Research Fellow (747995)

University of Strathclyde - Social Work and Social Policy

FTE:1 (35 hours/week)

Term:Fixed Term (32 months)

We are seeking to appoint a Research Fellow to work at the University of Strathclyde as part of NIHR’s Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) Glasgow, a major new award led by Glasgow City Council. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and independent public health researcher with a strong grounding in grant writing, qualitative research methods, experience in mixed methods, community engagement, and public policy.

The HDRC Glasgow represents a significant investment in research to support a cultural shift in Glasgow City Council towards embedding evidence-informed decision-making across policy and practice areas that influence health inequalities and outcomes. The appointed Fellow will play a leadership role in supporting this vision by working closely with colleagues in Glasgow City Council, academic partners, and community stakeholders.

Based in the Social Work and Social Policy subject area within the School of Social Sciences, the postholder will work under the academic leadership of Professor Shona Hilton. The HDRC is part of a thriving practitioner/ academic network linked into the Centre for Health Policy through their joint focus on health inequalities, participatory research methods, and the social determinants of health.

As Research Fellow, you will help shape the HDRC’s portfolio of research, evaluation, and capacity-building activities, working with policy and community partners to co-design and develop tools, resources, and practices that support intersectional, evidence-informed policy and service delivery. This role offers the opportunity to shape an evolving, embedded programme of applied public health research within a city governance context.

You will have a PhD (or equivalent experience), have co-written successful grant applications and have a portfolio of research outputs. You will have demonstrable experience leading research and engagement activities that span academic, national and local policy, and public audiences. You will be expected to generate publications and funding bids, manage your own research and lead co-designed engagement activities, supervise students, and contribute to the development of teaching programmes and knowledge exchange activities.

We particularly welcome applicants with experience working inter-disciplinary research and working with local government. We also welcome applicants with design expertise for developing capacity-building initiatives and influencing policy/practice through participatory approaches. You will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to listen, engage and persuade, and to present complex information in an accessible way to a range of audiences.

Whilst not essential for the role, applications are welcomed from candidates with membership of relevant Chartered/professional bodies (including the Higher Education Academy).

Formal interviews for this post will be held on Thursday, 26th February 2026

Informal enquiries about the post can be directed to Prof. Shona Hilton, Professor (shona.hilton@strath.ac.uk).

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