Research Fellow in Qualitative Research (Healthy Weight and Learning Disabilities)
We are seeking to appoint a highly skilled qualitative researcher from a social science, health or social care research background with an interest in research with people with learning disabilities. The successful candidate will work on a NIHR-funded study to develop and test an intervention to enhance social care staff capability to promote healthy weight among people with learning disabilities. The post-holder will conduct qualitative research, co-design intervention components with people with learning disabilities and paid and unpaid carers and contribute to the development and preliminary testing of a novel intervention.
This project is led by Dr Karen Coulman as part of an NIHR post-doctoral fellowship award in collaboration with the Bristol Trials Centre and a wider mentorship team from the Norah Fry Centre for Disability Studies (School for Policy Studies), the University of the West of England, Leeds Beckett University, Learning Disability England, Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, and the West of England Health Innovation Network.
The post will be situated within the Health Economics and Health Policy ( HEHP@Bristol ) research group within Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School.
The post is available at 80% FTE (4 days per week), starting ideally in March 2027 with funding available until 30/11/2030.
Hybrid working is available . The successful candidate will be expected to work flexibly across the University of Bristol and research sites. Opportunities for remote working will be available where study activities permit and may vary across different phases of the project.
What will you be doing?
You will undertake qualitative research to understand how social care staff can be better supported to promote healthy weight among people with learning disabilities. This will involve working directly with people with learning disabilities, paid carers, family carers, health professionals and policymakers to explore current practice, identify barriers and facilitators to behaviour change, and inform intervention development.
You will carry out observations, interviews, focus groups, creative qualitative methods and co-design workshops, contributing to all stages of the research process from participant recruitment and data collection through to analysis, interpretation and dissemination. Working collaboratively with Project Partnership Groups, you will develop accessible research and intervention materials and contribute to the design, refinement and feasibility testing of a novel intervention to improve care staff capability to promote healthy weight among people with learning disabilities.
You should apply if
- You have experience of undertaking and completing qualitative research projects in applied health, social care or public health settings, including the use of qualitative methods for data collection and analysis. You will have a strong understanding of qualitative methodologies and experience of analysing qualitative datasets, including the use of qualitative data analysis software such as NVivo.
- You will have experience of leading a research project, or a substantial component of a project, and of developing research protocols and supporting research governance and ethics processes. You should be able to work effectively both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team, building productive relationships with researchers, public contributors, service users, carers and other stakeholders.
- We are particularly interested in applicants with experience of, or a strong interest in, conducting research with people with learning disabilities and/or other groups who may experience communication, cognitive or accessibility barriers.
- Experience of co-production, participatory research methods, intervention development, implementation research, or the development of accessible research materials would be advantageous.
Additional information
Contract type: Open-ended with funding, ideally between 01/03/27 - 30/11/2030
Work pattern: Part-time/ 80% FTE
Grade: K/Pathway 2
School/Unit: Bristol Medical School
This advert will close at 23:59 UK time on 18/11/2026
For informal queries please contact: Dr Karen Coulman ( Associate Professor in Obesity Research and Practice) , 0117 455 7944, karen.coulman@bristol.ac.uk
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Research Fellow in Qualitative Research (Healthy Weight and Learning Disabilities) in Clifton employer: University of Bristol
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