Applications are invited for a Chair in Public Health Nutrition specifically related to the improvement of
health and well-being through food and diet. This Professorial role represents an exciting opportunity
for an individual to provide strategic leadership for the Rowett Institute’s Public Health Nutrition Group
(PHNG). The Rowett has just celebrated its 100th centenary with the Institute moving to the University
of Aberdeen Foresterhill site in the autumn 2015. The PHNG is currently based at the Foresterhill site
having been formed in 2008 following the merger of the Rowett with the University. The Foresterhill
site is one of Europe’s biggest joint healthcare and educational campuses.
A rolling 5 year programme of research funding from the Scottish Government underpins the post.
You will provide leadership and management of the PHNG delivery of the Scottish Government
research programme as well as conducting your own line of research. The Scottish Government
research interests include: food insecurity, barriers to dietary change, the role of communities in the
delivery of improved health and well-being, food culture, the nutritional needs of different groups of
society, particularly children relationships between diet and diseases and the relationship between
health and sustainability. You will also be required to develop the programme in a wider
socioeconomic context pulling on expertise in health economics and health psychology from the
Institute of Applied Health Sciences.
In addition to the Scottish Government programme you will have the opportunity to apply for other
sources of research funding to take forward your research and will have the opportunity to collaborate
with researchers in related areas in the School of Medicine and Dentistry, these being obesity
prevention and development of interventions to provide advice and support for lifestyle changes. You
will also have the opportunity to contribute to the University teaching activities in appropriate areas of
interest.
With an excellent track record of relevant funded research including significant quantity of 3* and 4*
REF equivalent published research, you will work across subject areas forging collaborations within
the Rowett and Applied Health Science Institutes as well other Scottish Government Main Research
Providers (the James Hutton Institute, Scotland Rural College (SRUC) and the Moredun Institute).
You would also be required to be proactive in communicating outcomes and provide expertise directly
with our main stakeholders including Scottish Government Officials and Policy teams and indirectly
through whilst influencing national and international research agendas.
The role will form part of the Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, which is part of the College of
Life Sciences & Medicine.
Role Responsibilities
Key duties of the role include:
• To provide strategic leadership for the Rowett Institute’s PHNG and development of own
research programme, funded by Scottish Government.
• Application for competitive funding from external sources (e.g. RCUK, Wellcome and
Charities)
• Responsible for the management and development of the PHNG research strategy so to
enable the delivery of the Scottish Government Programme, University research and teaching
requirements.
• Oversee the development of PHNG research strategy in a wider socioeconomic context.
• Ensure policy contribution through research, regular liaison with policy makers and
participation in policy advisory or decision-making groups and policy conferences
• To recruit, retain, motivate and manage a team of researchers and support staff
• To provide effective governance arrangements within the group including human resource
management, research management, financial control, provision of regular information to
Institutes’ Directors.
• To build and sustain links with other University departments, Main Research Providers to
develop interdisciplinary collaborations.
• To initiate and identify opportunities to raise the profile of the group through dissemination in
leading journals and other publications and through professional activities, knowledge transfer
and dissemination activities.
• Develop the reputation of the group as a leading centre of public health. This will include
demonstrable markers of external esteem such as contribution to REF 2014.
Please refer to the Person Specification at the bottom of this document for role requirements.
