Job Description

Salary

Salary will be 34,610 per annum pro rata subject to knowledge, skills and experience.

Contractual hours

18.25

Package

Generous holiday allowances, flexible working, pension scheme and relocation package (if applicable).

Job category/type

Research

Date posted

31/10/2025

Job reference

Q10301

Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

The post

The Faculty wishes to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Associate to support the work of Dr Yuri Russo. This GFF (Austrian Public Funding Agency) funded post is available from November 2025 to August 2026.

The post will involve:

Testing individuals with Parkinson's Disease who experience freezing of gait Use virtual reality technology to replicate real-world scenarios in which freezing may occur. Analysing and processing data from biomechanical instruments Preparing written outputs, including interim updates, literature review reports, and reports for stakeholders. Attending and contributing to regular project meetings with the academic supervisory team, including presenting evidence summaries and interpretation of preliminary findings.


We welcome applications from candidates interested in working part-time hours or job-sharing arrangements.

This is an exciting opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary team spanning biomechanics, data science, and human performance science.

About you

The successful applicant will be able to present information on research progress and outcomes, communicate complex information, orally, in writing and electronically and prepare proposals and applications to external bodies.

Applicants will possess a relevant PhD (or nearing completion) or possess an equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study and be able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge in the discipline and of research methods and techniques to work within established research programmes.

Essential skills and knowledge:

Experience in conducting narrative reviews, including search strategy design, screening, critical appraisal, and synthesis of findings. Proficiency in using bibliographic databases (e.g., PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE). Knowledge of motion capture systems and force plates. Ability to manage, analyse, and synthesise scientific evidence into clear outputs (e.g., tables, figures, narrative summaries, reports). Excellent organizational and project management skills, including the ability to work independently and meet deadlines. Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with both academic and non-academic stakeholders.

Desirable skills and experience:

Record of publications in biomechanics, movement sciences, neurology, or related fields. Experience working with Parkinson's disease and/or other neurodegenerative disorders. Experience with virtual reality and/or augmented reality technologies. Programming skills (e.g., MATLAB, Python, R). Experience preparing outputs to peer-reviewed publication standards. Experience delivering presentations to diverse audiences, including policymakers and stakeholders.

Please ensure you read the and Person Specification for full details of this role.

What we can offer you

Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research; Support teams that understand the University wide research and teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development Our Exeter Academic initiative supporting high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career


A multitude of staff benefits including sector leading benefits around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), Paternity leave (up to 6 weeks full pay), and a Fertility Treatment Policy


A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning

Devon*

The University of Exeter

We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 200 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 and QS World University Ranking 2024). We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, achieving a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2023, underpinned by Gold ratings for Student Experience and Student Outcomes.

Our world-leading research impact has grown more than any other Russell Group university in recent years, and we are home to some of the world's most influential researchers, seeking to answer some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today. More than 99 percent

of our research is of international quality and 47 percent is world-leading (2021 Research Excellence Framework).

We encourage proactive engagement with industry, business and community partners to enhance the impact of research and education and improve the employability of our students. Read about our world leading research - Green Futures and how we are transforming education for a changing world. We are located in a beautiful part of the country and Exeter (a fast growing tech hub) is one of only a few UK cities to have been designated as a UNESCO Creative City

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment

We are committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.

Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community.

With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 150 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN and Project Juno for Physics), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer.

We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from service people.

Further information

For further information please contact

Dr Yuri Russo

, e-mail

y.russo@exeter.ac.uk.

The closing date for completed applications is

November 13th

. Interviews are expected to take place shortly after the closing date.

This role may be subject to additional background screening and DBS check.