Fixed Term Research Fellow- School of Health (12 Months)

Job Summary

The School of Health at Robert Gordon University is seeking to recruit a Research Fellow to support the Chief Scientist Office-funded project “Prevention of Hip Fractures in Scotland: Evidence Synthesis to Inform a National Strategy.”

Hip fractures are a major cause of morbidity, loss of independence, health and social care utilisation, and mortality among older adults. A wide range of interventions may contribute to reducing hip-fracture risk, including approaches targeting falls, bone health and osteoporosis, physical activity and exercise, medication, environmental risk, service delivery, and wider system-level prevention. However, the evidence is distributed across different clinical and public-health disciplines and must be considered alongside cost-effectiveness, feasibility, equity and the specific organisation of health and social care in Scotland.

This project will bring together and evaluate this evidence to support the development of a coherent, evidence-informed approach to hip-fracture prevention in Scotland. The programme is being undertaken collaboratively by researchers from Robert Gordon University, Public Health Scotland and the University of Aberdeen, with input from national organisations, healthcare professionals, policy stakeholders and people with lived experience.

The project will produce an accessible evidence map of interventions relevant to hip-fracture prevention; focused syntheses of clinical effectiveness and economic evidence; and an integrated assessment of the implications of the evidence for Scotland. Quantitative synthesis, including meta-analysis and Bayesian approaches where appropriate, will be used to estimate intervention effects and associated uncertainty. Evidence will also be considered within the Scottish context, including population characteristics, health inequalities, rurality, service configuration, workforce and resource implications.

The project will subsequently bring the evidence together using an Evidence-to-Decision framework, considering effectiveness, certainty of evidence, cost-effectiveness, equity, feasibility, acceptability and implementation considerations. The overall aim is to provide a rigorous evidence base to inform national policy, future service development and research priorities for the prevention of hip fractures in Scotland.

We are seeking a Research Fellow with strong skills in systematic review and evidence synthesis, alongside quantitative research expertise. The postholder will work closely with the Principal Investigator and wider multidisciplinary project team and will contribute across the evidence-review process, from protocol development and literature searching through to quantitative synthesis, interpretation, stakeholder engagement and dissemination.

This position provides an opportunity to contribute to a nationally relevant programme of applied health research with a direct pathway to policy and practice. The postholder will work within a multidisciplinary team spanning evidence synthesis, statistics, epidemiology, public health, health economics and implementation and policy research.

Informal enquiries are welcomed, please contact Professor Paul Swinton, Principal Investigator at p.swinton@rgu.ac.uk 

In keeping with RGU's commitment to work/life balance you will have the opportunity to work from home for a portion of the working week and also benefit from a generous pension scheme, 46 days annual leave (including statutory days) an onsite nursery and sports centre, as well as a range of voluntary health and travel benefits. 

To apply please submit your CV along with a covering letter outlining your suitability for the role and how you meet the person specification (max. 3-pages).

Interviews will take place during November 2026.

Job Description

RESPONSIBLE TO: Associate Dean Research and Principal Investigator.

RESPONSIBLE FOR: There are no line management duties associated with this role.

PURPOSE OF POST: To contribute to the coordination, delivery, analysis and dissemination of a programme of evidence synthesis designed to inform a national approach to hip-fracture prevention in Scotland.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES: The duties and responsibilities relate to those required for successful conduct of the study, including:

• Contributing to the development and implementation of protocols for evidence mapping, systematic reviews and related evidence-synthesis activities.

• Conducting comprehensive literature searches in collaboration with the wider research team and information specialists.

• Coordinating and undertaking study screening, eligibility assessment, data extraction and management across multiple evidence reviews.

• Conducting methodological quality and risk-of-bias assessments using appropriate tools.

• Contributing to the development of an open-access evidence map describing interventions relevant to hip-fracture prevention and the existing evidence base.

• Undertaking quantitative evidence synthesis, including meta-analysis and, where appropriate, Bayesian statistical modelling.

• Investigating heterogeneity and differences in intervention effectiveness across populations, settings and intervention characteristics where supported by the available evidence.

• Producing clear representations of statistical uncertainty and supporting interpretation of the strength and limitations of the available evidence.

• Contributing to assessment of the certainty of evidence using appropriate evidence-grading approaches.

• Supporting synthesis of health-economic evidence, including extraction and interpretation of information relating to costs, healthcare utilisation and cost-effectiveness, working alongside health-economic expertise within the project team.

• Contributing to the integration of clinical-effectiveness and economic evidence and its application to the Scottish health and social care context.

• Examining the applicability of research evidence to Scotland, including consideration of population characteristics, inequalities, rurality and remoteness, service configuration, workforce, implementation requirements and resource implications.

• Contributing to Evidence-to-Decision processes that integrate evidence relating to benefits and harms, certainty, cost-effectiveness, equity, acceptability, feasibility and implementation.

• Supporting engagement with professional, policy, public-health, third-sector and lived-experience stakeholders involved in the project.

• Supporting Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement activities and ensuring that lived-experience perspectives contribute appropriately to interpretation and dissemination of the research.

• Preparing research outputs including systematic-review manuscripts, methodological and applied research papers, reports, evidence summaries, policy briefings and accessible public-facing materials.

• Presenting findings at academic conferences, professional meetings, stakeholder events and other appropriate dissemination activities.

• Contributing to project management, including maintenance of documentation, organisation of project meetings, monitoring progress against milestones and contributing to reports to the funder.

• Ensuring that research is conducted in accordance with relevant research-governance, open-science, data-management and ethical requirements.

• Contributing to the identification of evidence gaps and the development of subsequent research questions and funding applications arising from the programme.

• Undertaking other appropriate research activities consistent with the grade and objectives of the post.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

• PhD in a relevant discipline such as health sciences, public health, epidemiology, statistics, health services research, evidence-based healthcare or a closely related field.

Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of systematic-review and evidence-synthesis methodology.

• Knowledge of quantitative research methods and statistical analysis.

• Understanding of principles relating to critical appraisal, risk of bias and interpretation of research evidence.

• Understanding of the principles of evidence-based healthcare and the translation of research findings into practice or policy.

Experience

• Experience of conducting systematic reviews or other substantial evidence-synthesis projects.

• Experience of study screening, data extraction and methodological quality or risk-of-bias assessment.

• Experience of quantitative analysis using appropriate statistical software, preferably R.

• Experience of quantitative evidence synthesis and/or meta-analysis.

• Experience of preparing research findings for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

• Evidence of strong scientific writing and the ability to communicate complex methodological and statistical information clearly.

• Experience of working independently while contributing effectively within a multidisciplinary research team.

DESIABLE REQUIREMENTS

Knowledge

• Familiarity with evidence-grading approaches such as GRADE and/or Evidence-to-Decision frameworks.

Experience

• Experience of evidence mapping, scoping reviews or large programmes involving multiple linked systematic reviews.

• Experience of reviewing or interpreting health-economic and cost-effectiveness evidence.

• Experience of integrating evidence from different study designs or different forms of evidence.

• Experience of working with stakeholders, advisory groups or Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement contributors.

Behaviours

Behaviour 1: Communication - Ability to receive, understand and convey information requiring careful explanation and information of a complex or conceptual nature, in a clear and accurate manner

Behaviour 2: Analysis and Research - Experience of developing hypotheses and concepts to explain data, events and phenomena, and reporting findings to a wider community

Behaviour 3: Pastoral Care and Welfare - Experience of calming and reassuring those with work/study related problems who may be experiencing distress and dealing with difficult welfare situations or confidential matters

Behaviour 4: Liaison and Networking - Experience of circulating information in an accurate and timely manner, working across team boundaries to build and strengthen working relationships and leading and developing internal networks to pursue a shared interest

Behaviour 5: Initiative and Problem Solving - Experience of using initiative and creativity to resolve problems, identifying practical and suitable solutions.

Behaviour 6: Decision Making - Experience of using own judgement to make decisions, making collaborative decisions with others to reach conclusions and providing advice or information that will influence the decisions of others