Are you an ambitious Research Fellow in public health who wants to shape national policy and practice in workplace health and wellbeing?
We are seeking a talented and motivated Research Fellow to join the School of Public Health at Imperial College London as part of the NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR)-funded WHISPAs programme (2026–2031). You will play a central role in leading a major evidence synthesis work package that will directly inform the design, implementation and evaluation of workplace health interventions delivered through local government and public sector systems.
This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a high-profile, multi-institutional national research programme with clear policy and system-level impact.
You will be embedded within the Self-Care Academic Research Unit (SCARU) in the Department of Primary Care and Public Health and will work closely with the local Principal Investigator and national consortium partners.
Your role will include:
1. Leading and delivering high-quality systematic and scoping reviews focused on workplace health and wellbeing interventions
2. Critically appraising and synthesising international evidence to inform intervention protocolisation, implementation design and trial development
3. Taking day-to-day responsibility for coordinating Work Package 1 within a large NIHR-funded national research programme
4. Producing peer-reviewed publications and policy-facing outputs, including evidence briefs and summaries for commissioners and local government partners
5. Collaborating with academic, policy and practice stakeholders, as well as public contributors, to ensure outputs are methodologically rigorous and policy-relevant
6. Contributing to programme coordination, milestone delivery and reporting requirements
7. Supporting grant development and contributing intellectual input to future funding applications
8. Contributing to research meetings, stakeholder workshops and dissemination events
You will work with a high degree of independence, demonstrating leadership within the work package while contributing to the overall scientific coherence and impact of the five-year NIHR programme.
We are looking for a researcher who combines methodological rigour with policy awareness and collaborative working.
You will have:
9. A PhD in public health or a closely related discipline
10. Demonstrable experience of leading and publishing high-quality systematic reviews (including first-author publications)
11. Experience using established reporting and appraisal frameworks such as PRISMA and CASP
12. Knowledge of mixed-methods research, including quantitative analysis and understanding of causal and cost-effectiveness concepts
13. A strong track record of peer-reviewed publications
14. Experience presenting findings to academic, policy and non-specialist audiences
15. Evidence of contributing to research proposal development
16. Excellent written and verbal communication skills
17. The ability to work independently while coordinating complex research activity within a multidisciplinary team
Desirable experience includes engagement with local government or public sector organisations and supervision of students or research staff.
18. The opportunity to contribute to a nationally significant NIHR PGfAR-funded programme with clear public health and policy impact.
19. A central role within a large-scale, mixed-methods research consortium focused on prevention, equity and real-world implementation.
20. Close collaboration with academic leaders, local government partners and national stakeholders.
21. The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity.
22. Grow your career: gain access to Imperial’s sector-leading as well as opportunities for promotion and progression.
23. Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 41 days off a year and generous pension schemes).
24. Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various and resources to support your personal and professional .