Are you a future leader in nutrition, lifestyle and metabolism research? Do you want your research to have real impact on the understanding and treatment of human disease? 

The University of Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS) and University of Southampton (UoS) are inviting expressions of interest from UHS/UoS clinical academic consultants to develop their career within the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) Lifecourse Nutrition, Lifestyle and Metabolism (NLM) Research Theme. 

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Aim of the post 

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The NIHR Southampton BRC, in association with the University of Southampton, is offering an exciting opportunity for outstanding clinical academics in the area of human nutrition, lifestyle and metabolism research. This position will provide a senior researcher an opportunity to develop a research programme that will have impact on human health and disease.

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The NLM Theme is looking to award 2-4 Academic Programmed Activities (APAs) for clinical consultants who hold a PhD/MD in a relevant subject area and are on an ambitious research career trajectory.

 

The PAs will be awarded until the end of the current BRC (31st March 2028) to enable the postholder to develop their own research programme. The expectation is that the award would make them competitive for an external personal fellowship application (e.g. MRC, NIHR, Wellcome Trust) relevant to their research experience and the NLM Theme, which would then support their research PAs beyond March 2028.

 

Applicants will have a track record for publishing in high quality scientific journals, have been successful in attracting external grant funding, have supervised post-doctoral students and presented at national and international scientific conferences. There is an expectation that they will apply for a personal external fellowship within the first 18-24 months; for this, they will receive considerable support and mentorship from the BRC and the University. Where appropriate, permission to be released from their UHS Clinical Division will need to have been secured and consideration given to their position beyond the finish of BRC support in March 2028.

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There is no provision for the cost of consumables or training in the APAs. Please provide details of how these costs will be met in the relevant section of the application form (if applicable).

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As an NIHR BRC clinical academic, the successful candidate will join a team of world-leading researchers. The proposed research must fit within the NIHR and BRC remit, with a particular emphasis on experimental medicine which does not include animal research. The Theme Research Strategy and SMART objectives can be found here.

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The research environment in Southampton

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Southampton is recognised as an international centre of excellence in human nutrition, lifestyle and metabolism, advancing the field in translational and clinical research across the life-course, applying an integrated, cross-disciplinary approach to improve understanding of disease and clinical outcomes for our patients. We are strongly committed to supporting the next generation of world-leading researchers in their transition towards independence.

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Support for the clinical academic

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The BRC will cover up to 2-4 APAs until March 2028.

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Application process

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To apply, please send the following to BRC-applications@uhs.nhs.uk:

• a 2–3-page CV

• your proposed research programme (maximum three sides of A4) including: title of the proposed research, background, objectives, hypothesis, study design/scientific methods, analysis plan/statistics, timelines, contingencies and proposed key research partnerships in Southampton and externally

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Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Theme Leads to discuss their projects before making an application to ensure project alignment.

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Applications should be received by 12:00, 28th July 2025.

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Applicants will be notified of outcomes by early September.

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For further information, please contact Malcolm West at M.West@soton@ac.uk.

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For informal enquiries please email Professor Keith Godfrey (kmg@mrc.soton.ac.uk) and Professor Jonathan Swann (J.Swann@soton.ac.uk).

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