Job Description
Job Title: Research Associate
Posting Start Date: 07/02/2025
Job Id: 696
School/Department: Psychology
Work Arrangement: Full Time (Hybrid)
Contract Type: Fixed-term
Salary per annum (£): 37,999.00
Closing Date: 21/02/2025
The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.
We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

OVERVIEW

We are looking for a Research Associate to join the BR-UK team at the University of Sheffield. BR-UK (www.br-uk.ac.uk) is an interdisciplinary research consortium funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) via the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The consortium serves as a leadership hub that is part of a wider ESRC programme to build national capability for behavioural research. BR-UK’s work is organised around 4 work packages and 4 cross-cutting themes (for an overview, see here). The role will support the ‘Methods and Evidence Synthesis’ work package, and will include conducting rapid systematic reviews of relevant literature, designing and conducting research into effective research processes (i.e., meta-science), applying systems approaches to integrate the findings of meta-analyses, and collaborating with a team at UCL who have developed a methodological framework for behavioural research that includes work on when causal inferences are appropriate.
This is a full-time position but we are open to considering job sharing or other flexible work arrangements to accommodate a range of needs and schedules. For example, it is possible that the role could be split into two 0.5 FTE part-time posts.

• Contribute to the programme of research, using your initiative, creativity, and knowledge, of behavioural science theory and methods.
• Develop (and where relevant, pre-register) research protocols, set up and manage data collection, including applying for ethical approval, and conduct data-analysis.
• Conduct rapid systematic reviews of the peer-reviewed and grey literature, including developing protocols, searching for relevant evidence, integrating findings (including using meta-analysis where appropriate) and reaching evidence-based conclusions.
• Work collaboratively with the wider BR-UK team, including arranging and organizing efficient and effective project meetings, and coordinating research activities.
• Report research findings internally (e.g., via reports, presentations, and webinars) and externally via publication in high quality, peer reviewed journals and presentations at scientific conferences and internal or external meetings.
• Undertake continuing professional development and training, guided by reflection and in discussion with colleagues.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post