Research Associate in Digital Health Interventions

Loughborough University - School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences (SSEHS)

Full Time, Fixed-term to 30 June 2028

Loughborough University is committed to allowing its employees to work dynamically with a combination of working on campus and remotely, where possible.

Join us and be part of a vibrant community at Loughborough University.

Here’s more about the role and what we’re looking for:

The ACTIVATE trial is a randomised controlled trial led by the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University, evaluating a digital health intervention designed to improve physical activity and health outcomes in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The intervention combines wearable technology, mobile health applications, behavioural support, and financial incentives to promote sustained behaviour change.

The Research Associate will play a central role in the day-to-day delivery of the trial, including participant recruitment, onboarding, and retention, deployment and troubleshooting of wearable devices and health apps, and coordination of data collection activities. This will involve conducting device measured physical activity using Axivity accelerometers, maintaining accurate and detailed study records, liaising with clinical and external partners, and supporting data management and preliminary analyses to ensure high-quality trial delivery. to be undertaken.

About the University

Universities are one of this country’s greatest assets. We’re educators, employers, innovators and pioneers. We shape culture and society.

At Loughborough, we strive for better, think differently, challenge convention and take action. We are passionate about finding solutions to the major problems faced by society and the planet, and we create opportunities for those with the drive, the ambition, and the determination to apply themselves in the pursuit of better.

About the Department

The School of Sport Exercise and Health Sciences (SSEHS) is a multi-disciplinary school committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic community. It upholds the highest standards of excellence in research, innovation, and pedagogy across the full spectrum of disciplines within sport, exercise, health and wellbeing.

About You

The ideal candidate will have...

• A strong background in health-related research, with experience in behavioural interventions and/or randomised controlled trials.
• They will have hands-on experience working with consumer wearable technologies (e.g., Fitbit), including participant onboarding, device setup, and troubleshooting, as well as familiarity with mobile health applications in research or applied settings.
• Experience in collecting and managing device measured physical activity data, alongside competence in quantitative data analysis using software such as R or Python, is essential.
• Excellent organisational and communication skills, with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
• A PhD (or near completion) in a relevant discipline such as digital health, sport and exercise science, public health, or behavioural science is expected, alongside a strong commitment to high-quality research practice.

Informal enquiries should be directed to James Sanders, Lecturer in Digital Health, via email to J.Sanders2@lboro.ac.uk or by telephone to 01509 225454.

For more information refer to the Job Description and Person Specification