Research Assistant in Nutritional Sciences
About Us
Department of Nutritional Sciences
The Department of Nutritional Sciences explores the relationship between diet, health and disease from molecules to populations. Based at King’s Waterloo Campus, the Department of Nutritional Sciences combines over 60 basic and applied scientists, dietitians, nutritionists, doctors and public health experts. Our mission is to find new ways to improve health and to prevent and treat nutrition-related diseases.
We began in 1953 as the first university department of nutrition in Europe and have been at the forefront of research in nutrition science and dietetics ever since. We have developed new food applications to impact blood glucose control, collected big data through citizen science to understand individual responses to food, pioneered the low FODMAP diet as a treatment for IBS, and are developing new cereal processing techniques to unlock the natural iron and zinc in staple foods.
School of Life Course & Population Sciences
The School of Life Course & Population Sciences is one of six Schools that make up the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine at King’s College London. The School unites over 400 experts in women and children’s health, nutritional sciences, population health and the molecular genetics of human disease. Our research links the causes of common health problems to life’s landmark stages, treating life, disease and healthcare as a continuum. We are interdisciplinary by nature and this innovative approach works: 91 per cent of our research submitted to the Subjects Allied to Medicine (Pharmacy, Nutritional Sciences and Women’s Health cluster) for REF was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent. We use this expertise to teach the next generation of health professionals and research scientists. Based across King’s Denmark Hill, Guy’s, St Thomas’ and Waterloo campuses, our academic programme of teaching, research and clinical practice is embedded across five Departments.
About the role
We are looking for a Research Assistant in the Department of Nutritional Sciences to work on a new project funded by the One King’s Impact Fund.
The Maximum nutrition, minimum waste: ‘Root-to-Tip’ dining project will see the launch of a ‘Living Laboratory’ at King’s. This project will develop and test ‘root-to-tip’ recipes that use more of the plant (i.e. peels and stalks) with the aims of reducing food waste and increasing fibre intakes.
Further details about the project can be found here.
The Research Assistant will form an integral part of the project and will be responsible for co-ordinating project activities, data collection, analyses and writing of reports and manuscripts. The project includes researchers from King’s Business School, King’s Food and external collaborators.
This is an exciting opportunity to gain research experience in a multi-disciplinary team. It will also be a fantastic opportunity to enhance research skills in a centre of excellence for those wanting to develop a research career.
This is a part time post (60% FTE), and you will be offered a fixed term contract until 31st July 2025. The post will require face to face working at King’s College London Waterloo and Bush House campuses.
About You
To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:
Essential criteria
- BSc or MSc in Nutrition or Dietetics.
- Experience of qualitative data collection and analyses (e.g., semi -structured interviews and/or focus groups)
- Experience of quantitative data analyses, e.g. descriptive statistics and data visualisation
- Knowledge of sustainability in the context of UK food service and catering
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team on a project
- Exceptional attention to detail and organisational skills
- Excellent time keeping and time management
- Committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, actively addressing areas of potential bias
Downloading a copy of our Job Description
Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the next page after you click “Apply Now”. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.
Further Information
We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.
We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King’s.
We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.
To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit’ pages.
We are not able to offer sponsorship for candidates who do not currently possess the right to work in the UK.
