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Research Fellow - University College London

We are looking for a Research Fellow to join the Behavioural Research UK team at UCL. 

 

Working Pattern: Part time (50% FTE)

Salary: UCL Grade 7 -  £43,374 to £51,860 

 

This post will work closely with Professor David Lagnado at University College London in addition to teams at Sheffield and Edinburgh, and BR-UK colleagues from other universities and partner organisations across the UK.  The post-holder will support BR-UK's work package on Methods & Evidence Synthesis, which aims to equip the behavioural research community with the methodological tools and frameworks for effective research. 

 

The successful applicant will be responsible for developing and applying causal modelling frameworks to behavioural research, focusing on exemplar projects from various themes in BR-UK. In particular, the post-holder will apply causal modelling to critical questions in online child safety, helping to understand perpetrator behaviour and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. They will also collaborate on related projects across BR-UK, helping to develop a methodological framework for behavioural research that integrates current cognitive and social theories of behaviour.

 

Applicants should have a PhD (or near completion) in a relevant discipline, such as behavioural science, psychology, economics, computer science, applied statistics. They will have knowledge of behavioural science evidence, theories, models and frameworks and how these are applied in research and practice. They will have experience of conducting quantitative and qualitative research on human behaviour, from design to publication. They will have knowledge of causal modelling approaches or related statistical techniques.

 

UCL, and BR-UK, recognise that diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.

 

Closing date: 30th March 2025

 

Published: 4th March 2025.

Behavioural Research-UK studentship: Use of behavioural research at the interface of public health and climate change

Cardiff University School of Social Sciences invites applications for PhD study for a PhD project for October 2025 entry. This studentship would be based in the DECIPHer research centre in the School of Social Sciences, with cross-school supervision with the School of Psychology, as part of Cardiff University’s role within the cross UK ESRC funded leadership hub Behavioural Research UK. The supervisors are Professor Graham Moore (School of Social Sciences) and Professor Nicholas Pidgeon (School of Psychology). The Studentship is funded for a period of 3 years full time, with an anticipated start date of October 1st 2025.

 

Improving the health of the public, and limiting the escalation of climate change, are among the most important issues facing contemporary society. Both are influenced by complex patterns of human behaviours, including the behaviours of individuals, organisations, commercial actors and governments. While often investigated and enacted by different groups of researchers and policymakers, it is increasingly recognised that these are intertwined and synergistic goals. Actions targeting one domain may have spillover effects, or may be explicitly designed to improve outcomes across domains simultaneously.

 

Actions to influence behaviours may run a full spectrum, from education to encourage certain behaviours, through to regulation to limit behavioural options. They may directly target behaviours of the public, or aim to influence these indirectly, for example, through regulating behaviours of commercial organisations. Policies and interventions across both domains often occupy contentious ideological ground concerning the balance between public benefit and individual freedoms. Public and policy acceptance of differing approaches may vary across space, time and behavioural target area, and may run counter to a range of powerful interests.

 

The aim of this PhD project will be to contribute to advancing understandings of the role of behavioural research in shaping action at the interface of public health and climate change. The precise questions and methodologies in this broad area will be shaped by the interests of the student. Possible research questions could include:

  • What does the current evidence base tell us about the effects of actions to improve health on environment related behaviours (and vice versa)?
  • How have behavioural research theory and methods been used to inform and evaluate actions to influence health and environment related behaviours?
  • What kinds of actions to influence health and environmental behaviours are acceptable to policymakers and the public, and how and why does this vary between behaviours targeted?

 

 Studentships are highly competitive. Candidates should have an excellent academic background in the social sciences, holding a 1st or strong upper 2nd class degree, or a relevant master’s degree which includes training in social science research methods.

 

Closing date: 12.00 noon (GMT) on Friday, 28 March 2025. 

Short-listed applicants will be invited to interview, which are expected to take place on 8 April 2025.

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