Research Assistant

**Job Description**:
**Job Title**:Research Assistant (Physical Activity Projects)

**Posting Start Date**:17/10/2025

**Job Id**:1717

**School/Department**:School of Medicine & Population Health

**Work Arrangement**:Part Time (Hybrid)

**Contract Type**:Fixed-term

**Salary per annum (£)**:£32,080.00

**Closing Date**:31/10/2025

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.

**Overview**
- We are seeking a Research Assistant to work on physical activity-related research projects under supervision. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who would like to gain research experience in qualitative and quantitative methods as well as real-world evaluation.
- The work will include primary data collection (surveys, interviews, focus groups), data analysis (qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods), liaising with research collaborators and reporting findings. Experience of using a range of research methods is desirable and qualitative research experience is essential.

**Main duties and responsibilities**
- Working under supervision from the line manager, you will participate in a variety of tasks including:

- Work within research teams and liaise with research collaborators and funders.
- Attend research meetings.
- Conduct data collection and analysis (qualitative and quantitative) as appropriate to skills and training, such as undertaking interviews or analysing qualitative transcripts (e.g., using NVivo software).
- Reporting of finding to various audiences in creative formats.
- Support the preparation of papers for academic journals.
- Support the presentation of findings at academic conferences.
- Ensuring compliance with research ethics and data protection.
- Provide information, both written and verbal to research participants, collaborators and funders.
- Prioritise tasks and allocate time to different studies as appropriate.
- Undertake advance planning to meet deadlines for formal study monitoring and study milestones (e.g., participant recruitment, data collection and data analysis).
- As a member of staff, you will also be encouraged to make ethical decisions in your role, embedding the University sustainability strategy into your working activities wherever possible.
- Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

**Person Specification**

**Criteria**

**Essential or desirable**

**Stage(s) assessed at**
Postgraduate qualification or equivalent experience in a health, physical activity or sport related area.EssentialApplicationExperience conducting health related research.EssentialApplicationExcellent interpersonal skills necessary to develop and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues internally and externally, with researchers, collaborators and members of the public involved in the studies.EssentialInterview/ApplicationAbility to work independently and within a team.EssentialInterview/ApplicationAbility to develop new skills and knowledge where necessary to facilitate the success of the current studies.EssentialInterview/ApplicationEssentialInterview/ApplicationExcellent IT skills with advanced experience of Excel, Word, Power PointEssentialInterview/ApplicationWillingness to travel to study sits and for study meeting in the UKEssentialInterviewExperience of qualitative research analysis and use of qualitative research software such as NVivo.EssentialInterview/ApplicationExperience of a range of research methods, e.g., qualitative and quantitative.DesirableApplicationExperience of report writing or publications.DesirableApplication**Further Information**

**Grade**

**6**

**Salary**

**£32,080 per annum pro rata**

**Work arrangement**
Part time - 14 hours per week (which need to be worked Monday to Thursday NOT Friday, Hybrid/flexible working from home/city campus office.**Duration**
Fixed term for 10 months with a start date of asap/in post by 1st December 2025.**Line manager**
Helen Quirk, Research Fellow**Direct reports**
n/a**Our website**Next steps in the recruitment process**

**Our vision and strategic plan**
- We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision ().

**What we offer**
- A minimum of 38**days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
- Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
- Generous pension scheme.
- A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
- A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support