Postdoctoral Research Associate / Fellow

University of Exeter - Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

This new full-time post is available from 01 April 2026 on a fixed term basis until 31 March 2028. This post is offered as a fixed term contract and is funded by Bateman Family Professorial Fellowship.

We welcome applications from candidates interested in working part-time hours or job-sharing arrangements.

The post

The Faculty wishes to recruit either a Postdoctoral Research Associate or a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, subject to qualifications and experience, to work with A/Prof Wood in completing multiple funded projects relating to chronic pain and musculoskeletal conditions. In brief, the projects consist of undertaking qualitative interviews, analysing qualitative interview data, undertaking and synthesising evidence from literature reviews and generating new research questions and funded projects. This philanthropic funded post is available immediately. The research will consist of interviewing patients with, and clinicians involved in the management of, chronic pain conditions. There will be a large amount of qualitative data analysis required, potentially using framework analytic approaches. In addition, evidence synthesis skills such as systematic reviews and meta-analysis, and knowledge or experience of applying for ethical approval will be useful.

About you

The successful applicant will be able to develop research objectives, projects and proposals; identify sources of research funding and contribute to the process of securing funds and make presentations at conferences and other events.

Applicants for the Research Associate position will possess, or be nearing completion of your PhD, with some experience of working with qualitative data and evidence synthesis. Applicants for the Research Fellow position, will have a PhD and some experience working with qualitative data and evidence synthesis, and ideally be a registered health professional.

Ideally for the Research Fellow position, applicants will also have clinical experience in the assessment and management of chronic pain conditions, either as a physiotherapist or as an equivalent HCPC registered professional. The successful applicant will be a nationally recognised authority in chronic pain and possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop research programmes and methodologies. The successful applicant will also be able to work collaboratively, supervise the work of others and act as team leader as required.

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.

The University of Exeter

We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 200 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 and QS World University Ranking 2024). We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, achieving a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2023, underpinned by Gold ratings for Student Experience and Student Outcomes.

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment

We are committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.

Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community.

Further information

For further information please contact Dr Lianne Wood, Bateman Family Associate Professor in Peripheral Neuropathy, e-mail l.wood2@exeter.ac.uk.