, media, stakeholders).
• Experience engaging non-academic audiences and stakeholders to co-produce impact.

Responsibilities

• Review evidence on climate change impacts on nutrition in the UK, including peer‑reviewed literature, media analysis, or key informant interviews.
• Support capacity building, engagement, and outreach activities within the Net+ Centre, including Leadership Academy events and collaboration with STEM Learning.

Skills

Mixed-methods research

Evidence synthesis

Public engagement

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Grant proposal development

Education

PhD in food systems or sustainable nutrition

Job description

About The Role

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

This UKRI-funded full-time post is available from 01/01/2027 on a fixed-term basis until 30/09/2029.

The starting salary will be from £44,352 on Grade F, dependent on knowledge, skills and experience.

We welcome applications from candidates interested in working part-time hours or job-sharing arrangements. Hybrid working is an option for this role.

The Role

We are looking to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the Centre for Net Positive Health and Climate Solutions (Net+ Centre). The Net+ Centre launched on the 1st of October 2024. This is a five-year research centre funded by UKRI, led by the University of Exeter alongside core partners at the UK Health Security Agency, The National Trust, and Forest Research (with many other partners across sectors and the UK).

The key aim of the Net+ Centre is to establish interdisciplinary research infrastructure, partnerships, and capacity to proactively deliver novel, impactful research on climate change and health, with a focus on environmental-social-health inequalities.

We are looking for a mixed-methods researcher with experience working on resilient food systems/sustainable nutrition research questions, with strong evidence synthesis skills, and an ability for public and stakeholder engagement to co-produce positive impacts from research. The role will involve key tasks as part of the centre, as well as an opportunity to develop your own research interests and take part in research across the Net+ centre. The successful applicant will help to plan and deliver high-quality research, particularly feeding into the Centre’s objective of investigating how future food systems can be climate-resilient and healthy for all.

• Key tasks include a review of evidence on the impact of climate change on nutrition in the UK, which may involve both peer-reviewed academic literature, as well as a media analysis, and/or key informant interviews.
• In addition, your role will involve contributing to capacity building, engagement, and outreach activities in the centre, such as co-organising and facilitating activities at the Centre’s Leadership Academy residential meetings, PhD summer schools, and working with STEM Learning to support STEM Ambassadors or curriculum development.

About You

The successful applicant will be able to develop research objectives, projects, and proposals; identify sources of research funding to contribute to the process of securing funds; and produce a range of academic and policy-relevant outputs, including presentations for conferences and other events. Applicants will possess a relevant PhD or an equivalent qualification/experience in food systems or sustainable nutrition research, and have sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop/follow the research programmes and methodologies of the Net+ Centre. The successful applicant will also be able to work collaboratively, across disciplines and supervise the work of others where necessary. They will have the capacity to support engagement, involvement, and dissemination events and be motivated to communicate with non-academic audiences.

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.

Further information

Please contact Dr Kerry Ann Brown, [e-mail].

£44,352 on Grade F, dependent on knowledge, skills and experience.