Research Assistant - School of Public Health/Centre for Health and Diet Research

Further Vacancy Details Research Assistant - School of Public Health/Centre for Health and Diet Research (12) Months, Fixed Term, whole-time post Applications are invited from highly motivated and suitably qualified candidates for a 12-month Research Assistant position in the Food Policy Research Team, Centre for Health and Diet Research in the School of Public Health, UCC. The Centre for Health and Diet Research provides a national focal point for public health nutrition research in the Republic of Ireland. The mission of the centre is to produce and effectively disseminating high-quality evidence to guide practice and policy in the area of public health nutrition. The successful candidate will be required to perform and support research activities on a European funded project to explore food information environments to support healthy, sustainable diets: mitigating harmful marketing and misinformation.  This post offers an exciting opportunity to join the Food Policy Research Team under the supervision of Dr Janas Harrington and to collaborate with colleagues from a number of European countries. Day-to-day activities include but are not limited to: •           Conducting literature reviews and synthesizing scientific content •           Assisting participant recruitment and data collection •           Performing data analyses, interpreting results and presenting those data •           Contributing to scientific manuscripts, reports, and presentations •           Identifying opportunities for knowledge exchange and dissemination to diverse audiences •           Leading or assisting with the planning and execution of workshops, seminars, meetings, and webinars •           Helping in the development of funding applications to address emergent research priorities This study will take a mixed methods approach.  Experience in analysing both qualitative and quantitative research studies is essential. The appointee will be expected to support research assistants and other junior members of the team. The successful candidate will interact regularly with expert collaborators. Applicants should hold an MPH degree in public health nutrition or a related discipline. Experience in food policy research and a knowledge and understanding of the challenges related to food systems would be desirable. Experience in mixed methods research would be desirable. Candidates must demonstrate strong organizational, planning, oral and written communication skills, scientific writing, and project management skills. The successful applicant must be a self-starter who is comfortable taking initiative and who can play a major role in completing Please note that Garda vetting and/or an international police clearance check may form part of the selection process. Project title: A system approach to reform the food information environment to support healthy, sustainable diets: mitigating harmful marketing and misinformation. Duration: (12) months For an information package including full details of the post, selection criteria and application process see https://ore.ucc.ie/.   The University, at its discretion, may undertake to make an additional appointment(s) from this competition following the conclusion of the process. Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Professor Janas Harrington, School of Public Health. Email: j.harrington@ucc.ie. For further information on the Department: School of Public Health | University College Cork University College Cork is committed to being a fully inclusive global university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) are core values under our UCC Strategic Plan 2023-2028. UCC holds a Silver Athena SWAN award  in recognition of our commitment to advancing equality in higher education. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from everybody, regardless of age, care-giving status, disability, ethnicity, gender and/or gender identity or expression status, nationality, marital status/civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion/creed, and/or sexual orientation. We are committed to supporting all staff through flexible working schemes, family-friendly policies, training and development, and staff networks. We value the enrichment that comes from a diverse community and seek to promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect the human rights of each individual in line with equality legislation. We encourage applicants to consult our Dignity and Respect Policy and learn more about our EDI related initiatives . Appointment may be made on the Research Assistant IUA Salary Scale: €33,791 - €43,872 Salary placement on appointment will be in accordance with public sector pay policy. We encourage you to reach out to us directly should you require assistance or reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process. Please note interviews will be conducted either online via Microsoft Teams or in person in the first instance. Candidates may also be required to attend interviews in person if an interview takes place online. Candidates will be notified as appropriate . Applications must be submitted online via the University College Cork vacancy portal (https://ore.ucc.ie/). Queries relating to the online application process should be referred to recruitment@ucc.ie, quoting the job-title. Candidates should apply, in confidence, before 12 noon (Irish Local Time) on Friday, April 3rd, 2026 No late applications will be accepted. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER Please note that an appointment to posts advertised will be dependent on university approval, together with the terms of the employment control framework for the higher education sector Contact Person : Professor Janas Harrington Contact Email : j.harrington@ucc.ie Job ID : 095313 Contact Number : Close Date : 03-Apr-2026 12:00 Click on the link(s) below to view documents Filesize Notes Guide for UCC Applicants 926 Guide For External Applicants 741.4 Candidate Brief 2732.3 Apply for Job Return to Search