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Research Associate, DECIPHer

Cardiff University School of Social Sciences is seeking to recruit a Research Associate to work within Centre for Development, Evaluation, Complexity and Implementation in Public Health Improvement (DECIPHer) Research Centre that is located within the school.

In this role you will contribute to and, lead quantitative and qualitative research studies, where required in the context of the Health Weight Healthy Wales strategy (https://www.gov.wales/healthy-weight-strategy-healthy-weight-healthy-wales) and directly linked to Reducing Inequalities in School food Environments (RISE): Supporting provision, uptake and consumption of Free School Meals in primary schools. Responsibilities will include study management, participant recruitment, data collection and analysis, contributing to study outputs, as well as maintaining good communications with members of the team. To pursue excellence in research and to inspire others to do the same. The post is expected to engage in cross-organisational working between Cardiff University and Public Health Wales.

The post is funded by Reducing Inequalities in School food Environments (RISE): Supporting provision, uptake and consumption of Free School Meals in primary schools. The post would work primarily within the school food and nutrition workstream, but would be expected to work collaboratively across different projects as and when required.

Public Health Wales
The post will also be expected to work with colleagues from the Health Improvement Division, Public Health Wales to generate research ideas, projects, and engage around research outputs. Public Health Wales is the National Public Health Institute in Wales. Our vision is 'Working to achieve a healthier future for Wales' where we play a pivotal role in driving improvements in population health and well-being, reducing health inequalities, improving healthcare outcomes, protecting the public and supporting the development of health in all policies across Wales.

This post is full-time (35 hours per week), is fixed term until 31st March 2028 and is immediately available.

Salary: £40,497 - £ 45,413 per annum (Grade 6), with annual increments up to final salary at top of grade. New appointments are usually made at the starting point of the salary scale.

Responsible to Dr Sara Long, Principal Investigator

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Sara, LongS7@cardiff.ac.uk

Cardiff University offers many excellent benefits, including 45 days annual leave (including bank holidays), blended working (meaning you will be able to work from home for some of your time), a cycle to work scheme and other travel initiatives, annual increments up the pay scale, and more. It is an exciting and vibrant place to work, with many different challenges and is a proud Living Wage supporter.

As the biggest university in Wales - and a major employer, with more than 7,000 staff - we are an ambitious and innovative university located in a beautiful and thriving capital city. We can offer you the chance to work in a vibrant organisation, with great benefits and opportunities for progression.

Date advert posted: Friday, 1 August 2025

Closing date: Friday, 29 August 2025

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.

Cardiff University is a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions we will evaluate applicants on the quality of their research, not publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which the research is published. More information is available at: Responsible research assessment - Research - Cardiff University

Job Description

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Contribute to and lead research to improve dietary and health outcomes of children and young people, with a particular emphasis on schools, to support the delivery of RISE
• Contribute to the overall research performance of the Research centre, the School and the University by the production of measurable outputs including bidding for funding, publishing in national academic journals and conferences, and the recruitment and supervision of postgraduate research students
• To develop research objectives and proposals for research including research funding proposals
• To undertake training to develop own research skills and to help deliver training of research skills to research staff, students and practitioners
• To attend and/or present at conferences/seminars/training events at a local and national level as required
• To undertake administrative tasks associated with the research programme, including the planning and organisation of the project and the implementation of procedures required to ensure accurate and timely reporting
• To prepare research ethics and research governance applications as appropriate
• To review and synthesise existing research literature within the field
• To build and create networks both internally and externally to the university, to influence decisions, explore future research requirements, and share research ideas for the benefit of research projects
• To support others in the team and to manage staff as required

Other

• To engage effectively with other academic colleagues and with external stakeholders (young people, NHS, Government, schools, third sector) in relation to research and evidence-based policy and practice relevant to the work of the Centre and School.
• Any other duties not included above, but consistent with the role.

Additional Information

Centre for Development, Evaluation, Complexity and Implementation in Public Health Improvement (DECIPHer)

The DECIPHer Centre was established via UKCRC funding as one of 5 Public Health Research Centre of Excellence in 2009 - 2019, in partnership with the University of Bristol and Swansea University. In 2020, it became a Health and Care Research Wales funded public health research centre of excellence, in partnership with Public Health Wales, with funding to 2025. DECIPHer has now received sustainability funding from Health and Care Research Wales to continue its work from 2025-2030.

On going funding ensures that we can continue to provide:
a platform for internationally excellent multidisciplinary public health improvement research
an internationally excellent environment for career development in public health improvement research
a focal point in Wales for collaboration between academia, policy, practice and the public in public health improvement research to maximise relevance, and impact.

DECIPHer plays a significant role in a series of major National Institute for Health Research funded investments, as well as the Wolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health and the ESRC funded leadership hub Behavioural Research-UK. Within its next 5 years, it will also partner with newly funded Health and Care Research Wales funded centres, including the National Centre for Suicide and Self-harm Prevention Research and the Wales Applied Virology Unit. It also hosts the School Health Research Network, and an internationally recognised programme of research-led teaching in methodology for the development and evaluation of interventions. Our research from 2025 will aim to improve the health of the public, reduce inequalities, and drive methodological innovation in the development and evaluation of health improvement interventions.

DECIPHer is located in the Cardiff University Social Science Research Park (SPARK) alongside a large number of other social science research centres. It is primarily based in the School of Social Sciences, and works across the University, with some investigators based in the School of Medicine. The School of Social Sciences is an internationally recognised centre of excellence in research and teaching across a range of subject areas, including sociology, policy studies, criminology, education and social work

Further details of the School's activities may be found on our home page: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/social-sciences

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

1. Postgraduate degree at PhD level in a related subject area or equivalent or relevant industrial experience
2. An established expertise and proven portfolio of research and/or relevant industrial experience within one or more of the following research fields:
   • Systems working/whole system approaches
   • School based health research
   • Public health nutrition
   • Social policy
   • Evaluation
3. Knowledge of current status of research on dietary behaviours, nutrition and health and wellbeing.
4. Strong quantitative and/or qualitative research knowledge and skills (mixed methods experience preferred)
5. Proven ability to publish in quality academic journals
6. Proven knowledge and understanding of competitive research funding to be able to help develop applications to funding bodies
7. Proven ability in effective and persuasive communication
8. Ability to supervise the work of others, to focus team efforts and motivate individuals
9. Full UK driving license and ability to travel between research sites
10. Proven ability to demonstrate creativity and innovation within work, and to work without close supervision

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of working with complex, large and/or longitudinal data
• Experience of working with policy, practice and/or third sector organisations
• Welsh language skills

IMPORTANT: Evidencing Criteria
It is Cardiff University's policy to use the person specification as a key tool for shortlisting. Therefore, candidates must evidence they meet ALL the essential criteria and, where relevant, the desirable.

As part of the application process, you are asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement. Please ensure that the evidence you are providing corresponds with the numbered criteria outlined in the person specification. Your application will be considered based on the information you provide for each criterion.
When attaching the supporting statement to your application profile, please ensure you name it with the vacancy reference number: XXXXBR.

Your application will be at risk of not being progressed if you do not evidence you have met all essential criteria. The school welcomes the submission of CVs to accompany evidence of the job-based criteria.

Please note that these are also the criteria shortlisted applicants will be assessed against at interview and/or by other means (e.g. a skills test).