Background

City, University of London is a global university committed to academic excellence with a focus on business and the professions and an enviable central London location.

City is in the UK’s top twenty (Guardian University Guide) and the world’s top four per cent (Times Higher Education World University Rankings). City attracts around 19,500 students (35% postgraduate), is well above the sector average for graduate employability in most subjects, is in the top ten in the UK for starting salaries and is second in London for student satisfaction. City joined the University of London in 2016.

In the last REF, City doubled the proportion of its total academic staff producing world-leading or internationally excellent research.

Led by President Professor Sir Paul Curran, City has made significant investments in academic staff, estate and systems and continues to work towards realising its vision of being a leading global university: it has recently agreed a new Vision & Strategy 2026.

The Centre for Food Policy has been based at City, University of London, since 2002. It’s mission is to advance and integrated and inclusive approach to food policy that works for everyone, through education, research and engagement with the world of food policy. The Centre is interdisciplinary and located in the Department of Sociology, School of Arts and Social Sciences, at City, University of London.

A full-time post-doctoral Research Fellow is sought to join the Centre for Food Policy, to work with Professor Corinna Hawkes, in close collaboration with partners at the London School of Hygiene of Tropical Medicine and in South Africa. The successful candidate will work on the new £5million Wellcome Trust-funded Research Programme SHEFS (Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems), part of the Wellcome Trusts Our Planet Our Health initiative.

The candidate will take a leading role in the policy workstream of SHEFS, focusing on the policy research in South Africa. This is an innovative project opening up new field of research, with considerable benefits for the post-holder’s professional development.

Responsibilities

The post-holder will be prepared to take a high degree of responsibility for the work, and have flexibility and freedom to develop their own ideas. Area of work will include:

• Desk-based research to characterise the research sites and their context.
• Identification of food system policies currently being implemented.
• Identification of key policy decision makers and influencers, and stakeholder analysis.
• Analysis of food system governance actors/ influencers and mechanisms.
• Policy analysis.

Person Specification

• PhD on a topic relevant to food policy, nutrition policy, public health, public policy, environmental policy or food systems.
• Experience with applying qualitative methods in research, including policy/governance/stakeholder analysis.
• Experience conducting research in South Africa or research outside of the UK.
• Excellent and demonstrable writing skills in English.
• Proven ability to work independently, take a leadership role, and take an innovative approach to research, with minimal guidance.
• Proven ability to effectively manage collaborative relationships.
• Excellent organisational and administrative skills.

Additional Information

City offers a sector-leading salary, pension scheme and benefits including a comprehensive package of staff training and development.

Closing date for applications: 13 August 2017 @ 11:59pm.

This post is eligible for Tier 2 visa sponsorship.

Actively working to promote equal opportunity and diversity

Academic excellence for business and the professions.