Research Associate/Senior Research Associate in Epidemiology

Job number ACAD103974

Division/School - Bristol Medical School

Contract type - Open Ended

Working pattern - Full or Part time

Salary £33,199 - £37,345 per annum (Grade I) / £37,345 per annum (Grade J) (pro rata if part time)

Closing date for applications 23-Jun-2019

This is an exciting opportunity for a talented researcher to join a multidisciplinary research team working on an MRC-funded study investigating the aetiology of disordered eating and self-harm behaviours: “Emotional dysregulation, self-harm and eating disorders: a mechanistic investigation” (Principal Investigator Dr Helen Bould). This research has the potential to inform new strategies for risk detection, prevention and treatment of self-harm and eating disorders.

The research will use data from a large population-based cohort study to determine whether (a) there is an association between emotional dysregulation in childhood, and both self-harm and eating disorders in adolescence; and (b) any such association is mediated by deficits in emotion recognition, social cognition, and bullying in childhood.

You will use a range of statistical approaches including longitudinal latent variable modelling techniques, Structural Equation Modelling and counterfactual mediation analysis, using Stata, MPlus or R as appropriate.

You will be based within the Centre for Academic Mental Health in Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, and will also work closely with colleagues in Experimental Psychology and the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU), as well as with external collaborators. The work will utilise large-scale available datasets, predominantly the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC, www.bris.ac.uk/alspac) cohort.

The role provides an excellent opportunity to develop further skills in epidemiological research in a cross-disciplinary environment. Opportunities for continued training and career development are available, including the short courses run by Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, and the University of Bristol staff development programme.

You will have a PhD (or equivalent experience) in a relevant discipline with a strong statistical component (e.g. epidemiology, psychology or statistics) and a track record of published research. You will have experience of advanced statistical methods, ideally mediation analysis, including SEM and counterfactual mediation.

For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Dr Helen Bould. The post is available full time for two years. Applications to work on a less than full time basis will also be considered.

Interviews are expected to be held as soon as possible after the closing date, with a planned start date of 16th September 2019.

We appreciate and value difference, seeking to attract, develop and retain a diverse mix of talented people that will contribute to the overall success of Bristol and help maintain our position as one of the world’s leading universities.